DORAL, FL – NASCAR celebrated the 2014 Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series Monday evening with a gala awards banquet at the Trump National Doral Miami. And while Chase Elliott and Matt Crafton were the racing men of the night, a special appearance by tycoon Donald Trump may have been he highlight. Trump met with drivers before the festivities and then offered a warm welcome as the evening got underway. “I didn’t watch a minute of the NFL yesterday,” Trump said about Sunday’s season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. “I watched NASCAR. You’re much more brave.” Elliott was honoured as the NASCAR Nationwide Series champion and its Rookie of the Year, a first. He also won the series Most Popular Driver Award, perhaps destined to follow in the footsteps of his father, Bill Elliott, a 16-time winner of the NMPA Most Popular Driver Award in NASCAR’s premier series. Crafton returned the head table for the second-straight year as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion, also a series first. Ryan Blaney, the truck series’ runner-up this year, brought home the most popular driver award in the Camping World Truck Series. The Team Penske No. 22 Ford (Nationwide) and Kyle Busch Motorsports No. 51 Toyota (trucks) were honored for their team owner championships in their respective series. Sprint Cup regular Kyle Busch (Nationwide) also claimed top honors in the year-end Keystone Light and Coors Light Pole Awards, leading both series in the number of poles this season. Busch was also lauded with the Mobil 1 Driver of the Year in the truck series. Kyle Larson won the award in the Nationwide Series. Photo Gallery Donald Trump (fourth from left) poses with NASCAR drivers (left to right) Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Chase Elliott, Matt Crafton, Bubba Wallace, and Greg Ives (Elliott’s crew chief) (photo – NASCAR via Getty Images) Chase Elliott with his mother and father, Cindy and Bill Elliott (photo – NASCAR via Getty Images) Chase Elliott with his crew, team owners Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kelly Earnhardt, and Rick Hendrick (photo – NASCAR via Getty Images) Matt Crafton (photo – NASCAR via Getty Images) Matt Crafton with his crew (photo – NASCAR via Getty Images)
