Joseph Causey Claims Championship as Justin Levine Wins Homestead Finale

HOMESTEAD, FL — The 125-lap championship finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway delivered heartbreak, high-speed drama, and a newly crowned champion. While Justin Levine put together a spectacular drive to take the checkered flag, it was Joseph Causey who secured the ultimate prize, claiming the series championship with a clutch second-place finish.

The fast-paced finale featured only one caution, which came at the stage break, forcing teams and drivers to rely heavily on green-flag strategy, tire management, and long-run execution.

The Championship Picture

Entering the night, all eyes were on the Championship 4: defending champion Reece Schaefer, Joseph Causey, Derek Garrison, and Justin Levine.

With championship contenders ineligible to earn stage points, the finale became a straight fight for track position, execution, and mistake-free racing. Schaefer entered Homestead with a razor-thin one-point lead over Causey, while Garrison sat 13 points back and Levine faced a 17-point deficit, needing a near-perfect night and some help to climb back into title contention.

Heartbreak and Recovery

The championship battle was shaped by two major turning points.

On Lap 54, Causey’s title hopes nearly took a devastating hit when he suffered a half-spin. However, he managed to gather the car back up and continue, keeping himself firmly in the championship fight.

The most shocking moment of the night came later when defending champion Reece Schaefer’s title defense came to a heartbreaking end. A connection issue forced Schaefer out of the race, resulting in a devastating DNF and opening the door for the rest of the Championship 4.

With Schaefer out of contention, Levine capitalized in a big way. He drove a flawless race and captured the season finale victory, but his pre-race points deficit proved too much to overcome. Despite winning the race, Levine came up nine points short of the championship.

Causey’s recovery from the Lap 54 scare proved to be the difference. By bringing the car home in second, he secured enough points to claim the championship and cap off his season with the title.

Notable Performances

Derek Garrison finished fifth in the race and officially wrapped up his season fourth in the overall championship standings.

Despite the DNF, Schaefer’s strong performances in the first two races of the Round of 4 were enough to keep him third in the final championship standings.

Reece Hamilton proved to be the “best of the rest,” finishing sixth in the race and securing fifth in the final standings as the highest-finishing driver outside of the Championship 4.

Phillip Brewer also turned heads in his season debut, putting together an impressive drive to finish fourth in the finale.

Looking Ahead

With the championship trophy awarded and the Homestead-Miami garage emptied, the offseason officially begins. However, drivers and teams will not have to wait long to return to competition.

The next season is scheduled to kick off July 26 with the highly anticipated Clash at Charlotte Motor Speedway.