NASCAR's new championship format, lauded for creating nail-biting intensity, wild emotional swings and tension on and off of the track, has also been full of heartbreak. Dale Earnhardt Jr. had one of the best seasons of his career with an honest shot at his first career Sprint Cup title — and was eliminated in the second round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. Kyle Busch salvaged a mediocre regular season to put himself in position to run for the title.