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HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Tony Stewart slid out of his car in a NASCAR race for the final time and was swarmed by cameras, friends and rivals who wanted a piece of the retired champion.Jeff Gordon, another retired great, walked over to make the loosest of plans for their free time.Were gonna have fun, Gordon said.Damn right we are, Stewart replied.Stewarts final NASCAR race was pure fun -- and even a bit emotional for the notoriously gruff driver known as Smoke. But for all the accolades heaped and R-rated tales spun this week, Stewart made it clear he was simply a race car driver at heart to the end.I didnt think of anything else other than just racing the race, Stewart said.Stewart finished 22nd on Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the finish a mere footnote that capped a two-decade career stuffed with controversy and championships. He walked off with final memento: Jimmie Johnson gave his race helmet to Stewart moments after he won his seventh NASCAR championship.The gesture was the ultimate sign of respect toward a guy known as the ultimate pure driver.This is probably the biggest honor you can have as a driver, to get a guy that just won his seventh championship, to get his helmet like that, Stewart said.Earlier, Stewart sounded at peace heading into his final NASCAR race.Guys, its been a hell of a ride for 18 years, he said over the radio. Lets go out here and have one more good day.Hes had plenty of great ones through the years.Stewart had steeled his emotions in the lead-up to his final start and kept distractions at bay and close friends nearby before the race.His No. 14 Chevrolet was barricaded and protected by armed police officers before the season finale. His race car was essentially sitting in Turn 4, well away from the rest of the field. A banner flew nearby to tell fans where they could get a glimpse of the three-time Cup series champion.Its time. Lets go. Im ready, Stewart said.Stewart was feted with tributes all weekend by fellow drivers, fans, colleagues and every person who felt connected to him in even the smallest ways. He shed the gruff, prickly mood and became an almost happy-go-lucky guy. Stewart, clean-shaven, was all smiles as he posed for photo after photo, and hugged or wrapped his arm around crew members, and even the troops.Homestead saluted Stewart with a coordinated Thank you, Tony! yell from the grandstands as the photo ops stayed on schedule.My last photo with the boys, a Chevy employee shrieked.Gordon stopped by for a quick chat with Stewart. A year ago, Gordon was mobbed by so many fans that he struggled to get to his car before the finale.IndyCar driver Marco Andretti lingered near Stewarts car, and three-time Indianapolis 500 champion Helio Castroneves called Smoke one of racings greatest drivers. Joe Gibbs, Stewarts former car owner, hugged Stewart on pit road after the race.NASCAR added a ceremonial pace lap with Stewart leading the field before the race. There was a Ford truck that flew a Thank you, Smoke. 14 banner in front of him.His Chevrolet -- with dates of each of his 49 career wins etched into the paint scheme on the bumper -- took a lap down pit road, and Stewart slapped hands with crew members for all NASCAR teams.It made me think back to the moment when Dale Senior won the Daytona 500, Stewart said.NASCAR vice chairman Mike Helton thanked Stewart for the character and passion you brought to NASCAR all throughout your career.Stewarts career was given the highlight reel treatment in the pre-race drivers meeting with a colorful video of his biggest wins, playful banter and snippy one-liners. NASCAR drivers and crew members gave Stewart a rousing standing ovation. Stewart eventually stood and smiled, waiving in acknowledgment at the outpouring of affection.Stewart is just retiring from NASCAR driving. He has an ownership stake in Stewart-Haas Racing and will continue to race all over the country next year at the grassroots level. He may not be done yet poking NASCARs leaders.You understand, we still invite owners to the haulers sometimes, too, Helton quipped.Stewarts helmet was a weathered throwback that looked as if it had been hanging in a barn on his Indiana farm for decades. It appeared rusted, said Smoke. Unlimited Speed, and was a gritty symbol of one of the last true racers. The hood of Stewarts No. 14 Chevrolet is emblazoned with photos from his championship years next to the slogan Always a Racer, Forever a Champion.Stewart has yet to have his final ride.Hell go off-road riding Monday during his annual ATV trip.But when is his next official race?Stay tuned, he said, smiling. It wont be long.---More AP auto racing: www.racing.ap.orgDallas Goedert Jersey . -- Brandon Jennings made the most of his first game with the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night. 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Miller reached right to deflect Mikhail Grabovskis attempt with just over 2 minutes remaining in regulation, and then made two more saves in the shootout Sunday to give the Sabres a 2-1 win over the Washington Capitals.SALT LAKE CITY -- Some of Utahs most influential Mormons, including Mitt Romney, Gov. Gary Herbert and the president of the Utah Jazz, lobbied to get the private, Mormon church-owned Brigham Young University an invitation to join the lucrative Big 12 athletic conference.Jazz President Steve Starks said BYU was asked not to directly lobby other universities, so he instead worked to drum up support for the Provo school and enlisted help from the governors office.Starks, a Mormon, didnt attend BYU but said hes always been a fan and the universitys entrance into the conference would have been good for Utah and Utah sports.Big 12 university presidents and chancellors authorized Commissioner Bob Bowlsby to begin evaluating potential expansion candidates in July, and BYU was among several schools that made it clear theyd like to become members of the Power Five conference.But the Big 12 Conference announced Monday that it has decided against expansion from its current 10 schools.To make a case for BYU, Starks said there were several of us that I think have pulled out our Rolodexes and made phone calls. He declined to name names beyond Romney and Herbert, but said there were many others.Romney, the most prominent Mormon in the country, called Oklahoma State billionaire booster T. Boone Pickens to make a pitch for his alma mater, Pickens told reporters in September.Messages left with a representative for Romney were not returned, but Starks said he didnt ask Romney to get in involved in the effort because the 2012 presidential candidate already was making calls.Starks called the Utah governors office to see if Herbert, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, would reach out to his counterparts in states with Big 12 power schools to urge their support for BYU.In August, Herbert called Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to urge support for BYU and days later made a similar pitch to Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin while they attended a Republican Governors Association meeting in Colorado, said Herberts Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox.While Utah officials said a spot for BYU in the Big 12 would have brought prestige to the school and showcased the state to football fans elsewhere, it was also personal for Herbert. He attended BYU, as did his children, and his son-in-law, former Canadian football player Ben Cahoon, is the schools receivers coach.Herbert, a Republican, was not the only elected official to wade into the issue -- governors in Texas and Ohio issued tweets or wrote letters on behalf of schools in their states. In Texas, the lieutenant governor, Republican Dan Patrick, issued a formal statement urging the conference to not only take Houston but also the private Soouthern Methodist University.ddddddddddddEntrance into the Big 12 would have entitled BYU to a piece of the Big 12s shared revenue. Conference members split a record $304 million in net revenue, about $30.4 million per school for the 2015-16 school year.BYU athletics broke away from the Mountain West Conference in 2011 as the university looked for better opportunities. The football program became an independent after not making the cut when the Pac-12 expanded from 10 to 12 teams. Most of the other sports joined the West Coast Conference.Independence has allowed the football team to play more high-profile games without a mandatory conference schedule against mid-major teams. The opportunity to reach the College Football Playoff from a non-Power 5 conference is slim.University of Utah coach Kyle Whittingham has said his schools entrance into the Pac-12 Conference in 2011 was the most significant thing to happen to its football program. From a pure monetary standpoint, Utah has seen its athletic department revenues jump from $26.165 million in 2009-10 to $59.271 million in 2014-15. The national TV revenue grew from $1.222 million to $18.084 million.For BYU, joining the Big 12 would have also opened recruiting doors that can be closed otherwise. The highest caliber athletes in the country typically lean toward playing in a Power 5 conference, which besides the Big 12 and Pac-12 include the SEC, Big Ten, and ACC.The expansion talk came as federal education officials investigate how the school handles sexual assault reports. The scrutiny followed complaints from students and alumni about BYUs practice of opening honor code investigations of students who report sexual abuse.The strict honor code bans premarital sex and alcohol consumption, among other things. Gay rights groups also pushed back against the schools inclusion, arguing it has discriminatory policies.Rachel Sanders, executive director of left-leaning watchdog group Alliance for a Better Utah, said elected officials shouldnt have tried to influence a sports issue, especially one involving a private school.Sanders said officials that pushed for BYU were sending a message that any problems with BYUs honor code and LGBT policies are acceptable.Cox said the Utah governors conversations were brief and didnt dive into the schools religious practices or honor code. The governor instead highlighted the schools strong ticket sales, academics and support from state leaders.---Associated Press writers Paul Weber in Austin and Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City contributed to this report.ls strong ticket sales, academics and su