Testing SpeedwayMedia.com

Author: Tucker White

  • Early Performance of Ford

    Early Performance of Ford

    Kevin Harvick strolled into the Las Vegas Motor Speedway deadline room a few minutes early for his media availability. Sporting a hoodie and a jovial attitude, and despite his run a year ago in Nevada, his confidence was sky-high coming off his victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

    “Yeah, last year didn’t go well here with the blown tire but our performance here has been really good since I came to SHR, getting to victory lane here,” he said. “Obviously last week was really the way we have run in Atlanta the last five years, it is just we finally got to victory lane. I am looking forward to the weekend and hopefull, we continue the momentum.”

    But perhaps it’s the folks at Ford Motor Company who are breathing the biggest sigh of relief. The blue oval’s led a combined 278 of 325 laps (181 by Harvick alone), swept the podium and claimed half of the spots in the top-10 finishing order in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500.

    This surprised many who, through the offseason, predicted Ford — outside the restrictor plate races — would struggle to compete, especially at the mile and a half tracks, which have been the bread and butter of Martin Truex Jr. and Toyota Racing. Even drivers in the Ford camp, most notably Brad Keselowski, thought Ford could “take a drubbing” in 2018 (ASIDE: When asked if his thoughts had changed on the matter, Keselowski said during the media tour that he believed NASCAR’s new inspection system for 2018 might level the playing field).

    Also, if practice speeds are a quality measure, the Ford’s occupied four of the top-10 fastest speeds in the first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice session.

    So is the strong run by the Ford’s at Atlanta indicative of what’s to come in 2018? It’s unlikely for a myriad of reasons: Atlanta’s racing surface is on the right-hand side of the racing surface bell-curve, while Las Vegas is right in the middle, and there were no major changes from last season to this season, aside from the inspection process and pit stops.

    Harvick says at this point, it’s too early to guage.

    “I think it is a moving target at this particular point because of all the changes we had last year,” Harvick said. “I think from last year to this year with the inspection process and the difference in the splitter, the rules, just a lot. There are no real rule changes other than the splitter but everything is difference because of the way the car is inspected. I think everyone is trying to get their arms around where they are at. I think this weekend will be a pretty good indicator of where everybody stands and stacks up from one manufacturer to another, team to team, all those things. I know Kyle Larson was really fast when they came out here and tested. As we get done with this weekend, you will see where you need to go to work and the things you need to work on for your typical 1.5-mile program. Atlanta is just way different than anywhere else we go as far as the way you drive the track, the way the car falls off. This track has a fair amount of fall-off but still far different than last week.”

    Teammate Kurt Busch gave a similar answer when asked the same question.

    “I was really surprised by the Ford dominance. My car felt great. We were really good on the short run and I am hoping that plays out with our Haas Automation Ford this weekend,” Busch said. “The track surface is a little different. I always tell fans and media and sponsors alike that we need to just wait and look at the first five races as a core group. Once we are done with the west coast swing, lets evaluate trends. Atlanta is somewhat similar to Fontana and Auto Club Speedway with the asphalt being worn out. We will see if we can backup what we did at Atlanta at Fontana. This one here, this 1.5-mile is very similar to Texas, Kansas, Charlotte with the asphalt grip level and the tire that we are using. With this being a playoff race later in the year, this weekend is a great way to judge things once the checkered flag falls on Sunday night.”

  • Larson Fastest in First Practice at Las Vegas

    Larson Fastest in First Practice at Las Vegas

    Kyle Larson topped the chart in first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

    The driver of the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet was the fastest with a time of 28.323 and a speed of 190.680 mph.

    Behind him were Kevin Harvick, Paul Menard, Kyle Busch and William Byron rounding out the top-five.

    Erik Jones, Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top-10.

    Nobody posted a 10 consecutive lap average. All 37 cars entered for the Pennzoil Las Vegas 400 posted a lap. There were no incidents during the session.

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  • Johnson swept up in stage-ending, multi-car wreck

    Johnson swept up in stage-ending, multi-car wreck

    DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — It’s become an all-too familiar pattern for Jimmie Johnson during Speedweeks 2018: Standing outside the Florida Hospital Infield Care Center, waiting to talk to the media.

    He crashed out of his seventh straight Advance Auto Parts Clash a week prior, wrecked out of the Duel qualifier three days earlier and was caught up in another multi-car melee in the 60th running of the Daytona 500.

    “I know. It’s been tough lately,” Johnson said. “I have had some great days and nights here through the July race and this race, but of late it’s been tough. That is just how it goes. If I want to think too hard about it I can look at (Dale) Earnhardt’s record here and know how long it took him to get his first.”

    While not the main pinball of the wreck, as he was in his Clash wreck, Johnson collected early in the five-car wreck on the final lap of the first stage.

    Heading down the backstretch, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. moved down to the bottom of the track to block the advance of Ryan Blaney. Stenhouse got loose coming up the track, but saved it. Erik Jones attempted to thread the gap between Stenhouse and Alex Bowman on the bottom, but Bowman either made contact or got him aero loose. Either way, it sent Jones squirreling back into the nose of Johnson, which turned him down into Bowman, who hooked Daniel Suarez into the outside wall in Turn 3.

    “Just racing that hard coming for a green and white checkered flag. I’m not sure everybody was thinking big picture and really using their head through that,” Johnson said.

    Johnson, who got loose from turning Jones, got kicked up into the wall by Jones’s car, sending him straight into Suarez.

    “It looked like everybody thought that was the finish of the Daytona 500 and it was really only lap 59 coming to 60,” he said. “Unfortunately, we lost our third car for the weekend. It’s unfortunate it has turned out that way, but we will get this Lowe’s for Pro’s Chevy dialed in for Atlanta and go do it again.”

    Johnson ended the race in 38th and left Daytona International Speedway 36th in points.

  • Austin Dillon Wins the Daytona 500

    Austin Dillon Wins the Daytona 500

    DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Aric Almirola, first race with a new team, just had to play the blocking game for 2.5 miles and he would have his name etched onto the Harley J. Earl Trophy. Well, he did for a mile and a quarter and wound up hooked into the wall by Austin Dillon, who drove his No. 3 Chevrolet to victory in the Daytona 500, 17 years to the day after Dale Earnhardt was killed on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.

    “I did what I had to do at the end. I hate it for the 10 guys,” Dillon said. “We just had a run. I stayed in the gas. It’s what it is here at Daytona.”

    After he finished his celebratory burnout, his crew gathered by his car trackside as he and the crew were overcome with joy.

    “It is so awesome to take the 3 car back to victory lane. This one’s for Dale Earnhardt Sr. and all those Sr. fans. I love you guys!  We’re gonna keep kicking butt the rest of the year.”

    But his joy was upstaged by Darrell Wallace Jr. whose mother came up to the podium during his post-race press conference and hugged him, as did his sister, and he all but broke down in tears.

    And he was emotional after the race for good reason. He had just edged out Denny Hamlin by inches for runner-up in the Daytona 500 while getting run into the wall a few hundred feet past the start/finish line.

    Joey Logano and Chris Buescher rounded out the top-five.

    Paul Menard, Ryan Blaney, Ryan Newman, Michael McDowell and AJ Allmendinger rounded out the top-10.

    RACE SUMMARY

    Alex Bowman led the field to the green flag at 3:07 p.m. Denny Hamlin powered by him, however, to lead the first lap. While much of the pack ran two and three-wide, he controlled the top spot in the early laps.

    The caution flew for the first time on Lap 7 when Corey LaJoie blew an engine on the backstretch. Hamlin lost the lead after he overshot his stall. Compounding his woes, he was held a lap for his crew servicing his car while it was on the line.

    Kurt Busch led the field back to the green on Lap 12. Bowman ducked to the inside lane exiting Turn 4 to take the lead for the first time on Lap 14. Erik Jones, after a number of laps side-by-side with Bowman, dropped down in front of him to take the lead on Lap 23. Kyle Busch, running fifth, dropped off the pace on the backstretch with a flat left-rear tire on Lap 29. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. drafted past Jones to take the lead on Lap 34. He lost it on the backstretch to Chase Elliott on Lap 44.

    Kyle Busch’s troubles continued on Lap 50 when he suffered a left-rear failure and spun in Turn 3, bringing out the second caution. He was clipped by DJ Kennington. Jamie McMurray was also collected.

    Back to green on Lap 55, Kurt Busch drafted past Elliott entering Turn 3 to retake the lead. Busch won the first stage, as it ended under caution for a nine-car wreck in Turn 3. But just as Hamlin did in the first caution, Busch overshot his pit stall, losing the lead. Making matters worse, he had to make another lap around to make a stop.

    Bowman led the field back to green on Lap 66. The outside line pushed Ryan Blaney to the lead on Lap 68.

    Byron cut down his right-front tire and hit the wall in Turn 4 and left debris all down the backstretch, bringing out the caution on Lap 91.

    Martin Truex Jr. took the race lead after bypassing pit road.

    Back to green on Lap 97, Blaney took back the lead the following lap.

    Elliott’s day came to an end when he was sent hard into the outside wall in Turn 3 on Lap 103. Danica Patrick was also collected in it in her final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start.

    The race restarted on Lap 108. Stenhouse makes an unscheduled stop for overheating. Caution ends the second stage, with Blaney winning it.

    Back to green on Lap 126, the bottom line all but disappeared as everyone formed up along the wall for the run to the finish. The long green run to the finish was broken by Byron’s spin exiting Turn 4 with 11 laps to go.

    A 12-car wreck in Turn 1 with three to go set up the run to the finish.

    NUTS & BOLTS

    The race lasted three hours, 26 minutes and 15 seconds, at an average speed of 150.545 mph. There were 24 lead changes among 14 different leaders and eight cautions for 37 laps.

    Blaney leaves with a six-point lead over Dillon.

     

    [pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/2018-Daytona-500-Unofficial-results.pdf” title=”2018 Daytona 500 Unofficial results”]

     

  • Five Cars Wreck in Final Lap of Clash

    Five Cars Wreck in Final Lap of Clash

    Standing outside the infield care center at Daytona International Speedway, the consummate professional Jimmie Johnson maintained a stoic composure as he told Jamie Little of FOX Sports the events, from his point of view, that led him to wrecking out of his seventh consecutive Advance Auto Parts Clash.

    “Yeah, I got turned,” he said. “(Kyle) Larson and I were just talking about that in the Care Center. I need to go back and look at the video and see if he really did get me center and if that could have been a contributing factor to it. A lap before that, I think the No. 41 (Kurt Busch) got into me and pushed me pretty hard and everything was fine. So, in my head I cleared that concern and was looking out the windshield sitting in a great spot, but unfortunately didn’t make it back.”

    Johnson was the main pinball of a five-car wreck on the backstretch on the final lap of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Advance Auto Parts Clash. It started when Kyle Larson, carrying a run off Turn 2, hit Johnson square in the back, which got him loose and slowing veering toward the outside wall. Larson hit him again in his right-rear corner panel, hooking him into the outside wall.

    “Yeah, that’s the first time I’ve went to push somebody and I hit him pretty solid and just turned him into the wall,” Larson said. “I hate that I was the one that caused the wreck. I still haven’t seen a replay. Obviously, I know I’m the one that started that, but I’d just like to see if I did hit him as hard as I think I did, or what. Or if our bumpers just don’t line up as well with the new Camaros, or what. But, I hate that I was the one to do that. Our DC Solar Chevy was a handful all race and it was, even in practice yesterday. So, we have a lot of work to do to just get it driving stable enough for me to run 500 miles next Sunday. It was a tough race, I guess. I felt on-edge the whole time. So, I’ve got some work to do.”

    From that moment on, calamity ensued.

    Larson made contact with Johnson a third time, which spun him into the outside wall. Kyle Busch received damage from running into Johnson’s right-rear, but he completed the remaining mile and a quarter of the race. Kasey Kahne, either because he was hit by Johnson’s spinning car or he veered to the left to avoid hitting him, was t-boned by Chase Elliott, who dove onto the apron to avoid the wrecking cars in the higher lane.

    “Yeah, we had a good car, just the circumstances, the way the top kind of formed up there it just happened to be we were on the bottom at the time,” Elliott said. “I thought our car was as good as anybody’s. I mean I don’t really know what I would have done a whole lot different to change the circumstance, but happens and luckily next week is the important one.”

    Martin Truex Jr., while he didn’t hit a car, spun out on the grass trying to avoid the spinning cars.

    Busch came out the best of the cars involved with a seventh-place finish, Larson finished 10th, Johnson finished 12th, Elliott finished 13th, Truex finished 14th and Kahne finished 15th.

  • Keselowski Wins The Clash

    Keselowski Wins The Clash

    Drenched in beer and sporting sunglasses that complemented his swagger, Brad Keselowski celebrated going from last to first and winning the Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona International Speedway. Especially after he confidently said on Twitter earlier in the day, “I believe that we will win.”

    As he revealed in victory lane, his confidence was more based in superstition.

    “Last year, we started first. It didn’t go our way,” Keselowski said. “We were joking after the drawing (for position) Paul Wolfe, who usually does the drawings, he didn’t do it this year and we got last. And he said, ‘Look, this’ll be the year we win.’”

    He said after the race he wasn’t “‘Babe Ruthing’ it by any means” when he said he’d win. He just thought he was due.

    Keselowski took the lead from Chase Elliott on the final restart of the 75-lap exhibition event and held the lead largely unchallenged, aside from a final-lap charge from Kurt Busch and Kyle Larson — the latter resulting in a multi-car wreck — for the final 26 laps.

    “It’s a great way to start the season with the Miller Lite Ford, and I’m happy for everyone on my team,” he said. “This is the first time I won anything in Speedweeks. I feel like I’ve choked them away. It’s nice to not choke this one away, Vince. Definitely, a good day and I’m really thankful for the team. Completely different package than what we’ve had here at Daytona ever before. Guys had to show up with a way different car and that’s a testament to everyone at Team Penske to work on it and do that. Good day, great start, two more to go.”

    Joey Logano, Busch, Ryan Blaney and Austin Dillon rounded out the top-five.

    Austin Dillon led the field to the green flag at 3:25 p.m. He edged out Denny Hamlin to lead the first lap, but the outside line pushed Hamlin by Dillon exiting Turn 4 to take the lead on the second lap.

    Everyone merged into the top lane for a few laps. But when Kyle Larson got loose trying to pass Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and spun on the apron, the single-car train broke up. Chase Elliott led the re-formed inside line back to the front, where he powered ahead of Hamlin exiting Turn 2 to take the lead on Lap 10.

    Dillon worked his way back to the front and edged Elliott at the line to retake the lead on Lap 15. Elliott sliced under him exiting Turn 2 and slid up in front of him going down the backstretch to take back the lead on the 17th lap.

    Joey Logano took the lead for a lap, on Lap 25, before he and all but four cars pitted prior to the final lap of the segment. Larson took the lead as the caution flew to end the segment.

    Kurt Busch, attempting to go under Jamie McMurray in Turn 3 on Lap 35, hit the rear of the No. 1 car and sent him into the wall, setting up the run to the finish.

  • Bowman Takes the Pole Position for the Daytona 500

    Bowman Takes the Pole Position for the Daytona 500

    Shaking with joy as he climbed out of his car, Alex Bowman shook hands with and hugged team owner Rick Hendrick after winning the pole in the same race he failed to qualify for three years earlier.

    “I mean, if you talked to me in 2015 and told me that in 2018 I was going to be driving the 88 car for Hendrick Motorsports, I would have called you nuts,” Bowman said. “You know, everything happens for a reason. My career had a lot of ups and downs, and I’ve been able to lean on my past experiences a lot to make me better and to better prepare myself for this job.

    “Honestly, I think I’m better because of the things that I had to go through. I got to make a lot of mistakes without anybody watching. Just never give up.”

    Since Bowman was driving a chartered car and the number of cars entered was only 40, he was going to make the race no matter the outcome. But winning the pole for the Daytona 500, NASCAR’s biggest race, for him is “a little surreal.”

    Bowman’s final round lap of 46.002 and a speed of 195.644 mph earned him his second career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series pole. Given he went out early in the first round, he thought he was at a “disadvantage” for the second.

    “Just a little nerve-racking. Our Nationwide Camaro ZL1 has been great since we unloaded. All the guys back at the chassis shop, body shop, the Hendrick Engine Shop is top notch. They all work so hard and we knew we were going for the pole. That’s what we were here to do. I thought we were at a little disadvantage letting the car cool down as long as we did, since we went pretty early in that first round. I was a little nervous for that second round, but I’m glad it took off well off pit road. And (I) did everything I could do, but this really comes down to the crew, all the guys back at the shop. Whether it’s the aero group, the engine shop, the chassis shop, everyone works so hard at these speedway cars, especially for the (Daytona) 500. Which means the world to have Nationwide’s support and to be able to put it on the pole.”

    Joining him on the front row is Denny Hamlin, who’s lap of 46.132 and speed of 195.092 mph was on top of the board for roughly 90 seconds, before it was usurped by Bowman.

    But that didn’t diminish his enthusiasm for starting front row of the Daytona 500.

    “No, I literally am so ecstatic. It’s just so out of the blue because obviously I thought that today was going to be a tough day qualifying,” Hamlin said. “We focused so much on race trim yesterday. We stuck in a pack and I think we did one real mock run which wasn’t really even a mock run and we were so far off that we just switched and made sure our car was going to handle real good on Thursday and obviously next Sunday. This car is ready to race. It’s handling well and we’re looking forward to Thursday. Now, obviously to the 500 being on the front row. I’m so proud of FedEx and TRD (Toyota Racing Development). All of the hard work that the fab shop at JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) has done. This is really about them and their preparation for the Daytona 500. I couldn’t be prouder to represent them and hopefully we’ll get us another Daytona 500 next Sunday.”

    Every driver from third on down must race for their official position in the Can-Am Duel races on Thursday night.

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  • Byron Fastest in Second Practice at Daytona

    Byron Fastest in Second Practice at Daytona

    William Byron topped the chart in second Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at Daytona International Speedway. The driver of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet with a time of 44.625 and a speed of 201.681 mph.

    With less than 13 minutes in the second of five practice sessions for the 60th running of the Daytona 500, the lead went back and forth between Byron and Kevin Harvick. Both drivers were part of a 12-car pack.

    Byron took the lead from Denny Hamlin, who took it from Danica Patrick.

    Taking to the track as part of a six-car pack, along with Denny Hamlin, Daniel Suarez, Brendan Gaughan, DJ Kennington and Ty Dillon, she hopped to the top of the leaderboard with roughly 30 minutes to go in the second of five practice sessions for the 60th running of the Daytona 500.

    It ended 20 minutes of single-car runs.

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished the session second, with a time of 44.632 and a speed of 201.649 mph. Joey Logano was third with a time of 44.641 and a speed of 201.608 mph. Hamlin was fourth with a time of 44.673 and a speed of 201.464 mph. David Ragan rounded out the top-five with a time of 44.764 and a speed of 201.054 mph.

    Paul Menard, Trevor Bayne, Daniel Suarez, Ryan Blaney and Michael McDowell rounded out the top-10.

    First Practice Results

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  • Kyle Busch Fastest in First Daytona Practice

    Kyle Busch Fastest in First Daytona Practice

    Erik Jones topped the chart in first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at Daytona International Speedway. The driver of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota was the fastest with a time of 45.058 and a speed of 199.743 mph.

    He was part of a four-car Gibbs pack in the closing minutes of the session that included teammates Erik Jones, Denny Hamlin and Daniel Suarez. Jones jumped to the top of the leaderboard with less than three minutes to go, but was usurped by Busch the following lap.

    This came only a few minutes after Austin Dillon and Jamie McMurray ended the run of single-car laps and posted the fastest time.

    Hamlin finished the session second, with a time of 45.085 and a speed of 199.623 mph. Suarez finished third with a time of 45.088 and a speed of 199.610 mph. Jones finished fourth with a time of 45.109 and a speed of 199.517 mph. Dillon rounded out the top-five with a time of 45.621 and a speed of 197.278 mph.

    McMurray, Ty Dillon, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson rounded out the top-10.

    The session was red-flagged with roughly 30 minutes remaining after a car dropped gear fluid on the backstretch.

    Second Practice Results

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  • Blaney Fastest in Clash Practice at Daytona

    Blaney Fastest in Clash Practice at Daytona

    Ryan Blaney topped the chart in the final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice for the Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona International Speedway. The driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford was the fastest with a time of 45.090 and a speed of 199.601 mph.

    With 20 minutes to go in the only practice session for The Clash, Blaney — as part of a six-car pack which included Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Kasey Kahne, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Kyle Larson — ran a lap roughly two-tenths faster than Kyle Busch.

    Up until 35 minutes remaining in the session, every driver was running single-car laps. The Toyota brigade of, in order, Denny Hamlin, Busch, Erik Jones and Martin Truex Jr. went out on track and topped the chart. Hamlin led for a lap before he was usurped by Truex, who was fourth in line. On the final lap with the current order, Busch took over the lead in practice.

    Logano finished the session in second, with a time of 45.103 and a speed of 199.543 mph. Stenhouse finished third with a time of 45.111 and a speed of 199.508 mph. Keselowski finished fourth with a time of 45.115 and a speed of 199.490 mph. Larson rounded out the top-five with a time of 45.120 and a speed of 199.468 mph.

    Kahne, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Hamlin and Jones rounded out the top-10.

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