Tag: Daytona 500

Journeyman Michael Waltrip Making Final Ride on Sunday

When the checkered flag flies on Sunday, that’s the conclusion of the journey for arguably NASCAR’s ultimate journeyman.

In sports, the journeyman is defined as “an athlete who is technically competent but unable to excel” and Michael Waltrip is arguably the textbook case in NASCAR. Statistically, his numbers aren’t impressive, especially when compared to those of his brother and NASCAR Hall of Fame member, Darrell Waltrip.

But out of all the drivers who’ve started a NASCAR race, Michael is one of 186 individuals who’ve actually won a race in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. He has two Daytona 500 victories on his résumé, one more than his brother and two more than drivers such as Tony Stewart and NASCAR Hall of Fame members Mark Martin and Rusty Wallace.

Waltrip started 462 times in the Cup Series without recording a victory, minus a victory in the exhibition All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1996. But on February 18, 2001, in his first race for new team owner Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Inc., he broke through for his first career victory in the sport’s biggest race.

Alas, what started as the greatest moment in his life quickly turned into the darkest day in NASCAR history. On the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500, Earnhardt perished when his car slammed the Turn 4 wall head-on.

Waltrip says the circumstances of his first win is something he lives with, but wouldn’t call it “haunting.”

“I accepted it and I think I said it very well the days after that race. I think we have a number of days when we’re born that we’re going to live. Everybody has that number and that was Dale’s day, and me winning was the perfect person to win because I just wanted to give him the credit,” Waltrip said. “I still honor him by giving him the credit and I will say also as I get older, as you think about your day coming up, it’s a pretty good day when you’re watching your two cars drive off to win the Daytona 500 and then you’re in heaven right after that. Obviously, I wish I could have got a hug from him and everything had have turned out different, but that’s just not the way it was meant to be.”

His next victory came at Daytona International Speedway on Independence Day weekend in 2002. Thanks to a late spin by Ryan Newman, Waltrip coasted to victory under caution and his demeanor in victory lane was “business as usual,” as opposed to the “fun, friendly, nice to old people and kids – even nice to the media” guy, as he described himself.

His third came a few months later in the rain-shortened 2003 Daytona 500. Asked if the race being shortened by rain mattered to him, he responded he “got the trophy and the check and they didn’t shorten either one of those.” He added that he’d rather have won in a manner similar to Denny Hamlin last year, but “that’s just not the way it is.”

Waltrip’s final victory came in the 2003 EA Sports 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Restarting in the lead with five laps to go, he held off a final charge by Jeff Gordon to score his fourth and final Cup win.

The next two years, success was nowhere to find and he left DEI at the conclusion of the 2005 season.

After an unremarkable stint at Bill Davis Racing, which included four DNQ’s, he started his own race team that led to Toyota’s foray into the Cup Series.

“I think Darrell and I took it as partly our responsibility to tell the world that this was a good thing for NASCAR, that Toyota, they have a plant in Georgetown, Kentucky, and they employ a lot of hard working Kentuckians and Americans all over our country to build their cars, and they just wanted to come race in NASCAR, and the money they spent marketing and on the cars and the teams and all those things feel like we’re something that would help the sport, and I’m thankful that they asked us to be a part of it,” he said.

Unfortunately, the legacy of the organization that bore his name was of cheating with illegal fuel additives and manipulating the outcome of the 2013 Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

Since 2012, Waltrip transitioned to the role of studio analyst and color commentator for FOX Sports, while still maintaining an ownership stake of MWR (prior to its shutting down at the conclusion of the 2015 season), although not running the day-to-day operations. It was here that his offbeat, goofy personality shined through, especially during his polarizing “Grid Walk” segments in FOX’s pre-race shows.

This hasn’t stopped him from jumping back in the car to race now and again.

This Sunday, however, will be the last for the 32-year journeyman. He thought 30 Daytona 500’s “was a cool number and the last one was coming some day and Aaron’s wanted to help me celebrate it and Toyota, so that’s why.”

When asked what advice he’d give to up and coming drivers, he said just to have fun and remember this is an entertainment business.

“We’re here for people to sit down and watch and smile and enjoy it,” he said. “And you don’t have to be cool. You can be cool, but you need to be fun, and you need to be outgoing and energetic, and you need to be able to tell your story with some flair.”

February 22, 2017

NASCAR Racing Schedule for Daytona Speedweeks

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series will open the 2017 season at Daytona International Speedway this weekend.

Analyzing The Advanced Auto Parts Clash At Daytona:
Unlike previous years, the starting field for the 2017 Advanced Auto Parts Clash at Daytona will not be a predetermined number of cars; rather, the field is limited to drivers who meet more exclusive criteria. The 2017 Eligible Participants Include:

2016 Coors Light Pole Winners: Greg Biffle, Alex Bowman, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Austin Dillon, Carl Edwards, Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and Martin Truex Jr.

Former Clash Winners: Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Tony Stewart

Former Daytona 500 Pole Winners: Danica Patrick

2016 Monster Energy Playoff Participants: Chris Buescher, Kyle Larson and Jamie McMurray

Breakdown of Clash at Daytona Winners:

Year	Driver	Year	Driver
1979	Buddy Baker	1998	Rusty Wallace
1980	Dale Earnhardt	1999	Mark Martin
1981	Darrell Waltrip	2000	Dale Jarrett
1982	Bobby Allison	2001	Tony Stewart
1983	Neil Bonnett	2002	Tony Stewart
1984	Neil Bonnett	2003	Dale Earnhardt Jr.
1985	Terry Labonte	2004	Dale Jarrett
1986	Dale Earnhardt	2005	Jimmie Johnson
1987	Bill Elliott	2006	Denny Hamlin
1988	Dale Earnhardt	2007	Tony Stewart
1989	Ken Schrader	2008	Dale Earnhardt Jr.
1990	Ken Schrader	2009	Kevin Harvick
1991	Dale Earnhardt	2010	Kevin Harvick
1992	Geoff Bodine	2011	Kurt Busch
1993	Dale Earnhardt	2012	Kyle Busch
1994	Jeff Gordon	2013	Kevin Harvick
1995	Dale Earnhardt	2014	Denny Hamlin
1996	Dale Jarrett	2015	Matt Kenseth
1997	Jeff Gordon	2016	Denny Hamlin

Please check below for the complete schedule of events.

All times are Eastern.

Friday, Feb. 17:

On Track:
5-5:55 p.m.: Cup Series First Practice for The Clash at Daytona – FS1
6:30-7:25 p.m.: Cup Series Final Practice for The Clash at Daytona – FS1

Saturday, Feb. 18:

On Track:
11:30 a.m.-3:25 p.m.: Cup Series First Practice – FS1
8 p.m.: Cup Series Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona (75 laps, 187.5 miles) – FS1

Sunday, Feb. 19:

On Track:
3:10 p.m.: Cup Series Daytona 500 Qualifying (single vehicle/two rounds) – FOX

TV Schedule Feb. 13-19

Thursday, Feb. 23:

On Track:
Noon-12:55 p.m.: Cup Series Practice – FS1
2-2:55 p.m.: Truck Series First Practice – FS1
4-4:55 p.m.: Truck Series Final Practice – FS1
7 p.m.: First Can-Am Duel race (60 laps, 150 miles) – FS1
9 p.m.: Second Can-Am Duel race (60 laps, 150 miles) – FS1 (time approx.)

Friday, Feb. 24:

On Track:
Noon-12:55 p.m.: XFINITY Series First Practice – FS1
1-1:55 p.m.: Cup Series Daytona 500 Practice – FS1
2-2:55 p.m.: XFINITY Series Final Practice – FS1
3-3:55 p.m.: Cup Series Daytona 500 Practice – FS1
4:30 p.m.: Truck Series Qualifying (single vehicle/two rounds), FS1
7:30 p.m.: Truck Series NextEra Energy Resources 250 (100 laps, 250 miles), FS1

Saturday, Feb. 25:

On Track:
10:30 a.m.: XFINITY Series Qualifying (single vehicle/two rounds) – FS1
12:30-1:55 p.m.: Cup Series Daytona 500 Final Practice – FS1
3:30 p.m.: XFINITY Series Powershares QQQ 300 (120 laps, 300 miles) – FS1

Sunday, Feb. 26:

On Track:
2 p.m.: Daytona 500 (200 laps, 500 miles) – FOX

February 17, 2017

The Final Word – NASCAR is back, but what gives with that points system?

A new season dawns upon us this weekend, with the Clash at Daytona this Saturday, to be followed by Sunday qualifying for the Daytona 500. After a couple of months sitting around watching world events and gleefully upsetting some with my witty political commentary, it is back to things involving gears and grease. So, much happen since we last chatted?

A new points system; well, that ought to be great. Right? Wrong. Let me illustrate. Bob finishes first after the first 60 laps of the Daytona 500. He gets 10 points for doing so. Bob is sitting first after 120 laps. He gets another 10 points. Bob finishes the race, lap 200, in 21st. Bob gets an additional 16 points. Then there is Bill. He finishes the first segment in 11th. No points for Bill. Same thing after the second segment. Then over the final laps of the race, Bill is right up there challenging for the win. Bill falls just short. Bill gets 35 points for finishing second. Bob, when you add it all up, finishes 21st yet he has 36 points, one more point than Bill, who finished the race in second. Sounds just bloody wonderful. What is not to like, eh?

Pardon me, but I am Canadian, which not only explains the “eh” but also my apology. The Duels will award from 1 to 10 points to the top 10 finishers in each race to count in the season standings. There are changes to how playoff points are awarded, but more on that later. It still comes down to win a race, more than likely make the Chase, and that is all that matters for the moment.

No Canadians among Cup drivers. No Tony Stewart. No Jeff Gordon…but didn’t we say that last year? No Greg Biffle, at least for the time being. No Carl Edwards. No one seems exactly sure if he is just sitting one out or looking for a seat in the U.S. Senate. I wonder how secure Sen. Claire McCaskill, who comes up for re-election in 2018, is feeling these days?

We have Clint Bowyer back in a real car, replacing Stewart. Daniel Suarez sits in for Edwards. Chris Buescher kind of replaces Biffle, in a car with ties to Jack Roush and JTG Daugherty Racing. Erik Jones sits in a brand new ride as the long-awaited teammate for Martin Truex Jr. Oh, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is back from his medically enforced vacation. That pretty much covers those who matter…at least those who matter at the moment.

Wreck a car, park a car. No new shiny noses. No new rear or side panels. You have five minutes to fix the beast on pit row, and if that does not do the trick, a driver’s day is done. Bad news for him, great news for those poor sots back in the garage. If the car is wrecked, it is Miller Time.

Sorry. I mean, Monster Energy time! Sprint hung up, and now we have a new title sponsor. Of course, for me it was Cup and it remains Cup. If you raced five years in Cup, you are limited to just 10 races in the junior circuit and seven in the trucks this season. They race none of those circuits’ Chase races. See, not all changes are bad. Some are downright about time.

Still, that points system kind of sucks. Maybe it is just me. By the way, it is good to have you back.

February 13, 2017
The White Zone: FOX is giving the Daytona 500 the wrong vibe with ‘Daytona Day’

“A letter to FOX Sports…”

Dear FOX Sports,

STOP TRYING TO MAKE “Daytona Day” A THING! IT’S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!

Sincerely,
Tucker White

*Reading a book*…*Looks at the audience* What?

Okay, I have more to say.

FOX Sports brought their “Daytona Day” ad campaign back this year to promote the 59th running of the Daytona 500. It’s as cheesy and silly as you’d expect and tries to give off an atmosphere of a party environment for NASCAR’s biggest race. You can find it on YouTube at “Happy #DaytonaDay! | The Daytona 500 on FOX” if you wish to check it out ( and if you missed it during the Super Bowl).

Here’s the problem FOX. You’re giving off the wrong mood.

A party atmosphere works if you’ve just finished a particularly hard 40-hour week at the office and need a few drinks. The type of people “Daytona Day” appeals to might tune into the Daytona 500 for a “party event,” although it’s worth noting that last year’s race was down 14 percent in ratings and 15 percent in viewership compared to 2015 despite this ad campaign (Sports Media Watch), but it won’t draw them in long term. Doing so is vital for the long-term sustainability of a sport that’s been on a downhill slide in television ratings and at track attendance for a decade now.

The way FOX should go is making every race, especially the Daytona 500, feel like a truly epic event. What I mean by that is an ad campaign that makes the hair raise off your skin and sends shivers down your spine.

The music for it shouldn’t be corny. It should be performed by an orchestra and sung by a choir.

The song should also be high energy, such as “Dies Irae” and “O Fortuna.”

And the best part is that all these classical songs are public domain. You don’t have to clear it with anyone over copyright for usage.

FOX, if you wish to have your own song for the occasion, that would also work. It should be something along the lines of one of the classical songs I listed or another high energy song, such as “Duel of the Fates.”

Or how about tap into the creative well that is YouTube. There are a number of YouTubers who make NASCAR related videos either for fun or as their living. Some of them make promos for races that are on par, or sometimes better than what FOX and NBC are producing.

You don’t believe me? Then check out this video by a user named Balto Racing.

I mean this with 100 percent sincerity when I say that this promo Balto made for the 2014 Daytona 500 is hands down the best NASCAR promo I’ve ever seen. Everything from the music and visuals just screams NASCAR with this.

Now as someone who consumes other forms of mass media when I’m not covering NASCAR, I know marketing is not an exact science and what I’m talking about is subjective. Everybody has their own likes and dislikes.

But the way we counteract that is doing the equivalent of “making your character interesting and identifiable,” and not trying to be “hip” and “KEWL!” In other words, the promos should make NASCAR races seem epic and larger than life, not the latest fad.

BOTTOM LINE: FOX, you’re going about promoting the biggest race in NASCAR wrong, but it’s an easy problem to solve.

February 6, 2017
Earnhardt Cleared for Return at Daytona

NASCAR’s most popular driver will be back in the race car for the sport’s biggest race this coming season.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been medically cleared to return to Cup Series competition for the 2017 season, beginning with the 2017 Daytona 500. This follows a test session at Darlington Raceway and being cleared by Dr. Mickey Collins, medical director of the Sports Medicine Concussion Program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and Charlotte neurosurgeon Dr. Jerry Petty, who was in attendance for the test session.

“Dale is one of the hardest-working patients I’ve ever encountered,” Collins said. “He’s done everything we’ve asked, and we believe he is ready to compete at a professional level again and can withstand the normal forces of a race car driver. Dale has been very open with us, and we’ve had plenty of time for his treatment, so we feel very good about his long-term prospects and how this has been managed by everyone involved.”

Earnhardt logged 185 laps over the course of five hours under the supervision of NASCAR.

“I feel great, and I’m excited to officially be back,” Earnhardt said. “I expected things to go really well yesterday, and that’s exactly what happened. Actually getting in a race car was an important final step, and it gives me a ton of confidence going into 2017. Thanks to the staff at Darlington for hosting our team and to NASCAR for giving us the opportunity to put a car on the track. I’ll do more testing in January to help knock the rust off. When it’s time to go to Daytona, I’ll be ready.”

Earnhardt is also eligible to run The Clash being a former winner of the event. But Alex Bowman, who won a pole last season driving in relief for Earnhardt, will drive the 88 car in The Clash.

The driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet has been out of the car since July of 2016 following the Cup race at Kentucky Speedway. He was diagnosed with symptoms of a concussion that stemmed from a wreck involving himself and Chris Buescher at Michigan International Speedway a few weeks earlier. It was compounded after he was caught up in a multi-car wreck at Daytona International Speedway two weeks prior.

He gave way the final 18 races of the season to Bowman, who drove the car for 10 races, and Jeff Gordon, who drove it for eight. Bowman drove the 88 car to a pole start and three top-10 finishes. His best run came at Phoenix International Raceway where he scored the aforementioned pole, led a race high 194 laps and finished a career-best sixth. Gordon wasn’t as spectacular, finishing in the top-10 only twice, best being sixth at Martinsville Speedway.

December 8, 2016
Hot 20 – If dreams do come true, why not a Dale Earnhardt 500 at Talladega?

With more than a month left in the old year, talk about the new is already starting to dominate. Tony Stewart is now retired, with Clint Bowyer no doubt thrilled at the chance to get back into quality equipment as his replacement. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is getting ready to return to racing, though that message from fiance Amy Reimann seems to indicate he never really left. Greg Biffle has left Jack Roush after all these years, with his old ride apparently being put on blocks for next season.

Dear NASCAR: Please start branding your races so they might one day become stand alone marquee events. Along with the Daytona 500, the Southern 500, and the Brickyard 400, change it back to the World 600 at Charlotte and summertime should mark the Firecracker 400 at Daytona. While we are at it, who would not want to win at Talladega, taking the Hellmann’s Dale Earnhardt 500, or STP’s Richard Petty 500 at Martinsville? A Ridgeway grandfather clock with the King’s face on the face. Hey, it is not our circus, but we have grown fond of some of the monkeys.

Jimmie Johnson has another trinket to keep polished. NASCAR, in its stupidity, has few iconic events, we know, but Johnson has won them all. Daytona 500? Twice. Southern 500? Twice. World 600? Four times. Brickyard 400? Four more. Ten-time winner at Dover. Nine at Martinsville. Did anyone mention seven Cup championships? Is it too early to wonder about an eighth? Jimmie Johnson is a living, breathing active iconic legend of the sport. Enjoy him while we can.

Most athletes are done by the time they hit 40. NASCAR is lucky in that way, but even at that age folks start asking the drivers “how much longer?” once they hit the milestone. Johnson, Junior, Biffle, Matt Kenseth and Kevin Harvick have already reached the peak of that mountain. The good news is that young gents such as Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, and Austin Dillon have already arrived, with Ty Dillon coming soon, along with the likes of Erik Jones and Darrell Wallace Jr. Those are just the ones with decent rides, either at this level or the one just below. Like XFINITY champ Daniel Suarez, for instance.

Elliott, Cup’s top rookie, turns 21 within the week. There are 50 drivers younger than him with some experience in the Cup, XFINITY, Camping World, or ARCA series. Harrison Burton finished 22nd in a truck race, third in an ARCA event. Jeff Burton’s boy turned 16 in October. Cole Custer does not turn 19 until January, yet was 10th best in the trucks this season, with a pair of XFINITY Top Tens to his credit in just five attempts. Tomorrow’s stars are coming.

Let us not rush things, though. 2016 gave us a nice mix of seasoned veterans and fuzzy-cheeked talent, as our Hot 20 bears out.

1. JIMMIE JOHNSON (5 WINS – 11 T5 – 16 T10) 5040 PTS
Gunning for eight in 2017. What, too soon?

2. JOEY LOGANO (3-16-26) 5037 PTS
I will never forget what he and Brittany did to honor the family of Jake Leatherman.

3. KYLE BUSCH (4-17-25) 5035 PTS
If NASCAR was Canadian, would Kyle be sponsored by Smarties?

4. CARL EDWARDS (3-9-18) 5007 PTS
Not at the front of the field in the end, but left as the class of the field.

5. MATT KENSETH (2-8-19) 2330 PTS
With the Biff leaving, that ole Roush gang have now all departed for greener pastures.

6. DENNY HAMLIN (3-12-22) 2320 PTS
Average finish over the final 21 races was 8.5. Thirtieth at Charlotte ruined everything.

7. KURT BUSCH (1-9-21) 2296 PTS
Was better in the first half than the second. The good news is that 2017 begins with the first half.

8. KEVIN HARVICK (4-17-27) 2289 PTS
Best damn driver in NASCAR this season is a champion…just not for this year.

9. KYLE LARSON (1-10-15) 2288 PTS
Second-best 20-something driver this season, and seems to have designs on #1 in the next.

10. CHASE ELLIOTT (0-10-17) 2285 PTS
Not all Rookies of the Year are stellar choices, but this one most definitely is.

11. MARTIN TRUEX JR. (4-8-17) 2271 PTS
Next year, Erik Jones becomes his new teammate. If the boy wins, soda pop for everyone.

12. BRAD KESELOWSKI (4-16-22) 2267 PTS
Brad does not think the format led to great racing last week. Brad did not have my television.

13. JAMIE MCMURRAY (0-2-12) 2231 PTS
Joined by Larson, McMurray gave boss Chip Ganassi a pair in the Top Five last Sunday.

14. AUSTIN DILLON (0-4-13) 2223 PTS
Some wags figure if Woody from Toy Story drove in NASCAR, he would look a lot like Austin.

15. TONY STEWART (1-5-8) 2211 PTS
As iconic as Johnson, Petty, Earnhardt, Gordon, L. Petty, Pearson, Yarborough and Waltrip

16. CHRIS BUESCHER (1-2-2) 2169 PTS
Proof that one race can make a season.

17. KASEY KAHNE (0-3-13) 898 PTS
2004’s top rookie teams with a seven-time champ, a 13-time most popular, and 2016’s top rookie.

18. RYAN NEWMAN (0-2-10) 895 PTS
If he had actually been driving a Caterpillar, the car would have looked better after last Sunday.

19. A.J. ALLMENDINGER (0-2-9) 830 PTS
If getting the wave around works good enough to claim eighth at Homestead, why not?

20. RYAN BLANEY (0-3-9) 812 PTS
Turns 23 on New Year’s Eve. Talk about welcoming in a new year twice at the same party.

November 23, 2016
Jimmie Johnson says there have been talks about changes to plate package

Speaking before the media earlier today, Jimmie Johnson says the Driver’s Council has discussed changes desired for the upcoming trip to the “World Center of Racing” next week.

During his media availability at Sonoma Raceway this afternoon, the driver of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet was asked whether there have been any discussions on making changes to the restrictor plate aerodynamic package ahead of the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.

“Yeah, I think we had one Driver Council meeting since,” he said. “I don’t remember spending a ton of time talking on it. I know following Talladega there were a lot of suggestions made.”

He also added that he made some suggestions right after last month’s GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, in which he was caught in a 21-car wreck in turn 1 with 26 laps to go.

“I certainly had some opinions of why passing was as difficult as it was and the energy that it created in the pack and the need to kind of bump-draft and slam-draft and then crash, like that whole process that took place. I know that they don’t want to over-react and we’re going to a different track in Daytona that works a little bit differently than Talladega does. So, I feel comfortable with it. I think, ideally, we would love to have the side draft be less impactful. We’d love to have a push from another car be more beneficial. And with the gear and horsepower reduction, I think that took away some of that offensive opportunity that existed. But, we’ll see how Daytona races and take it from there. I know that there’s another Driver Council meeting down in Daytona. It will probably be top of mind for everybody then.”

The current restrictor plate aero package has been in place with minor changes made to it since the 2013 Daytona 500. For the most part, the only real change to it is usually the size of the holes in the restrictor plates in order to add or reduce horsepower.

NASCAR has announced that the package as it was used at Talladega in May and the Daytona 500 in February will be used next weekend. This is in spite of three cars getting airborne in the most recent race at Talladega.

“The one car that got in the air on its own was the 20 car (Matt Kenseth) and we looked at that,” said NASCAR Executive Vice-President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell earlier today at Sonoma. He added that NASCAR is “satisfied with the race package we have.”

Despite the lack of major changes, Johnson says the drivers still notice the more minor ones.

“They don’t change a ton. There’s some sensitivity change to the dynamics and how it works, but the package is still very similar. You just notice or feel like last time you could clear a car more easily, or I could get up and push somebody a little bit harder and give them a run around a car. So, it’s more subtle things that we notice. Certainly, when you’re in the car after 300 or 400 miles, you can’t complete a pass, the little bump turns into a nudge and into a slam and then we have chaos like we did at Talladega. So, I guess it if gets off to a slow start, you can probably bank on a wild finish.”

June 24, 2016
The Final Word – Daytona was a tale of two lane blacktop, at least for the final lap

“Stay on the bottom, stay in line, and they can’t pass us.”

For 199 laps, Darrell Waltrip’s observation of the 2016 Daytona 500 was dead on. Then, it became dead wrong. With Matt Kenseth leading Martin Truex Jr. on the bottom, Denny Hamlin jumped to the outside with some rarely seen momentum in that lane. Kenseth moved up to block, overshot just as Hamlin cut to his inside to leave the No. 20 wiggling high and dry. Moving beside Truex the pair fought it out to the line, with Hamlin taking his first Great American Race by about four inches, the closest finish in the history of the classic.

For 199 laps, it was the inside lane and only the inside that mattered. Nothing moved on top. Until Hamlin’s maneuver, nothing did. In claiming the prize, the most dominant car of the day got back to the front where he had led for 95 laps though he needed to finish it off the hard way. Well, hard for everyone else, but it looked pretty darn easy for the now 27-race winner.

Racing at Daytona is usually exciting, even when it becomes a single lane contest for the most part. Twenty-year-old Chase Elliott led a couple from the pole, but later his car drifted away from him to leave it wrecked in the infield. Dale Earnhardt Jr. looked strong for the next dozen, and while he was coming back with 30 laps to run, his own snapped from beneath him and found an inside wall. Other than that, Hamlin, Kenseth, and Truex were the only names worth remembering.

Among the milestones, the worst Charter finish was that of Chris Buescher in 39th after his crash with Matt DiBenedetto near the mid-point on Sunday. The best non-Charter was 15th, recorded by Michael McDowell in the No. 59 of Leavine Family Racing. Danica Patrick is usually the dividing line between the good and the ugly, so the car finishing just ahead of her at Daytona was Greg Biffle in 34th. The pair had a meeting over disputed real estate and neither came away well from that. Right behind her was Junior in 36th.

There are times when cars can go from the front to near the back and within a few laps they are back racing up front again. That was not this race. Unless you could get back using the checkers method, by jumping over the opposition, it took some time to make up lost ground. Unlike some, this was not a case of follow the leader, but rather one where the leaders ran on the inside and those on the outside just sat there frustrated going nowhere. That is, until the final lap.

Some claim that is was a snore fest. I disagree as pack racing is never boring. When you drive that close and that fast, with only the first handful of cars not within a racing buddy in tight beside them, things can happen and not all of them good. It became obvious that the leader was going to likely be our eventual winner. Obvious to everyone, except for Denny Hamlin, that is.

February 22, 2016
Surprising and Not Surprising: The 2016 Daytona 500

After one of the greatest finishes in NASCAR history capping off one of the most dominating manufacturer performances ever, here’s what was surprising and not surprising from the Super Bowl of NASCAR, the Daytona 500.

Surprising: After tearing his ACL last season and ending 2015 a disappointing ninth in the final point standings, Denny Hamlin ended Sunday the victor of the 58th annual Daytona 500. It was Hamlin’s first Daytona 500 victory in his eleventh start in the “Great American Race.” It was also the closest margin of victory of any Daytona 500 race of all time, at .010 seconds ahead of second-place Martin Truex Jr.

Hamlin dominated most of the day, leading 95 laps, but the driver of the no. 11 FedEx Toyota came in too fast on the final green flag pit stop and ruined his tires. Michael Wheeler, Hamlin’s rookie crew chief, made an audible and changed four tires instead of the planned two.

The call hurt the team’s track position and mired the Virginian driver in the ninth-sixth range for much of the final 100 miles. A move up the outside to block Kevin Harvick from getting past his Toyota teammates gave Hamlin the momentum to get around Matt Kenseth and nip Truex at the finish line.

It was Hamlin’s 27th Sprint Cup victory and his second restrictor-plate victory. Including national series victories and exhibition races, Hamlin now has five career victories at Daytona.

“It’s the pinnacle of my career, for sure,” Hamlin said later on in the media center. “I haven’t got a championship yet. This is obviously the biggest win for myself.”

“Seeing Denny say it’s his biggest race, biggest thing he’s got, makes me happy,” Wheeler also said in the media center following the race. “I’m a small part of this. Racing has a lot to do with the driver, the actual car, people that build that car, with the spotter involved. Just really happy to be a small part of that.”

Not Surprising: Toyota’s overall domination of the Sprint Cup series continues, after sweeping the top three and leading for 157 out of 200 total laps on Sunday.

For much of the latter half of the race, the front three or four cars devolved into a single file Toyota freight train. After the final restart, the first five cars in the dominant bottom lane of the track were all Toyota before the final lap.

Although they faded last season for much of the Chase, JGR has now won 12 of the last 21 Sprint Cup races. Denny Hamlin believes that teamwork was the key to JGR’s second Daytona 500 victory.

“I’m just so proud of all my other teammates for us being so committed to each other for 500 miles today,” Hamlin said post-race. ”That was very rare that you see the selflessness that you saw, even with two laps to go. All of us were committed to pushing that 20 car to a victory.”

“I think what happened is we came down and our cars were all fast,” Toyota team owner Joe Gibbs added later on. “I think we had good cars. Every time I talked to the drivers, they said, ‘Hey, look, I think we’re pretty good.’ Obviously, there were a lot of other good cars out there.

“The way it worked out for us, Denny was right, it was teamwork. For us to hang together that long, that’s one thing about our racing, restrictor plate races, if you can ever do that, it’s great. The problem is you can rarely do that. We did it today.”

Surprising: After having to go to a backup car, Martin Truex Jr. spent almost the entire Daytona 500 working with his Toyota teammates in the top five at Joe Gibbs Racing. He ended the day, however, wondering what if.

“Wish I would have crowded [Hamlin] up the track a little bit more late down the frontstretch,” Truex said. “Those are split-second decisions. He came out on the right end of it today.”

It was the first race for the no. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota after years of running Chevrolets. However, it seems the Barney Visser owned team is already comfortable with their surroundings as JGR’s satellite team.

“We tried for years and years to build a collaboration between Joe Gibbs Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing,” president of TRD David Wilson said after the race. “We got better. We started sharing more. But it really wasn’t the type of collaboration that we wanted to see happen.

“At the outset when we started talking to Furniture Row, when Joe Gibbs and Barney Visser and ourselves have dinner, I sensed there was a level of trust in each other and a shared value structure that could allow this collaboration to actually succeed. What Martin Truex Jr. did today was huge in saying that he wants to be on this team. I’m incredibly impressed.”

Another Toyota driver asking what if following the race was defending Cup champion Kyle Busch, who settled in line for third instead of pulling out in front of Hamlin out of turn two.

“Once Denny jumped up, he just got such a huge boost from the 4,” Rowdy told the media. “Once he did it, I swore I thought about doing it. Once I thought about doing it and didn’t do it, it was too late. That was it. You can’t think that long and not make the move at the same time.

“So I missed my opportunity. But, you know, that’s racing. That’s how it goes.”

Not Surprising: Kevin Harvick started off 2016 where he seemed to be most weeks in 2015: in the top five.

Harvick didn’t end the day with a second Daytona 500 victory, instead having to settle for a fourth place finish after pushing Hamlin to the lead. It almost ended too early for the 2014 Cup champion, though; he saved himself from spinning off of turn four unlike a lot of other drivers in what became a danger zone for drivers.

“I wanted to be the first car in that outside line because I really thought they would really start pushing and shoving like they did and finally get some momentum coming toward the end of the race,” the driver of the no. 4 Jimmy Johns Chevrolet said. “Denny saw that momentum and was able to jump up in front of us. You look at our day, that first big slide we could have been on the wrecker pretty early in this race.”

Surprising: After dominating superspeedways all of last season, both Hendrick Motorsports and Team Penske were DOA on Sunday.

Hendrick’s highest finishing driver ended up being Kasey Kahne, who ended the day 13th. Jimmie Johnson figured to be a factor in the final run to the checkers before a drive-through penalty after his last pit stop relegated the six time Cup champion 16th. Dale Earnhardt Jr., the heavy favorite to win, spun into the inner wall while fighting to get back to the lead in fourth. His day ended in 36th. Chase Elliott, in his first race as Jeff Gordon’s successor in the iconic No. 24 Chevrolet, started on the pole but spun into the infield early on and severely damaged his car. Elliott ended the day in 37th.

Meanwhile, Team Penske fared slightly better, with defending Daytona 500 champion Joey Logano finishing 6th and Brad Keselowski finishing 20th. Both, however, were never real threats against the Toyota domination.

Not Surprising: Kyle Larson ended a solid Speedweeks with a solid finish, a seventh place result after spending much of the day in the top 15. Larson had to feel a sense of relief, though; after not finishing his first two Daytona 500 starts, the third time was the charm for “Young Money.” But it wasn’t a stress-free day.

“The whole time, all the hairy moments we were in, it was just like ‘oh I have to get out of here so I can get to the checkered flag’,” Larson was quoted as saying following the race. “The last lap there it got really hectic. I was pushing the guy in front of me. I was getting pushed from behind. I was just trying to hold a steady wheel.”

Surprising: Every plate race usually has a surprise or two among the top 15. Drivers and teams that don’t often have the resources to regularly compete for a win often shine at Daytona and Talladega.

This race was no different, with Regan Smith of Tommy Baldwin Racing finishing eighth and Michael McDowell of Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing (CSLFR) finishing 15th.

Not Surprising: Although Richard Childress Racing didn’t make much noise on Sunday, the Chevrolet outfit continued to be consistent and reliable.

Austin Dillion and Ryan Newman finished ninth and eleventh, respectively, while Paul Menard brought his car home 18th. In addition to that, satellite teams TBR and CSLFR battled the odds and finished with the aforementioned great results.

The Sprint Cup Series rolls on next week to the Atlanta Motor Speedway for the QuikTrip Fields of Honor 500. The green flag waves at 1 p.m. ET Sunday as drivers race with the new low downforce Cup aero package.

February 22, 2016
Truex Brothers Both Bridesmaids at Daytona

Martin Truex Jr. and his younger brother Ryan have shared many racing highs and lows over the years. But this weekend the two shared a major accomplishment, finishing runner-up in their respective races at Daytona International Speedway.

Ryan Truex went first with his bridesmaid finish for the Daytona race weekend. The younger Truex, in his No. 81 Toyota Osaka Parts Distributor Toyota for Hattori Racing, finished just behind veteran Johnny Sauter in the Truck race on Friday.

“Yeah God, if that wreck wouldn’t have happened, I think we had him,” Ryan Truex said after his race on Friday. “The bottom was just the place to be all day. It seemed like you could hook up and bump draft to the front.”

“It just all came down to who could bump draft the best without locking up and staying out there,” Truex continued. “So, you just had to make the right moves and be there at the end.”

“And we were and unfortunately, it just didn’t end up in our favor.”

The elder Truex brother Martin finished second to Denny Hamlin just two days later in the Daytona 500. He ran runner-up by just 0.010 seconds, the closest margin of victory ever in the history of the Great American race.

“It was really amazing what we were able to do all day and really just control the race the way we did,” Truex Jr. said after Sunday’s race. “The last lap, we were in great position behind Matt (Kenseth). Felt like if Matt would have stayed in front of us, maybe he would have probably held off Denny (Hamlin).”

“Matt went up to try to block his run, Denny cut inside, made it three-wide. Just side drafted me off of turn four all the way to the line. I felt like I had enough momentum to keep him behind me. I did that all the way up until that last couple feet. He just shot out that last couple inches on me right before the line.”

“Circumstances didn’t work out quite as well as they should have. I could have done a little bit different coming to the line.”

“It is what it is.”

Although both Truex brothers fell one position short of claiming victory, both overcame great odds to even take the checkered flags in their respective runner-up positions. Ryan literally was without a ride of any kind weeks before the race and Martin had to go to a backup car after wrecking his primary in the second Duels race.

“I didn’t have a ride a few weeks ago, and Hattori Racing called me and wanted me to come drive for them,” Ryan Truex said. “So you can’t give up. It’s easy to get down on yourself. It’s easy to quit. You just have to keep going.”

“I’m at the track every weekend talking to whoever will talk to you, and you don’t say no to an opportunity. That’s what we did this weekend, and it worked out for us.”

Older brother Martin also had to face some adversity prior to finishing second, having to race an untested backup car under the bright lights of Daytona.

“It’s been a tough season down here,” Truex said. “Our guys worked really, really hard. I think our backup car was the best car we had. In a way, it was a blessing to get in that wreck the other day.”

Although they may have just missed Victory Lane, both Truex brothers felt their near win positioned them for even better opportunities in the future.

“At first, it just looked like Daytona would be our only race but the more we got to talking, the more we were going to try to run a full season,” Ryan Truex said after his successful run. “Obviously, we have a few races to fill out, but this finish helps out a lot.”

“I hope that was enough for us to go full-time, and like I said, we’ve got a little bit we’ve still got to get sorted out for some races, but we’ll be in Atlanta and we’ll be at Martinsville, and we’re second in points right now, I think, so if we can continue that streak, we’ll be good to go.”

Big brother Martin echoed his brother’s thoughts, especially regarding the upcoming race in Atlanta and the 2016 season overall.

“It’s always really nice when you come out of this race with a good day,” Truex said. “You start off with that momentum. You’re not 30 points behind. You don’t have to build another racecar.”

“So there’s a lot of things that are positive about starting the season off right. Obviously, we’re looking forward to Atlanta, absolutely. I think it’s going to be an incredible race. Lower downforce on the racecars than last year. I think the cars are going to be a real handful. It’s going to be exciting.”

“I’m looking forward honestly to just kicking off that part of the season, getting to work, seeing how our cars are, where we stack up to the competition, then compete for wins, try to get back to where we were last year.”

“The anticipation is high and going into the rest of the season with a little bit of momentum is always a good feeling.”

And while both Truex brothers would have loved to have been in the bride rather than bridesmaid positions, they acknowledge that it was indeed a huge weekend for the entire Truex family.

“Really proud of Ryan for what’s he’s done,” Martin said. “He’s had a rough go of racing the last couple years, trying to get a solid opportunity.”

“These days with it being hard to find funding, he’s been kind of shunned by a lot of teams he’s drove for, did a good job for, because he couldn’t find that backing. So, it was great to see him persevere through those times and find a truck to drive.”

“And it was great to see him back and excited about the opportunity. Obviously, he did a great job. He’s a great driver.”

“It’s great to see my brother back on the track.”

February 21, 2016