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Tag: Daytona 500

  • Hot 20 – Barring the unexpected, the Pure Michigan 400 could be just another race

    Hot 20 – Barring the unexpected, the Pure Michigan 400 could be just another race

    Now we know why they call it Silly Season. 16 drivers will make the Chase, and we already know that three who have done well enough thus far this season may not have done well enough to save their rides for next.

    Kurt Busch won the Daytona 500, but Stewart-Haas has not yet picked up his option for next season. Even he does not know if they will or won’t. Kasey Kahne claimed Indianapolis, but Rick Hendrick will be replacing him with young William Byron next year. Matt Kenseth holds down the final place for the moment, but Joe Gibbs is bringing Erik Jones back to the mother ship to take that ride.

    Usually we are interested in the winners. This week, other than for Joey Logano, past winners mean nothing. A new winner, or Logano, could really have an impact on who makes it and who might not. Wins have all but locked up 13 positions. Chase Elliott, Jamie McMurray, and Kenseth hold down the next three, separated by just 11 points. Three positions, three drivers. Good for them, unless someone behind them in the standings wins and turns this into a game of musical chairs, with one of those chairs removed.

    Anyone within the top 33 in the rankings still has a mathematical shot. Even Aric Almirola, who missed seven races due to injury but remains within the Top 30 and thus eligible for the free pass a non-encumbered win would give him. Matt DiBenedetto, Cole Whitt, and Landon Cassill are close enough that an unlikely win could spring them into eligibility.

    Michigan might not be the most exciting venue to watch a race, but the result could be very interesting.

    1. MARTIN TRUEX, JR – 4 WINS (881 Pts)
    Truex and girlfriend Sherry Pollex have given us the season’s most compelling story.

    2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS (574 Pts)
    The King, the Intimidator, and Jimmie…all seven time champions.

    3. KYLE LARSON – 2 WINS (759 Pts)
    After back-to-back runner up finishes, has been outside the Top 20 in his last three attempts.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (681 Pts)
    Left a nice note to Truex for the win. Not sure if he left a nice note to Rowdy after the bus stop.

    5. RICKY STENHOUSE, JR. – 2 WINS (486 Pts)
    Nobody is talking about his sponsorship disappearing and, this season, that is saying something.

    6. KYLE BUSCH – 1 WIN (765 Pts)
    M&M’s are good. Any sponsor sticking around is very, very good.

    7. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (746 Pts)
    Figures some of NASCAR’s problems stem from its most popular not being its most successful.

    8. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (687 Pts)
    As of mid-Wednesday afternoon, we were still waiting.

    9. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN (565 Pts)
    Moving from Wood Brothers to Penske, and the world is his oyster.

    10. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (528 Pts)
    Not everyone has such a smooth transition going from this year to next.

    11. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN (503 Pts)
    Ryan should know what that is like.

    12. KASEY KAHNE – 1 WIN (437 Pts)
    Despite Indianapolis, his future in the Cup series could depend on what he does to November.

    13. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (406 Pts)
    Meanwhile, some others have job security.

    14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 648 POINTS
    With the exception of a seven-time champion, Hendrick turns it all over to the kids in 2018.

    15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 643 POINTS
    Has finished in the Top Twenty is all but three. In this race, Jamie has become the turtle.

    16. MATT KENSETH – 637 POINTS
    If he gets the results, others do not get the wins, all he would need is a damn ride for next season.

    17. CLINT BOWYER – 609 POINTS
    Clint is not wishing Chase, Jamie, or Matt any ill fortune…but if it happens…

    18. JOEY LOGANO – 542 POINTS (1 Win)
    You could say that encumbered win is something of an encumberment.

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 508 POINTS
    Third last week means nothing, but could it be a harbinger of what is to come?

    20. ERIK JONES – 477 POINTS
    Crew Chief Chris Gale gets two race vacation, but $50,000 fine might keep him close to home.

    Then we have the Not So Hot, all who can be in with a win…

    21. TREVOR BAYNE – 408 POINTS
    22. PAUL MENARD – 383 POINTS
    23. DALE EARNHARDT, JR. – 379 POINTS
    24. TY DILLON – 378 POINTS
    25. MICHAEL MCDOWELL – 351 POINTS
    26. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 349 POINTS
    27. CHRIS BUESCHER – 346 POINTS
    28. DANICA PATRICK – 325 POINTS
    29. DAVID RAGAN – 276 POINTS
    30. ARIC ALMIROLA – 242 POINTS
    31. MATT DIBENEDETTO – 242 POINTS
    32. COLE WHITT – 229 POINTS
    33. LANDON CASSILL – 227 POINTS

     

  • Chase Elliott Describes Running out of Fuel at Daytona as ‘Devastating’

    Chase Elliott Describes Running out of Fuel at Daytona as ‘Devastating’

    HAMPTON, Ga. — Chase Elliott won the pole for the Daytona 500, won his qualifying race, led 39 laps and was in the lead in the closing laps of the Daytona 500. Unfortunately, destiny was not in his favor.

    With four laps to go, Elliott’s fuel cell ran dry, resulting in a 14th-place finish. He left the track without addressing the media, rather than take his frustration out on them.

    The following week in Atlanta, Elliott said it “was a devastating way to end a good week” considering he “had such a great car down there (Daytona).” He said there were two things to look at when he thought of Daytona.

    “A. We had to play the cards we were dealt. I felt like we planned to the best of our ability. I think that is something to be proud of. B. We ran out of gas.”

    He said it’s easy to say the Daytona 500 win was “his to lose,” but he was still short of the fuel window to make it. So for him “to sit back and think that we had it locked down is kind of foolish.”

    “For us, it’s disappointing for sure, but there are some positives to take from the day and again,” Elliott said, “We were faced with circumstances that we really couldn’t control and I felt like we played what we had the best we could. Somedays that is all you can do.”

    Elliott is no stranger to coming up short. Last season, he blew late restarts at Pocono, Michigan (twice) and Chicagoland.

    However, Elliott said losing Daytona 500 in the closing laps wasn’t especially painful. “It’s just “kind of the same deal,” he said.

    “At Chicago, faced with a caution there at the end of the race, I don’t really know what we could have done about that and I really don’t know what you do about running out of gas with just a couple of laps to go either. In both of those cases, I felt like from a performance side I thought we did a good job and we were close, just not close enough. I don’t know. I don’t know that it really changes my complexion or outlook on how I view things. It’s definitely a disappointing finish to a good day.”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

    Note: The notes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kurt Busch: Busch passed Kyle Larson on the final lap and won his first Daytona 500, finally snagging victory after three runner-up finishes.

    “Rob Gronkowski predicted I would win on Sunday,” Busch said. “And he was right. Gronk also correctly predicted that he would finish in the 69th position.

    “I thought after coming so close three times that I would never win. But I know more than anyone about putting your past behind you.”

    2. Ryan Blaney: Blaney captured second in a wild final lap at Daytona, as several front runners ran out of gas, while Kurt Busch took the win.

    “In case you didn’t know,” Blaney said, “my father is Dave Blaney. But I refuse to let that hold me back.”

    3. AJ Allmendinger: Allmendinger started 38th at Daytona and finished third for his best ever finish in the 500.

    “I think Monster Energy is a great new sponsor for the Cup series,” Allmendinger said. “I’ll say this for Monster Energy drink and the Monster Energy girls–they both have great cans.”

    4. Aric Almirola: Almirola finished fourth at Daytona in the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford.

    “I’m proud to represent the ‘King,” Almirola said. “But I’m not sure Richard would recognize the state of NASCAR today. Did you hear the language during Michael Waltrip’s ‘Grid Walk?’ I think the phrase ‘kick your ass’ was uttered at least three times. In the King’s day, when the term ‘kick your ass’ was uttered just three times, that meant Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison were on speaking terms.”

    5. Paul Menard: Menard finished fifth at Daytona despite running out of gas on the last lap.

    “You saw a lot of drivers short on fuel,” Menard said. “Kurt Busch wasn’t one of them. And he certainly wasn’t short on Energy. Monster Energy, that is. Monster Energy is bringing excitement and unpredictability back to the sport. You could say they’re taking the sport back to its roots. They’re even delving into the moonshining business with a product called ‘Monster Mash.’”

    6. Joey Logano: Logano led 16 laps on his way to a sixth-place finish in the Daytona 500, and was one of four Fords in the top six.

    “I’m just happy I made it to the finish,” Logano said. “It was a crazy race, with lots of wrecks, and a new stage format that even has a green and white checkered flag. I believe it’s NASCAR’s way of adding some ‘color’ to the sport.”

    7. Michael Waltrip: Waltrip finished eighth in the Daytona 500, the top Toyota finisher in the field.

    “You probably saw the ‘Grid Walk’ I shared with Rob Gronkowski before the race,” Waltrip said. “I don’t think Gronk interviewed a single driver. He did, however, interview every single Monster Energy girl. I give Gronk kudos for his investigative journalism because he wanted to get to the bottom of each of them.”

    8. Kasey Kahne: Kahne finished seventh in the Daytona 500, giving Hendrick Motorsports its top finish on the day.

    “I’m often the overlooked driver at Hendrick Motorsports,” Kahne said. “But keep in mind, there’s a difference between the forgotten driver and the forgetting driver.”

    “Dale Earnhardt Jr. was involved in a crash late in the race when he hit Kyle Busch. Dale is perfectly okay, though, and he’s still this sports most popular driver. And that means he’s selling more merchandise than any other driver. That’s not unusual, that’s just concession protocol.”

    9. Kyle Larson: Larson took the white flag in the lead at Daytona, but ran out of gas soon after, settling for a 12th-place finish.

    “I didn’t win,” Larson said, “but I’m happy I had a chance to win. So my disappointment is outweighed by my optimism. In other words, I’m a ‘glass half full’ guy even when I’m a ‘tank totally empty’ guy.”

    10. Chase Elliott: Elliott started on the pole and led with three laps remaining before he ran out of gas. He finished 14th.

    “I’m awfully disappointed,” Elliott said. “I thought the No. 24 NAPA Chevrolet had the speed to hold off my competitors with ease. Honestly, I felt like I was ‘coasting.’ Unfortunately, I actually was coasting.”

  • The Jury is Out

    The Jury is Out

    Now that the dust has cleared and a Daytona 500 Champion has been crowned, it’s time to look back at that race and see where we are with the changes made by NASCAR. First, we must understand that Daytona (and its sister track, Talladega) are different animals than the rest of the tracks that the drivers will visit. Don’t expect to see close packs and 37 leaders, but if you’re reading this, you already know about that. It’s really the points, which just a while ago we were trying to avoid. It’s almost déjà vu. Once again, another change. When will it end?

    You see, NASCAR is in trouble. Not with us hardcore fans, because we will continue to watch and attend regardless of rule changes, but to Joe Six-Pack, to steal a name from 2008, who likes to watch, but likes things to stay the same. Explaining to the casual viewer how Kevin Harvick can be third in points while crashing out early in the race, is an exercise in futility. They pretty much throw up their hands and say they’re going to watch college basketball. That’s the problem. I should admit, I did a double take, even though I thought I knew the system. If the Wall Street Journal report wasn’t bad enough, we have this mathematical equation to decipher to figure out who’s in first.

    I should admit that I couldn’t give two pitchers of warm spit who wins the championship. I grew up in the 1960s when Richard Petty won every year and my heroes were guys like Fred Lorenzen, David Pearson (really a two-time champ), and Cale Yarborough (who also, later on, won three), and others who raced hard, won, and it didn’t matter. Each race mattered and no one, that I can remember, worried about who was leading the championship points. It was more who won the most races, what car he drove, and what race was next. Call me ancient.

    That said, what about the race? Since I stayed home this year and watched on television, I will say it was great TV. I was glued to the tube. The only problem was that it was more wrecks than racing. I’m on record as hating the kind of racing we see at Daytona and Talladega, but the segments didn’t seem to register with the media guys and the public at large, or maybe I’m out of touch. Either way, the drama was there, even though the guys everyone thought would win—Junior, Keselowski, Logano, Truex, Harvick, and Chase—were nowhere to be found at the end except Logano and Truex. Kurt Busch was a surprise winner and we had one of the young guys, Ryan Blaney (thanks to Logano) finished second in the Wood Brothers Ford. So, where does that leave us? The jury is out.

    If those of us who are “older” fans can get past the complicated points and concentrate on each race and the moment, we will be fine. For the young fans, it’s more about spectacle and maybe seeing Junior win. There, we have the problem. Daytona was Daytona—an aberration. I’m withholding judgment until after Atlanta and the western tour. Then I’ll have an answer. Maybe. Stay tuned.

  • The Final Word – The Great American Demolition Derby sure was not boring to watch

    The Final Word – The Great American Demolition Derby sure was not boring to watch

    So, you want a car just like the one that won the Daytona 500, eh? Well, you get yourself a sparkling new Ford Fusion. Splash it up with some red on the hood, and basic black the rest of the way around. Polish it up so it is real shiny and pretty. Then take a Louisville Slugger and beat on that beauty from stem to stern. Just to make it more authentic, squeeze it up tight against the right door frame of the garage as you put it to bed. Now…splash beer and some Monster Energy drink all over the sucker, and you will be living the Kurt Busch Daytona experience.

    One lap is all he led in a car that was among 35 that had suffered some damage in some wreck over the course of the day. In the end, Ryan Blaney wanted a piece of him, but the gap only got wider as they came to the line. Chase Elliott wanted it bad, but a car does not run so good when it is out of fuel on the final lap. Kyle Larson’s entry coughed and sputtered, and that allowed the Busch ship to set sail for Victory Lane. For the newly married former Cup champ, this marked his first win on the sport’s biggest stage.

    Things did not go so well for his younger brother. Kyle Busch was among a crew that pitted early, then tucked back in at the tail of the lead lap, just in front of leader Dale Earnhardt Jr. When a rear tire blew, Busch went for a spin and while Erik Jones and Matt Kenseth then piled up into him, Earnhardt clipped the wreckage to remove his front right fender to end the day for the quartet.

    Next week, you might notice some pulled threads that once held the logo on a certain driver’s fire suit, the logo just above the big M&M endorsement. They might be a sponsor for now, but post-wreck Kyle had an observation he wished to share with the world.

    “Obviously Goodyear tires are not very good holding air,” he remarked. “So, it’s very frustrating when we have that down here every single year we’ve been here.” A ringing endorsement if I ever heard one.

    Fifteen cars were left on the lead lap. Ten others were still running. Fifteen more were parked in the garage. Under the new rules, if you could not return to pit road and make repairs using original parts and racing tape in five minutes, your race is over. Along with Busch, Jones, Kenseth, and Earnhardt, there was Junior’s nephew Jeffrey Earnhardt, Brad Keselowski, Jamie McMurray, Daniel Suarez, Ty Dillon, the couple of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Danica Patrick, Clint Bowyer, Jimmie Johnson, Chris Buescher, and D.J. Kennington. Make that thirteen Americans, a Mexican, and a Canadian.

    Might I suggest that NASCAR introduce a new experience for their fans? They pay to watch the race from a suite, and all drivers out of the race then join them. That would have been one hell of a room at Daytona, but I wonder if they had a venue large enough.

    One complaint. No, it is not about the stages, which were won by Rowdy Busch and Kevin Harvick. I did not really mind the format, to be honest. However, as I am intelligent enough to remember what series I am watching, maybe return the names of the drivers to the windshield instead of “Monster Energy.” I thought doing so a few years back was a nice gesture to help fans identify who was who even if the car number was not visible. I wonder whose idea it was to rescind that nice gesture in favor of extra splash for the sponsor?

    For Monster Energy, it was a good beginning for them. Even the car they sponsor won the race. Now, there are some who do not think this was racing. Maybe they are right. However, it was damned entertaining television. Let us hope that Sunday in Atlanta is just as memorable, if not a little kinder on the folks who have to deal with the carnage back at the shop.

  • Busch’s Daytona 500 Win Ideal Comeback Story for NASCAR

    Busch’s Daytona 500 Win Ideal Comeback Story for NASCAR

    Undoubtedly, this year’s edition of Speedweeks had everything a race fan could ask for. There were Cinderella stories, with Kaz Grala the titular belle of the ball Friday night when he won a wild Camping World Truck Series season opener. There were underdog stories, as Ryan Reed showed a level of maturity behind the wheel he only recently came into by running a near perfect race and winning Saturday’s XFINITY Series season-opener. Sunday’s Daytona 500 was all about new beginnings, with a new series title sponsor in Monster Energy, new formats in both points and racing, and the return of Dale Earnhardt Jr. following a lengthy hiatus from behind the wheel.

    At the end of it all, Kurt Busch pulled his battered and beaten Stewart-Haas Ford into Victory Lane, turning over another leaf in his already storied career. Competitors and fans alike were quick to congratulate Busch on his win in his 16th attempt in the Great American Race.

    Couldn’t it have been left at that?

    An article published by USA Today columnist Brant James stresses that while the win was hard-earned by Busch, his win in the 500 wasn’t what NASCAR needed, especially considering declining attendance, sponsorship issues, and a scathing article recently published by the Wall Street Journal. James goes on to reiterate that it would have been better if Kyle Larson had won after leading late, or if polesitter Chase Elliott had been able to hang on to the lead. But definitely not Busch.

    What’s wrong with that assessment? Everything.

    First, to address the idea of Larson, Elliott, or even runner-up Ryan Blaney taking the checkered instead of Busch. Had they done so, great. Excellent. It would have been hard-fought and earned. It would have been a huge boost to their individual careers and NASCAR would have undoubtedly had a field day. Those drivers are extremely talented and the future of our sport, with plenty of trophies, are waiting to be claimed by them.

    But they didn’t win. They weren’t the fortunate ones to cross under that checkered flag first and claim the trophy. It was the No. 41 Ford of Busch that did that. Furthermore, James’s assessment essentially claims that those drivers have already achieved larger-than-life status in the sport. James puts their status as larger than the 500, with the race itself nothing more than a milestone to be achieved in the sport. But, if James truly knew the sport, he would understand that no driver, male or female, is larger than the Daytona 500. Not event Dale Earnhardt Sr., who struggled mightily to win the event.

    Moving on to his assessment of Busch’s win in the 500, it’s easy to assume Busch has already reached the pinnacle of the sport because he has. Thirteen years ago, as a matter of fact, when he won the 2004 Cup Series championship. Going into Sunday’s race he had already won 28 races on various types of speedways, not to mention the 2011 edition of Daytona’s Clash event, a qualifying race later that week, as well as the 2010 All-Star event at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He has wins in both trucks and XFINITY. He’s raced in the Indianapolis 500. He’s driven a rally car. He’s even driven an NHRA Pro Stock Dodge at Gainesville in 2011. Busch is a wheelman who is no stranger to success. So of course, what’s a win in the 500 supposed to mean to a guy with his record?

    Everything. It wasn’t that long ago that Busch was at the bottom of the sport.

    Here’s a guy who started out with a bright star at Roush Racing (now Roush-Fenway), winning 14 races in his No. 97 Ford as well as the ’04 championship. However, with his temper came repercussions; a well-publicized feud with one of NASCAR’s veterans in Jimmy Spencer that ended with a broken nose on Busch’s part and a suspension following a run-in with the law in Arizona.

    A transfer to Penske Racing didn’t improve his temper much. Sure, there was success. But there were also repeated profanity-filled tirades over the radio as Busch berated his crew, competitors and NASCAR itself. At Richmond in September 2011, Busch traded spins with his then-nemesis Jimmie Johnson, had to be restrained after exchanging words with a journalist, then ripped up another journalist’s notes in the media center. Two weeks later at Loudon, he berated an ESPN journalist after his car didn’t pass pre-race inspection. At the season finale in Homestead, Busch launched into another tirade towards ESPN reporter Dr. Jerry Punch. This tirade was put on YouTube, and not long after he and Penske split, with Busch going to a second-rate team in Phoenix Racing, where his struggles began in earnest.

    Radio tirades. A spat with Ryan Newman’s crew at Darlington. Another suspension after berating journalist Bob Pockrass at Dover. Weekly struggles in sub-par equipment, offset with only a ninth-place at Fontana and a third-place at Sonoma to show for his efforts. The No. 51 team had reached the bottom with a championship-caliber driver. This was in stark contrast to the beginning of the 2012 season when many claimed Busch was going to put Phoenix Racing on the map.

    A move to the No. 78 Furniture Row team in 2013 showed promise of a comeback, but no wins. 2014 brought a win and a playoff appearance, but Busch struggled getting acclimated with his new Stewart-Haas Racing team and was eliminated in the first round of eliminations that Fall.

    Then 2015 came around and saw allegations of assault from Busch’s ex-girlfriend Patricia Driscoll. These allegations led to an indefinite suspension of Busch, with many under the impression that this was it; Busch was done for in NASCAR.

    During the 59th Annual DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 26, 2017 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Photo Credit: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images

    While this was going on, NASCAR was moving on without him, kicking its schedule into high gear. But when it came out that Busch wasn’t going to be charged for assault, NASCAR was quick to reinstate him, complete with a playoff waiver so he could contend for a championship. Busch wrapped up the ’15 season with two wins and an eighth-place in points, topped in ’16 with a seventh-place points finish and a win at Pocono in June.

    To top it all off, Busch finally came through Sunday by winning the Daytona 500, the biggest race in all of stock car racing. The crown jewel of NASCAR and Busch completed his road from the bottom to the top by winning the Great American Race.

    The Busch America saw in Victory Lane Sunday was the best of both worlds. He was the exuberant kid from Las Vegas we all saw at Roush, but he was also the grizzled vet who bore the weight of a thousand losses and setbacks over the course of the years on his shoulders. Only this time, that weight was completely lifted.

    Mr. James says Busch’s win does nothing for NASCAR, that Busch’s win lacks magnitude. On the contrary; for someone like Busch, who has experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, this was the culmination of a long and painful road back to the top. That’s what Busch’s win means for NASCAR; the ultimate comeback story.

     

  • Stewart-Haas Racing Wins Their First Daytona 500

    Stewart-Haas Racing Wins Their First Daytona 500

    Sunday evening Kurt Busch was able to give Stewart-Haas Racing its first Daytona 500 victory. Kurt Busch took the lead on the final lap of Nascar’s most prestigious race and was able to hold off Ryan Blaney to win the 2017 Daytona 500 for his new manufacturer Ford and SHR.

    Tony Stewart who co-owns Stewart-Haas Racing had this to say about his first 500 victory as an owner, ”Couldn’t be more proud to be up here with these three guys. To go back to when we joined with Gene and his group, made it Stewart-Haas Racing and bringing Tony Gibson and his crew and then hiring Kurt, it’s neat to say how this has all gelled, come about.”

    Stewart-Haas Racing was probably the most talked about team over the offseason after switching to Ford for 2017. Thus far Ford and SHR seem to be a fitting combination.

    Gene Haas, co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing is thankful he got to experience what few people have experienced before with a Daytona 500 victory.

    ”It’s a real feeling of satisfaction I think for both of us to say we accomplished something that so few people can accomplish in the racing world,” Haas said.

    Tony Gibson, crew chief of the No. 41, says his win with Stewart-Haas at the Daytona 500 is his most memorable one.

    ”It doesn’t get any better than this,” Gibson stated. “I’ve been fortunate enough to win it before. To win it with this guy beside me right here, Gene and Tony Stewart, Smoke, those guys support us. It’s just a different feel.”

    2004 Monster Energy Cup champion Kurt Busch, after 17 years of trying, finally won his first Harley J. Earl trophy with the manufacturer he started with back in 2000.

    Busch is thankful that he got to win his first 500 with the manufacture that he started with 17 years ago.

    “Seventeen years of heartache can be erased,” Busch said. ”It’s erased tonight. Having the chance to win as a team, with all of these sponsors, this new Ford partnership, it flashes through your mind of all the people that have helped you get to this point in life.”

    After 17 years of hard work and heartbreak Kurt Busch is now able to call himself a Daytona 500 champion. With a career that expands those 17 years, Busch’s accomplishments now include both a Daytona 500 victory and a 2004 Monster Energy Cup championship.

    Stewart-Haas Racing results from the 2017 Daytona 500: Kurt Busch took the 2017 Daytona 500 victory, Kevin Harvick who won segment 2 finished in the 22nd position, Clint Bowyer finished 32nd, and Danica Patrick finished in the 33rd position.

     

  • Multi-Car Wrecks Ruled the Weekend at Daytona

    Multi-Car Wrecks Ruled the Weekend at Daytona

    On Sunday, 16 cars retired from the Daytona 500 due to an accident. On Saturday, 23 cars retired from the XFINITY Series race due to an accident. On Friday night, 11 trucks retired from the Camping World Truck Series race due to an accident. And those numbers don’t include the vehicles that also received damage as a result of these wrecks.

    Austin Cindric heads for a head-on collision with the Turn 1 wall as the field wads up behind him in a multi-car wreck on the second lap of the NextEra Energy Resources 250 Camping World Truck Series season-opener at Daytona International Speedway. Photo: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

    The car graveyard opened for business on only the second lap of the race when Noah Gragson was shunted into the wall by Chase Briscoe. Gragson’s lifeless truck came back down and clipped the No. 19 of Austin Cindric and sent him into the wall. The rest were collected or received damage because of checking up and the wreck played out as a result of an accordion effect.

    “I was riding probably around seventh or eighth at the time on the outside and just got popped from behind,” Gragson said. “It felt like, going through one and two, the 29 got me. He hit me, got me sideways and then I tried not getting into the 27 (Ben Rhodes) in front of me, but it was not our night tonight I guess.”

    In total, 14 trucks were involved in the lap 2 Big One: Gragson, Cindric, John Hunter Nemechek, Clay Greenfield, Stewart Friesen, Tommy Joe Martins, Tyler Young, Ross Chastain, JJ Yeley, Briscoe, Terry Jones, Cody Coughlin, Myatt Snyder and Bobby Gerhart.

    Capping the night was the final lap wreck that collected 12 trucks.

    Exiting Turn 2, Grant Enfinger was bump-drafting with teammate Ben Rhodes when he shunted him too much and loosened him. This turned him down into Matt Crafton, who did a 180 spin before his truck was lift up in the air, flipped in a corkscrew motion and landed on all four wheels.

    “I was coming off (turn) two and I was like, ‘I’m going to win this race, I’m going to win this race.’ I got my Daytona jinx off of me and all of the sudden I looked in the mirror and I saw the 27 (Ben Rhodes) get turned and I’m like, ‘Just don’t let him get in the right rear of me,’ and the 27 of Ben Rhodes gave me the push to win that race and I got out so far going through the tri-oval and then I got hooked and then I felt light and it’s been a long time since I’ve been in the air then I was in the air and then I saw lights and we had the wrong side down boys,” Crafton said.

    Amongst Crafton, Johnny Sauter, Ben Rhodes, Austin Wayne Self (who finished second), Regan Smith, Christopher Bell, Yeley, Snider, Coughlin, Timothy Peters, Spencer Gallagher and Enfinger all received some form of damage from the final lap wreck.

    The next day in the XFINITY Series PowerShares QQQ 300, all but two cars made it through the race unscathed.

    On lap 23, Scott Lagasse Jr. loosened Tyler Reddick and sent him into Spencer Gallagher, who comes back down and pinballs off other cars. In total, 20 cars (Kyle Larson, Garrett Smithley, Ryan Reed (who went on to win the race), Gallagher, Ray Black Jr., Cole Custer, Jeremy Clements, Michael Annett, Austin Dillon, Aric Almirola, Ryan Sieg, Yeley, Brad Keselowski, Jeff Green, William Byron, Benny Gordon, Lagasse, Anthony Kumpen, Clint King and Brendan Gaughan) were involved.

    Cleanup necessitated the red flag for 18 minutes and 22 seconds.

    On the restart with two laps remaining in the segment, Daniel Hemric gets loose in the speedy dry in Turn 3 and clips Justin Allgaier, sending him into the wall.

    “I think the 7 (Allgaier) got turned by somebody and I saw Erik didn’t lift, so I didn’t lift and we were trying to go through the middle, and I think me and Daniel collided there. It was just unfortunate circumstances that put us there,” Wallace said.

    Thirteen cars (Allgaier, Brandon Jones, Erik Jones, Daniel Suarez, Darrell Wallace Jr., Chris Cockrum, Hemric, Harrison Rhodes, Brandon Hightower, Matt Tifft, Lagasse and Blake Koch) were involved.

    Cleanup for this wreck necessitated 27 minutes and 51 seconds of red flag time.

    With 17 laps to go, the field was riding down the backstretch when Elliott Sadler was shunted into the wall by Austin Dillon and the resulting accordion effect resulted in a 16-car wreck (Reed, Dillon, Black, Sadler, Gaughan, Annett, Yeley, Koch, Byron, Suarez, Kumpen, Sieg, Chastain, Reddick, Smithley and Joey Gase).

    After the checkered flag flew, there was a four-car wreck that included Smithley, Byron, Lagasse and Annett.

    Kyle Busch, Erik Jones, Matt Kenseth and Ty Dillon come to a rest at the bottom of Turn 3 following a multi-car wreck just past halfway in the 59th running of the Daytona 500. Photo: Jerry Markland/Getty Images

    The Daytona 500 was more collected for the first 105 laps. But that changed when Kyle Busch suffered a left or right-rear tire blowout, spun out in front of Erik Jones and Matt Kenseth, and collected them both as they went into the wall in Turn 3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. who was leading the race, was clipped by Busch and sent into the wall.

    “I don’t know what happened there with the No. 18 (Kyle Busch) he just got turned around. I tried to get the wheel turned and get down the race track but I lifted off the gas to miss it, and got on the splitter a little bit and the car went straight. We jumped him, and got in the wall a little bit,” Earnhardt said.

    Cleanup necessitated a 17-minute red flag.

    On lap 127, Jamie McMurray is shoving Jimmie Johnson down the backstretch when Johnson gets loose and turns down into Trevor Bayne. This sent both of them pin-balling through the middle of the pack and collected 12 other cars (Clint Bowyer, Chris Buescher, Danica Patrick, Kevin Harvick, DJ Kennington, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, David Ragan, Matt DiBenedetto, Gaughan, Cole Whitt, Kurt Busch (who would go on to win the race), Martin Truex Jr., Gase and Joey Logano) in the process.

    With 59 to go, McMurray dove to the inside of Chase Elliott to pass, but was blocked. He checked up and was hooked into the wall by Gaughan. Suarez, who swerved left to avoid McMurray, came down on Ryan Newman and triggered an 11-car wreck (McMurray, Keselowski, Newman, Hamlin, Ragan, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Suarez, Ty Dillon, Elliott, Michael McDowell and Gaughan).

  • Kurt Busch Wins the Daytona 500

    Kurt Busch Wins the Daytona 500

    Kurt Busch now adds a Harley J. Earl Trophy to his collection and résumé, alongside his 2004 championship, after winning the 59th running of the Daytona 500.

    Cole Whitt, who opted not to pit during the final caution of the race, led the field to the final restart with 47 laps to go and promptly lost the lead to Aric Almirola, who then lost it to Kyle Larson the following lap. He had a dicey battle for the lead with Joey Logano with 38 to go. Chase Elliott, who started on the pole, powered by Logano on the outside line on the backstretch with 26 to go to retake the lead.

    With 20 to go, the bottom line started dissipating and the front 12 cars formed up in a single-file train on the top line. They remained in line until Ryan Blaney broke rank and attempted to form a working bottom line with 10 to go, but there was little help from the others and he jumped back in line.

    “I tried to make a move with about 10 to go and I didn’t go anywhere,” Blaney said. “We were kind of stuck. Luckily we had the 22 with us and I kind of helped him and he kind of helped me.”

    On the backstretch with four to go, Elliott’s car ran out of fuel. He fell back, went on to finish 14th, and gave way to Martin Truex Jr. He also ran out the following lap and Larson took back the lead, only to run out of gas in Turn 1. Busch was in position to capitalize and scored the victory.

    “There is nothing predictable about this race anymore and the more years that have gone by that I didn’t win I kept trying to go back to patterns that I had seen in the past,” Busch said in victory lane. “My mirror fell off with 30 laps to go and I couldn’t even see out the back. And I thought that was an omen. Throw caution to the wind. The more unpredictability that keeps unfolding at the Daytona 500, I predicted it. It just got crazy and wild and I am so proud of all the drivers at the end. We put on a show for a full fuel run and nobody took each other out and it was one of the smartest chess games I have seen out there. All the hard work that Ford and SHR put into this — this Ford Fusion is in Daytona’s victory lane.”

    The first half of the race was light on cautions with just two in the first 105 laps and only one for a wreck. That wreck being Corey LaJoie on lap 31 when he mistimed his entry onto pit road and aborted before slamming into the back of Clint Bowyer’s car, only to slam the tri-oval wall.

    The cautions, and wrecks, started adding up with a six-car wreck on lap 105 that began when Kyle Busch’s car suffered either a left or right-rear tire blowout, piled into Erik Jones and Matt Kenseth, and slammed the wall, collecting also Ty Dillon and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who was leading the race when he was clipped by Busch.

    This brought out the red flag for 17 minutes.

    The next wreck was the Big One that started when Jamie McMurray shoved Jimmie Johnson down the backstretch. It loosened the 48 car and turned him down across the No. 6 of Trevor Bayne. This spun both of them out and sent them both pin-balling through a gaggle of cars. Fourteen cars were collected or received damage from the lap 127 wreck in Turn 3.

    With 65 laps to go, Blaney signaled on the backstretch that he was coming to pit road. As he slowed down exiting Turn 4 to dive into the pits, Elliott Sadler turned up the track to avoid hitting him, only to clip Bayne and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. This sent the two Roush Fenway Racing drivers down the track and into the inside wall.

    On the backstretch with 59 to go, McMurray, on the outside, tried to pass to the inside of Elliott. Elliott blocks the advance, so McMurray checks up. This gets him hooked into the wall by Brendan Gaughan. Daniel Suarez swerves to the left to avoid McMurray, takes out Ryan Newman and starts a chain reaction Big One that involved 11 cars.

    The final wreck was a two-car wreck with 51 to go that started when Joey Gase was turned into the wall by Elliott. This set up the final 47 lap run to the finish.

    The race lasted three hours 29 minutes and 31 seconds at an average speed of 143.187 mph. There were 37 lead changes among 18 different drivers and eight cautions for 40 laps.

    Kurt Busch leaves with a 12-point lead over Blaney in the points standings.

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  • Daytona 500 – Did You Know?

    Daytona 500 – Did You Know?

    Sunday, Feb. 26 will mark the 59th running of the Daytona 500 but did you know that it has been the season-opener only since 1982? The first “Great American Race” was held in 1959 and won by Lee Petty in his first appearance at the event in his No. 42 Oldsmobile Super 88. He led 38 laps and won by two feet in a photo finish battle with Johnny Beauchamp and Joe Weatherly. Twenty-five years later, his son, Richard Petty, captured his 200th win at Daytona in the Firecracker 400 on July 4, 1984.

    Thirty-seven different drivers have won the Daytona 500 led by Richard Petty with seven victories. He’s followed by Cale Yarborough with four wins. Bobby Allison, Dale Jarrett and Jeff Gordon have won three 500s while Bill Elliott, Sterling Marlin, Michael Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth have won the season-opener two times.

    But did you know that only three drivers have back-to-back wins in this iconic race? Richard Petty did it (1973-74) and so did Yarborough (1983-84). However, Marlin was the last competitor to accomplish this feat (1994 and 1995).

    Thirty years separate the oldest and youngest drivers who have won the 500. Trevor Bayne became the youngest driver (20 years, 0 months, 1 day) on Feb. 20, 2011, when he scored the checkered flag in his first start in the Daytona 500. It was also his first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory. Bobby Allison won his third Daytona 500 on Feb. 14, 1988, making him the oldest Daytona 500 winner (50 years, 2 months, 11 days).

    It’s often said that it’s not important where you start but rather where you finish. However, when it comes to the Daytona 500, qualifying well is a key factor. Did you know that the pole position has produced more winners (nine) than any other position? In fact, 28 of the 58 Daytona 500s (48.3 percent) have been won from a top-five starting position with a whopping 72.4 percent being won from a top 10 starting position.

    The Daytona 500 is one of the most sought after wins in NASCAR’s premier series, and for good reason. Five drivers who won the 500 went on to become the Cup Series Champion the same year, for a total of 8 championships between them. The list includes Richard Petty (1964,1971,1974), Johnson (2006,2013), Lee Petty (1959), Yarborough (1977) and Jeff Gordon (1997).

    The 59th Daytona 500 will kick off the 2017 season Sunday with television coverage on FOX at 2 p.m. It will also be broadcast on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR radio. The on-track activity begins Thursday, Feb. 23 with  Cup practice at noon on FS1.

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