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NASCAR Racing Schedule for Atlanta

NASCAR heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway with all three series for a full weekend of competition. The NASCAR XFINITY Series (2 p.m.) and the Camping World Truck Series (4:30 p.m.) races will be televised on FS1 Saturday. The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 will be broadcast on FOX at 2:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon.

The Cup Series event will be comprised of three stages. Stage 1 and 2 will consist of 85 laps each with a final stage of 155 laps (325 laps total).

Jimmie Johnson, the defending race winner, has the most victories at Atlanta among active drivers, with five, and swept the 2015-2016 races. He also has the series-best driver rating of 107.1. Daytona 500 champ, Kurt Busch, won the Atlanta pole last year and has three victories at the 1.54-mile track.

All times are Eastern.

Friday, March 3

On Track:
10-10:55 a.m.: XFINITY Series Practice – FS1
11-11:55 a.m.: Camping World Truck Series Practice – FS1
Noon-1:25 p.m. Cup Series Practice – FS1
1:30-2:25 p.m.: XFINITY Series Practice – FS1
2:30-3:25 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Practice – FS1
3:30-4:25 p.m.: XFINITY Series Final Practice – FS1
4:30-5:25 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Final Practice – FS1
5:45 p.m.: Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – FS1

Press Conferences: (Watch live)
10:15 a.m.: Chase Elliott
10:30 a.m.: Daniel Suarez
10:45 a.m.: Kurt Busch
11:30 a.m.: William Byron
11:45 a.m.: Brandon Jones
2:30 p.m.: Jimmie Johnson
2:45 p.m.: NASCAR announcement
6:30 p.m. (approximately): Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying

Garage Cam: (Watch live)
11:30 a.m.: Cup Series
3 p.m.: XFINITY Series

Saturday, March 4:

On Track:
9:15 a.m.: XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – FS1
10:40 a.m.: Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying – FS1
Noon-1:20 p.m.: Cup Series Final Practice – FS1
1:30 p.m.: NASCAR RaceDay: XFINITY Series – FS1
2 p.m.: XFINITY Series Rinnai 250 (163 laps, 251.02 miles) – FS1
4:30 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Active Pest Control 200 (130 laps, 200.02 miles) – FS1
6:30 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Post-Race Show – FS1

Press Conferences: (Watch live)
4:30 p.m. (approximately): Post-XFINITY Series Race
6:30 p.m. (approximately): Post-Camping World Truck Series Race

Sunday, March 5:

On Track:
12:30 p.m.: NASCAR Raceday Pre-Race Show – FS1
2 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series FOX Pre-Race Show – FOX
2:30 p.m.: Cup Series Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 (325 laps, 500.05 miles) – FOX

Press Conference: (Watch live)
5:30 p.m. (approximately): Post-Cup Series Race

Cup Series Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 TV/Radio Coverage:

Broadcast Booth: Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip and Jeff Gordon
Pit Reporters: Jamie Little, Chris Neville, Vince Welch and Matt Yocum
In-Race Analyst: Larry McReynolds
Race / Hollywood Hotel Host: Chris Myers
Analysts / Hollywood Hotel: Jeff Gordon, Darrell and Michael Waltrip
Radio: Performance Racing Network (PRN) and SiriusXM Satellite NASCAR Channel 90

Follow @angiecampbell_ on Twitter for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

Complete NASCAR TV Schedule

Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Entry List:

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March 3, 2017
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.”

March 3, 2017
Newman Fastest in First Cup Practice at Atlanta

HAMPTON, Ga. — Ryan Newman topped the chart in the first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The driver of the No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet was the fastest with a time of 29.509 and a speed of 187.875 mph. Jamie McMurray was second in his No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet with a time of 29.531 and a speed of 187.735 mph. Kyle Busch was third in his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota with a time of 29.553 and a speed of 187.595 mph.

Matt Kenseth was fourth in his No. 20 JGR Toyota with a time of 29.569 and a speed of 187.494 mph as Ricky Stenhouse Jr. rounded out the top-five in his No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford with a time of 29.570 and a speed of 187.487 mph.

Kevin Harvick, who posted the 25th-fastest lap, posted the fastest 10 consecutive lap average at a speed of 179.977 mph.

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March 3, 2017
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.”

February 28, 2017
Five Tracks Where Allmendinger Can Win In 2017

A.J. Allmendinger is riding an upward trajectory into the new season, hoping to dominate the road courses where he performs best and possibly grab a win at another track along the way. His third place finish in the Daytona 500 is proof of his relevance in 2017.

It’s been three seasons since Allmendinger scored his first career win at Watkins Glen, but the future remains bright for the 35-year-old road course ringer. Last year, he landed 26 lead lap finishes, tying 2010 for the most in his career. Also in 2016, his average finish of 17.8 was his best in five years.

Here are a few tracks on Allmendinger’s radar:

Watkins Glen International

It never hurts Allmendinger’s chances that Marcos Ambrose is no longer around to add another underdog to road course competition. We’ve seen him win here, and more importantly, we’ve seen him fend off aggressive attempts at his lead in the final laps. Allmendinger has started in the Top 10 in the last six races at the Glen and has finished in the Top 10 in five of the last six. Barring any mechanical problems or wrecks, look to the top of the leaderboard to find the No. 47.

Sonoma Raceway

The first road course race of the season might be the best bet for an Allmendinger win. While his lone career win came at Watkins Glen, there is definitely added pressure in August going into a Watkins Glen race in need of a Chase berth.

Sonoma has produced more “regular” driver winners than those of the “road course ringer” variety, but that’s not to say the ringers are out of the question. Unfortunately for Allmendinger, luck hasn’t always been on his side in wine country. Qualifying no worse than second in the last three races, on-track issues have tripped him into no better than 14th place at the checkers.

Martinsville Speedway

Outside of road courses, one track has proven to be Allmendinger’s best over the last few years, and that’s Martinsville. While finishes are strong, they still don’t necessarily reflect his ability to produce a top car capable of leading laps. He led laps last year at the half-mile paper clip and finished in the Top 10 in both races.

His worst start in the last seven Martinsville races is 15th, and in six of those seven races, he finished no worse than 11th. Worth noting is that the 43rd-place blemish on his otherwise stellar last seven finishes was caused by an oil leak.

Talladega Superspeedway

JTG Daugherty Racing has seen recent improvements in resources and personnel, and even expanded to two teams for 2017, with second-year driver Chris Buescher coming onboard.

Buescher, who won at Pocono in his rookie year, will offer Allmendinger a guaranteed drafting partner and someone with experience running up front, even if that win came under red flag conditions.

Restrictor plate races are known for their field-leveling effect, which has materialized in underdog wins (See: David Ragan 2013). Allmendinger has run solo for his last several Talladega visits, but if he and Buescher can avoid the Big One(s), they can mount an assault on the frontrunners in the closing laps.

Kansas Speedway

Allmendinger scored consecutive eighth place finishes in last year’s Kansas races despite the track’s reputation to fill the Top 10 with top-tier outfits. His performance at Kansas prior to 2016 included a 27th in the fall of 2015, but that was preceded by 11th and 14th place finishes, respectively.

The likelihood of outrunning the fastest teams for a win on a 1.5-miler is a longshot, but an improved JTG Daugherty team can take on the task. Coordinating car setups will help to capitalize on tinkering time spent during practice sessions, which could improve Allmendinger’s 24.5 average start in his seven runs with JTG Daugherty in Kansas.

February 28, 2017
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.

February 28, 2017
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.

February 27, 2017
NASCAR’s Steve O’Donnell ‘Pleased’ with First Test of New Format at Daytona

The 59th running of the Daytona 500, with first-time winner, Kurt Busch, included eight cautions for 40 laps and saw only 15 drivers complete all 200 laps. Was this typical restrictor-plate racing or a result of the new race format that NASCAR implemented this season?

Steve O’Donnell, executive vice president and chief racing development officer for NASCAR, shared his thoughts on the new format which features stages and addressed the multiple accidents and the five-minute clock which limits the amount of time a team has to make repairs.

His first impression of the race was, “I’d say, overall really pleased.” He added, “We saw a lot of great, hard racing. Everybody knows that every driver wants to win the Daytona 500. We saw drivers up on the wheel all day long racing hard and that’s exactly what we expected from the format.”

When asked about the reason for the number of wrecks that plagued all three series this weekend at Daytona International Speedway, his answer was simple.

“I think people wanted to win,” he said.

O’Donnell continued, “People want to win (when they) hit Daytona. We wanted drivers racing up front, racing hard for wins. That’s what we expected. In terms of good, hard racing, that’s what you saw all three days.”

He also thought that the five-minute clock worked well.

“Obviously that’s going to be a work in progress as we go”, he explained. “It was NASCAR working with the race teams. When you look at the positives of that, no one exceeded that clock on pit road. The winner of the race was part of that policy. So, if you look at a car going beyond five minutes, usually their day’s done anyway. If we had a line of teams here saying we’ve got to do something we would, but we didn’t have one of them. They all knew that their day was done. It’s unfortunate. But that’s Daytona; it’s a tough place to race.”

O’Donnell went on to discuss the complexities of restrictor-plate racing at Daytona and said that Atlanta Motor Speedway would essentially be their “first experience with the new rules package.”

“I think Daytona brings out, you never know what’s going to happen. If you make a mistake here, it’s usually a pretty tough one and it’s a pretty tough day. But,” he maintained, “the stages did produce strong racing.”

He pointed to another favorable aspect of the race at Daytona, stating, “It also gave some drivers who competed in those first stages who normally would have gone home with one or two points; they were rewarded for running up front early.”

Several drivers also weighed in on their experience with the revised race format, characterizing the race as “wild,” “the extreme of the Daytona 500,” “aggressive” and “fun.”

Ryan Blaney, who finished second in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford, said, “It was one of the more wild 500s I’ve been in, a lot of wrecks that took out a bunch of good cars, which you hate to see. There were only a handful of cars out there that looked OK at the end.”

AJ Allmendinger, driver of the No. 47 Kroger Clicklist Chevrolet for JTG Daugherty Racing, who finished in third place, shared his perspective.

“I mean, I think Daytona and Talladega are going to be extreme,” he said, “because, you know, it comes down to trying to get your track position. You see people lay back. Now with the stages, there’s points on the line. I think Daytona is the most amped up. It kind of changes how people race.

“To me, I don’t think any of the other 32 races that we’re going to go to, we’re all driving as hard as we can every lap anyway. Yeah, you get a caution with eight to go before the stage ends, there’s going to be strategy. Maybe guys on old tires and that might make some difference when it comes to the stages. I think it’s the extreme of the Daytona 500 and these plate races, the way we have to race. Now with stages, with points being on the line, things are going to happen like that.”

Jimmie Johnson’s race ended on lap 128 in a 17-car accident. He summed it up, saying, “Just a lot of aggression way too early, in my opinion.” His No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy finished in 34th place.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. who led eight laps in his No. 88 HMS Chevrolet before he was caught up in a wreck and only completed 106 laps and finished 37th, had a different viewpoint.

“I really enjoyed the whole week; we had a lot of fun. Everybody’s support, to get back to the racetrack, meant a lot to me. Sorry, we weren’t able to deliver a better result today for all our fans.” He concluded by saying, “At least we went out leading the race.”

While opinions vary, restrictor-plate racing is known for its volatile nature. The true test of the new format may be the upcoming Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway next week.

Follow @angiecampbell_ on Twitter for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

February 27, 2017
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).

February 26, 2017
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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February 26, 2017