Whereas Justin Allgaier’s hard-fought ninth place end to make the Daytona 500 — and Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s blissful tears — overshadowed Bubba Wallace’s victory within the first Duel, Thursday’s second Duel race constructed as much as an epic photograph end.
Corey LaJoie, operating close to the entrance of the sector, had his ticket to Sunday’s huge race largely locked up — however the struggle for the win was removed from determined. Erik Jones and Austin Cindric, deadlocked whereas exiting the ultimate nook, each misplaced their pushers as the sector fanned out three-wide of their rearviews. It was a one-on-one race to the road, with Jones barely nosing forward of Cindric.
Then issues obtained messy.
Who gained?
Erik Jones within the No. 43 Mustang and Austin Cindic within the No. 2 Camry head towards a photograph end
Picture by: Meg Oliphant / Getty Pictures
Mere seconds from the end line, Shane van Gisbergen obtained turned mid-pack, inflicting a multi-car crash. NASCAR shortly threw the yellow flag and, although Jones had crossed the road first, the principles state that whoever was main in the mean time of warning is the winner.
Jones sat celebrating inside his No. 43 Camry as he parked below the flag-stand. Cindric, tired of disputing the end, filed down pit street believing he was the runner-up. However after a number of minutes of video assessment, NASCAR made an official announcement: Cindric, barely forward because the yellow flag flew, was the victor within the Duel #2 race. Followers within the stands began booing.
“I really feel dangerous for Erik”
“A variety of feelings,” stated a despondent Jones after the announcement. “Yeah, it is a bummer. It is the rule. I imply, if the yellow is out, the race is over. It is unlucky… I do not know. I did all the things I might. So it simply did not work out. Hopefully we may be in that very same spot once more Sunday.”
Cindric awkwardly walked from the pits to the frontstretch to gather the checkered flag, however the flagman could not be discovered.
“I really feel dangerous for Erik [Jones] having to go all the best way over there,” stated Cindric. “They made an important transfer on the final lap there. Joey [Logano] and I had been sitting geese with the center lane fading there… Tremendous happy with my staff and everybody to exit right here and execute … General, happy with everyone at Group Penske getting lined up there, the execution of the cycle there. It is cool, however there’s nonetheless quite a bit to go for the race.”
Specializing in Jones, who was nonetheless on the end line throughout his interview, Cindric added: “I really feel so dangerous he needed to drive all the best way over there. That is horrible.”
Within the switch battle, LaJoie joins Justin Allgaier as the 2 drivers who raced their method into the present. Helio Castroneves will take a provisional to line up forty first on the grid on Sunday. And 4 drivers had their Daytona 500 desires dashed: J.J. Yeley, Chandler Smith, Anthony Aldredo, and BJ McLeod.
Learn Additionally:
On this article
Nick DeGroot
NASCAR Cup
Austin Cindric
Erik Jones
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