The primary Duel at Daytona led to dramatic style. Joey Logano captured the checkered flag in a 1-2 end for Crew Penske, however all eyes had been on the battle to make the Daytona 500.
The open battle: Casey Mears had spun in an earlier incident, and Chander Smith suffered injury in one other wreck. That cleared the best way for Corey LaJoie to make the race, however he acquired turned on the ultimate lap in a multi-car melee.
In a scene straight out of Days of Thunder, Mears didn’t carry, driving straight via the wreck and struggling nostril injury, however by no means slowing down. He crossed the road in seventh place, and that was sufficient for the 47-year-old to lock himself and the Storage 66 staff into the 68th operating of the Daytona 500.
Whereas the outcomes are unofficial as NASCAR opinions movie, the ending order was: Logano, Ryan Blaney, Austin Dillon, John-Hunter Nemechek, Brad Keselowski, Shane van Gisbergen, Mears, Daniel Suarez, Ryan Preece, and Alex Bowman.
“Mears as shocked as he was excited, and wasn’t positive how he managed to tug it off. “Most likely a bit bit in regards to the energy of prayer, there was lots of that happening contained in the automotive,” laughed Mears. “Simply could not thank everyone sufficient for getting us right here to start with. Had a difficulty on pit street, however I acquired a run across the exterior. Determined to remain within the gasoline, it doesn’t matter what occurred. After I noticed them spinning and I missed the primary man (Lajoie), I believed, okay, good, after which I hit the #7 (Suarez).
“Anyway, I hit anyone sq.. And I knew once I hit him flat it did not tear up the automotive an excessive amount of and I used to be going to have the ability to get again. However I did not know who was in entrance of me nonetheless, whether or not or not we made it. All the blokes began going nuts on the radio.”
On the different finish of the spectrum was a dejected LaJoie, who had this to say after exiting the infield care heart: “It appeared good for 145.5 miles. I believed we managed the race nearly as good as you may management it. The underside lane acquired tender there, and the push got here proper as I picked the #6 [Keselowski] up, and it simply turned me to the appropriate. That sucks, man. These guys labored extremely onerous on this automotive. I am truthfully completely satisfied for Casey Mears and (staff proprietor) Carl Lengthy — it is cool these guys acquired in, however I am devastated. That is what you’re employed for and I haven’t got one other one after this.”
Corey LaJoie, No. 99 RFK Racing Ford
Photograph by: Patrick McDermott through Getty Photographs
Race recap
There have been a number of early lead adjustments, however RFK Racing acquired all 4 of their vehicles lined up, rapidly marching ahead. They powered by A. Dillon for the highest spot and dominated the remainder of the stint.
The pack remained pretty calm with out many aggressive pushes, excluding Logano, who acquired his personal teammate sideways as he and Blaney tried to chop a path ahead.
With 15 laps to go, the leaders lastly dove to pit street to kick off green-flag pit stops. Nonetheless, it didn’t go as deliberate as Mears spun, amassing Gragson. They acquired stranded within the infield, forcing NASCAR to throw the warning.
Preece, who entered the pits with the lead, misplaced a number of spots as he wanted to say in his field longer (burned extra gas whereas out entrance), however the timing of the warning meant all of the Fords may cycle proper again to the entrance for the ultimate dash to the end.
The restart got here with eleven laps to go, and Smith made a mad cost ahead to problem LaJoie. He pushed Preece out of line and moved into the switch spot.
The Crew Penske duo of Blaney and Logano took command of the race, as Daytona 500 pole-sitter Busch dropped out of line, sensing that issues had been about to get messy.
Keselowski made a wild transfer to the within of Smith, dooring one another as Smith was shuffled again into the pack.
Bubba Wallace was difficult the Penske vehicles for the race lead, however a nasty bump despatched him spinning throughout the observe. Fortunately, the flaps did their job and stored his No. 23 on the bottom. The wreck did not finish with him, although, as Byron, Buescher and Smith all sustained injury.
That cleared the best way for LaJoie, who simply needed to end the race in a single piece to make sure his place within the Daytona 500 discipline. Nonetheless, that proved to be an not possible ask…
That wrecked pushed the race into time beyond regulation, organising a two-lap shootout. On the ultimate lap, one other wreck broke out, and shockingly, LaJoie was in it. Mears stored his foot on the gasoline at the same time as he collided with Suarez and the wall, holding the automotive pointed straight and snagging a spot within the discipline for the Daytona 500. Along with Suarez, Mears, and LaJoie, Chastain and Allmendinger additionally suffered injury in that last-lap crash.
This will probably be Mears’ 14th look within the 500, and his first because the 2019 season. It should even be his 495th profession begin within the NASCAR Cup Collection.
Casey Mears after making the Daytona 500
Photograph by: Kevin C. Cox through Getty Photographs
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