DAYTONA STRAND, Fla. – The latest on the Daytona 500 (all time local):
12:35 pm
Brad Keselowski has no regrets about the way he handled the final lap of the Daytona 500.
Keselowski had a big run on Team Penkse teammate and race leader Joey Logano, about a mile from the finish line. Keselowski tried to pass Logano on the low side, but Logano blocked him and eventually crashed them both.
Kyle Busch sided with Keselowski’s no. 2-Ford slammed, made him turn and hit the wall again. Austin Cindric plowed into both, causing a brief explosion and fire. Every driver escaped unscathed.
“Had a great run in the backstroke, wanted to make the pass to win the Daytona 500, and it was really bad,” Keselowski said. “Do not feel that I have made a mistake, but I can not drive everyone’s cars. Frustrating …
“We were in position. That was exactly where I wanted to be – I ran the second lap on the last lap of Daytona with this package. If I had the run-up, the move made and it did not work.”
Michael McDowell drove through both and scored the victory, starting his first in the 358 Cup Series. It was an incredible uproar in NASCAR’s signing event.
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12:15 am
Michael McDowell won the Daytona 500 after Penske Racing teammates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski crashed in the final lap.
It was McDowell’s first victory in the 358 Cup Series, an incredible upset in NASCAR’s signature. McDowell led just one lap – the only one that mattered.
McDowell was third when Keselowski got a big run on Logano. Keselowski tried to pass Logano on the low side, but Logano tried to block him and eventually he both crashed.
Chase Elliott was second, followed by Austin Dillon, Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin.
Hamlin tried to become the first in NASCAR history to win three consecutive Daytona 500s.
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23:14
Denny Hamlin won the second stage of the Daytona 500, showing that he is the man to beat in ‘The Great American Race’.
Hamlin also won the opening phase. The final stage, 70 laps, determines the winner. Hamlin tries to be the first to win three consecutive Daytona 500s.
He lost the lead to fellow Toyota teammate Bubba Wallace shortly before the final lap, but Hamlin rallied in the final two turns to move from the front again and then adapt Harvick to the finish line. Wallace was third, followed by defending series champion Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon and Joey Logano. Michael McDowell, Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top 10.
Wallace became the Black driver who was able to lead a lap in Daytona 500.
Kaz Grala had the most interesting ride in the 65-lap shift. His car caught fire twice as a result of a broken rear wheel bearing, which caused sparks and flames at the rear of his no. 16 Chevrolet sent. The damage ended his night, but not after workers put out the fire once and he rode back onto the track to catch fire again and lose his brakes forever.
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22:09
Denny Hamlin has won the opening stages of the Daytona 500, showing that he has a car good enough to become the first to win ‘The Great American Race’ for three consecutive years.
Hamlin moved to the front shortly after the race resumed after a weather delay of nearly six hours. Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch stayed behind in the queue until he moved back on the final lap of the stage, which took more than seven hours to complete.
Ryan Preece was second, followed by Austin Dillon, Kyle Larson and Austin Cindric. Christopher Bell was sixth while Bubba Wallace, Joey Logano, Ross Chastain and Cole Custer rounded out the top 10.
The race started again after an almost six hour delay caused by lightning and then heavy rain.
Only 28 of 40 cars remain on track, and 23 of them are still on the front lap.
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21:08
The Daytona 500 was resumed after a weather delay of more than five hours and asked several drivers to drive fast food off the track.
Kevin Harvick was ahead when the race started cautiously again, with 185 laps left.
NASCAR’s signature event was halted after 15 rounds due to lightning and then heavy rain. Sixteen cars were involved in a major accident just one lap before the stop.
With a long delay of the radar, at least three drivers took the road to get a little grabbed.
Drivers Chase Briscoe, Ross Chastain and Tyler Reddick used the red flag to refuel, giving fast food new meaning. The drivers left the track and quickly drove across the street to get a little grabbed.
Briscoe posted a photo on social media of him wearing his fire suit in the driveway at Panda Express. Chastain posted a photo of himself in the driveway at McDonald’s, a sponsor. Reddick sits in Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, also a sponsor, and eats a chicken pot.
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18:15
Chase Briscoe, Ross Chastain and Tyler Reddick gave new meaning to fast food during a rain delay at Daytona International Speedway.
The drivers left the famed lane during a long red flag during the Daytona 500 and drove quickly across the street to get some grip.
Brissae’s wife, Marissa, tweeted a photo of Chase wearing his suit in the driveway at Panda Express.
Ross Chastain followed shortly after and posted a photo of him in the driveway at McDonald’s, a sponsor. He noted that these are ‘rain delays in’ 21 ‘.
Reddick sits down in Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, also a sponsor, and eats a chicken pot and says ‘some much-needed comfort food’.
NASCAR’s season opener was stopped after 15 rounds due to lightning and then heavy rain. It takes hours to dry the 2-kilometer track. Sixteen cars, including the one driven by Reddick, were involved in a major accident 14 laps in the race.
Lightning in the area a few minutes later led to officials having to clean the motorsport stadium, and send fans with a social distance to a busy place. Drivers get out of their cars, and as soon as the rain hits, they fall into the road.
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4:15 pm
Pitbull’s Daytona 500 party ended long before the last call.
The platinum-selling rapper bought Trackhouse Racing, which put driver Daniel Suarez on the field. Suarez drives the number 99 Chevrolet and was previously among the drivers collected in a 16-car stack. He was forced after completing 13 laps.
“Mr. Worldwide” also instructed drivers to turn on their engines.
Pitbull says he’s all one of NASCAR’s newest team owners.
“Now that there is no tour going on, I’m going to be in almost every game,” Pitbull said. “There is a higher calling to this.”
Pitbull joined NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan as well-known owners entering NASCAR this year. Trackhouse was launched late last year by former driver Justin Marks and he watched the race with Pitbull from a suite.
“There is no hidden agenda. We’re here to win, ‘Pitbull said.
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15:50
The Big One hit 14 laps in the Daytona 500, caused when Aric Almirola became pole vaulter Alex Bowman and started a 16-car stack.
Minutes later the race was stopped by lightning and fans who were socially in the stands had to seek refuge in the busy corridor. Heavy rain followed and closed ‘The Great American Race’ for a long delay.
Christopher Bell started the disappointment when he pushed Almirola too hard near the front of the field and forced the driver of Stewart-Haas Racing to bubble while trying to avoid a slide. Almirola eventually turned right into Bowman. Their contact causes others to collide, causing them to spin and slip through grass and mud. Martin Truex Jr., Erik Jones, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch were among those involved.
“We just pushed too hard too early,” Almirola said. “It’s a long, long race.” Man, we were in a good position, just sat there and in the top two, three and (Bell) came around with a big run and hit me in a bad place really hard and it turned me to the right and ‘tore our race car and ended our Daytona 500 far too soon,’ Almirola said.
Hendrick Motorsports put Bowman and Byron in the front row.
Newman nearly died in a gruesome crash on the final lap of last year’s Daytona 500. Newman walked away safely on Sunday and even looked at Busch while sitting in his Chevy.
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15:25 nm
Derrike Cope was knocked out after just three laps, a disgraceful end for the 62-year-old driver who won the Daytona 500 in 1990.
Cope has launched its first Daytona 500 since 2004 and 15th overall. Cope apparently had a cut tire on the Chevrolet no. 15 with which he drove for Rick Ware Racing.
Cope was forced to the garage on the third lap when fans and crew saluted the late Dale Earnhardt by holding up three fingers as a tribute to the twentieth anniversary of his death. Cope dragged past Earnhardt, who blew a mile further, to win the 1990 Daytona 500.
Cope had two wins in the beginning of his 428 career.
Rick Ware Racing also finished last in the Indianapolis 500 in 2020. James Davison completed only four laps in that race.
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3:10 pm
Fans and crew members greeted the late Dale Earnhardt by holding up three fingers on Round 3 during the Daytona 500, recognizing the twentieth anniversary of his death, which came on the final shot of NASCAR’s signature event. Earnhardt drove the famous number 3 for Richard Childress Racing.
The death of the seven-time cup series champion has forced NASCAR to make significant improvements in safety, which has saved many lives over the past twenty years. Ryan Newman survived a disturbing accident in the first round of the first round and walked out to a hospital for two days after everyone who watched feared the worst.
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14:00
Bubba Wallace’s car failed the Daytona 500 inspection twice and will have to start at the back of the field.
The car driver for 23XI Racing was evicted as punishment. The number 23 Toyota passed the inspection for the third time.
Wallace rides a new entry owned by NBA big Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin. He would start ‘The Great American Race’ in the third row. Instead, Wallace will be one of ten riders to drop behind the pace during the pace shift.
Nine others have already lost their starting places due to changes made after NASCAR’s 150-mile qualifying race on Thursday. Former Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski and William Byron, who qualified in the front row, switched to backup cars due to wreckage. Same for Chase Briscoe, Kaz Grala, Anthony Alfredo, Cole Custer and Ross Chastain.
Martin Truex Jr. ‘s team had to change a radiator and oil cooler. Erik Jones’ team changed from engine to engine.
Alex Bowman will lead the field with 40 cars to the green flag at 15:05 EST.
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