Stewart wins Gatorade Duel 1

[media-credit name=”David Yeazell” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]Tony Stewart, the three-time defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion picked up his 17 victory at Daytona International Speedway with a win in the Gatorade Duel No. 1 under caution flag conditions.

“This Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevy has been awesome all weekend. We have a great starting spot for the (Daytona) 500. This thing has been fast so we are hoping to be there at the end on Sunday.” Stewart said.

The race ended under caution after Danica Patrick crashed on the bachstretch. Patrick crashed very hard on the backstretch after contact with Aric Almirola. Almirola got loose and came down into Patrick, sending her spinning into in the side wall. Patrick was ok and walked to the ambulance under her own power.

“It happened really quickly. I guess you can always imagine when you get down to the end of the race everyone is on each other’s doors really close. It’s just kind of what happens at the end of the race. Unfortunately, I was part of it.” Patrick said.

On Lap 52, Michael Waltrip crashed on the backstretch after losing control while making the transition from the apron onto the race track. Waltrip hit the outside wall hard and was out of the race and was eliminated from Sunday’s race.

“I just went the wrong way and lost the car. I feel like I let everybody down. I raced my way to the front and then I let them down. It’s just really hard. I don’t know what to say. It’s just sad. Thankful to my team and Aaron’s for giving me the opportunity and hate that I let everybody down.” Waltrip said.

Juan Montoya, Paul Menard and David Gilliand are involved in an early accident on lap 9 between Turns 1 and 2.

“Just a product of this hybrid tandem-pack racing. All the rule changes are just making a big mess of what was a pretty good race. I’m hoping to survive on Sunday.” Menard said. “If I say my mind right now; NASCAR is trying to dictate physics. Physics says two cars are going to push and they’re trying to make rule changes to keep us from doing it, so it is kind of a hybrid of pack racing and tandem racing. It is causing a pretty unsafe situation.”

“It is what it is, you know. I don’t want to get involved in whose fault it is. It is part of restrictor plate racing.” Montoya said.

Gilliand had minor injuries.  “I feel good, I am fine. I cut up my hand on my helmet and I had to get it stitched. I am fine, just disappointed.”

Michael McDowell and Robby Gordon transfer into the Daytona 500.

“It’s amazing. I’ve been here once before and made the race. I had to qualify in and I’ve been on the outside looking in too, so just know that this is extremely special not just for me and my family, but for our whole team.” McDowell said.

See Also:
Matt Kenseth wins Gatorade Duel 2

Unofficial Race Results
Gatorade Duel 1
February 23, 2012 | Exhibition