FORD PERFORMANCE NASCAR: DAYTONA 2 ADVANCE
The final race of the regular season for the NASCAR Cup Series highlights this weekend’s action at Daytona International Speedway as the field of 16 drivers is set for the 2021 playoffs. Currently, six Ford drivers have clinched spots in the postseason: Ryan Blaney, Michael McDowell, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Aric Almirola and Kevin Harvick.
This Week’s Schedule:
Friday, August 27 – NASCAR XFINITY Series, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
Saturday, August 28 – NASCAR Cup Series, 7 p.m. (NBC)
FORD IN THE NASCAR CUP SERIES AT DAYTONA
- Ford has 38 all-time series wins on the oval at Daytona.
- Michael McDowell won the Daytona 500 the last time the series raced on the oval.
- Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman, Aric Almirola, Joey Logano, and Brad Keselowski also have oval wins at Daytona.
FORD IN THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AT DAYTONA
- Ford has 6 series wins on the oval at Daytona.
- Austin Cindric won the 2021 season opener on the Daytona oval.
- Cindric looks to become the second driver to sweep both oval races.
MCDOWELL GOING FOR DAYTONA OVAL SWEEP
Michael McDowell will be going for a sweep on the Daytona International Speedway oval this weekend after capturing the season-opening Daytona 500 in February. The last driver to win both Daytona races in the same year was Jimmie Johnson, who did it in 2013, while only five have done it overall. The others: Bobby Allison (1982); Lee Roy Yarbrough (1969); Cale Yarborough (1968); and Fireball Roberts (1962).
MUST-WIN SCENARIO
While six Ford drivers have clinched spots in the playoffs, there are just as many who are looking to punch their ticket with a win on Saturday night. Here’s a look at each Ford driver still trying to make the postseason and their best career Daytona finish.
Anthony Alfredo: 1 start; Best Finish (32nd, 2021 Daytona 500)
Chase Briscoe: 1 start; Best Finish (19th, 2021 Daytona 500)
Chris Buescher: 11 starts; 3 Top 5s; Best Finish (3rd, 2020 Daytona 500)
Cole Custer: 3 starts; Best Finish (11th, 2021 Daytona 500)
Matt DiBenedetto: 12 starts; 3 Top 10s; Best Finish (7th, 2018 Coke Zero 400)
B.J. McLeod: 4 starts; Best Finish (19th, 2019 Daytona 500)
Ryan Newman: 39 starts; 6 Top 5s; Best Finish (1st, 2008 Daytona 500)
A BLANEY FIRST
Ryan Blaney’s dramatic NASCAR Cup Series victory at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday not only gave Ford its seventh straight win at its home track but marked the first time the Team Penske driver has won multiple races in a season. Blaney has six career victories and has won at least one series race in five straight years, including 2017 when he took the Wood Brothers to victory lane at Pocono Raceway.
CINDRIC LOOKING TO JOIN JUNIOR
As noted above, Austin Cindric has a chance to become only the second driver in history of the NASCAR XFINITY Series to sweep both races on the oval in the same season. Cindric, who won the season opener in February, will look to join Dale Earnhardt Jr., who won six career series races at Daytona including the only season sweep in 2003. Daytona has hosted two series races a season since 2002.
FORD NASCAR CUP SERIES SUMMER RACE WINNERS AT DAYTONA (OVAL)
1963 – Fireball Roberts
1965 – A.J. Foyt
1967 – Cale Yarborough
1969 – LeeRoy Yarbrough
1970 – Donnie Allison
1983 – Buddy Baker
1988 – Bill Elliott
1989 – Davey Allison
1991 – Bill Elliott
1994 – Jimmy Spencer
1997 – John Andretti
1999 – Dale Jarrett
2000 – Jeff Burton
2003 – Greg Biffle
2007 – Jamie McMurray
2011 – David Ragan
2014 – Aric Almirola
2016 – Brad Keselowski
2017 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
FORD NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS AT DAYTONA (OVAL)
1995 – Chad Little
2004 – Mike Wallace (2)
2015 – Ryan Reed (1)
2016 – Aric Almirola (2)
2017 – Ryan Reed (1)
2021 – Austin Cindric (1)
