Track: Daytona International Speedway
Race: Coke Zero Sugar 400
Date: August 28, 2022
No. 2 Menards/Maytag Ford Mustang – Austin Cindric
Start: 14th
Race Finish: 3rd
Stage 1 Finish: 26th
Stage 2 Finish: 13th
Laps Led: 13
Point Standings: 14th (-34)
Race Rundown: Austin Cindric and the No. 2 Menards/Maytag Ford Mustang finished third in the rain delayed NASCAR Cup Series event at Daytona International Speedway. Early in the race, Cindric got caught behind another car that was losing an engine, forcing him to lose touch with the draft and ride around at the back of the field until the end of the first stage, losing a lap in the process. However, at the end of the stage, Cindric was awarded the free pass to get back on the lead lap. Cindric raced within the pack for the entire second stage, finishing 13th. As the final stage began, Cindric continued to run within the pack, running anywhere from the back half of the top-20. Several multi-car accidents hindered the final stage, at one point briefly collecting the No. 2 Menards/Maytag Ford Mustang. By keeping the nose of his Mustang clean, Cindric led late in the race with a swarm of Chevrolets on his tail. Contact from Austin Dillon sent the No. 2 Ford Mustang down on the apron, but Cindric managed to hold on and crossed the line in third.
Cindric’s Thoughts: “I got hit by another race car going 190, 200 miles an hour. I’m glad I saved it and glad I had a shot to come back through the field. He is racing for a playoff spot and totally expected to get drove through. It was just a matter of time. I’m pretty bummed. We had a shot to win today. The Maytag/Menards Ford Mustang was obviously quick. We put ourselves in position. Not a scratch on it. Dang it.”
No. 12 Advance Auto Parts Ford Mustang – Ryan Blaney
Start: 16th
Race Finish: 15th
Stage 1 Finish: 34th
Stage 2 Finish: 34th
Laps Led: 0
Point Standings: 7th (-27)
Race Rundown: Ryan Blaney finished 15th on Sunday afternoon in the delayed Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway driving the Advance Auto Parts Ford Mustang. Utilizing the outside lane, Blaney drove from 15th to the front during the first 20 laps of the opening stage and was running third when a multi-car accident near the end of Stage 1 involved the playoff hopeful. Great work by the Advance Auto Parts crew kept the car just two laps down, and Blaney got the free pass to get back to one lap down at the start of Stage 2. However, the damage to the No. 12 was extensive and Blaney lost the draft, going multiple laps down during the second stage. The Advance Auto Parts Ford Mustang rode around for the rest of the day, trying to avoid other’s accidents and gain positions and points. Other drivers’ misfortune allowed Blaney to gain the spots needed to lock up a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
Blaney’s Thoughts: “It definitely didn’t start out very good. We had to battle through adversity all day, but props to the whole No. 12 group for continuing to work on it and fix it and just trying to keep it in the game. After that wreck everything was kind of out of our hands and we were just trying to do the best, we could to try and complete all the laps. You never know what can happen, so props to them. Fortunately, we were able to gain some points there at the end and locked us in. It was definitely nerve racking, but a lot of props to the No. 12 team.”
No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang – Joey Logano
Start: 3rd
Race Finish: 12th
Stage 1 Finish: 1st (Fifth stage win of 2022)
Stage 2 Finish: 3rd
Laps Led: 15
Point Standings: 2nd (-15)
Race Rundown: Joey Logano drove the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang to a 12th place finish on Sunday in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway. After rain pushed the Saturday night race to Sunday afternoon, Logano locked bumpers with the No. 9 of Chase Elliott during the first stage and rode in the second position. Following a multi-car accident near the end of Stage 1, Logano was able to make some moves and win the stage. After starting Stage 2 in the middle of the field, Logano was able to drive back to the front as green flag pit stops began. Coming off pit road with the lead, Logano had no drafting help and fell back in the pack. But once again, the driver of the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Mustang used his drafting prowess to drive back to the front. He would finish the second stage in the third position. As the final stage began, Logano once again drove his Ford Mustang to the front. Unfortunately, Logano was caught up in an accident with less than 40 laps to go, forcing him to make repairs in the pits and losing a couple of laps in the process. Logano soldiered home to a 12th-place finish.
Logano’s Thoughts: “It seems like everything worked out the way it needed to. We got a stage win, which is great, some more points there. We got the No. 12 in. Everything worked out as good as we could hope and now we move forward and try to win a championship.”
