The ending to the 55th annual running of the Daytona 500 turned out to be pretty exciting. It just took 180 laps to get to that point. We watched a five time champion become a two time Daytona 500 champion and then watched him wreck his car during the post race victory burn out. Oh yeah, Danica was there and her presence loomed larger than usual during Speedweeks.
Daytona International Speedway, the World Center of Racing. It oozes passion and history. No matter how many times you come back, you still get chills when you go through the tunnel or get onto the high banks.
For the second straight year, Dale Earnhardt Jr. found himself the bridesmaid in the biggest race of the year. His frantic charge on the last lap that came up short, ending in a second place finish in the Daytona 500 behind teammate Jimmie Johnson.
We all watched in horror as a multi car crash, on the final lap of the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona, unfolded. We saw Kyle Larson's Chevrolet become airborne and hit the catch fence. We saw debris, including a tire with wheel and suspension parts attached to it, fly into the grandstands.
In late January, Rick Hendrick challenged his teams to return to championship form. Much of that challenge was seemingly directed toward the No.48 Lowes team.
When the caution came out with nine to go, Jimmie Johnson was just a nose ahead of Brad Keselowski, able to choose his line on the restart. He would choose the outside lane and would hold the field off to win the 2013 Daytona 500.
Jimmie Johnson won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday. Johnson, making his 400th career start, held off teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin after the final restart with six laps remaining.
NASCAR fans are passionate like none other. They demonstrate that passion with the gear that they wear, from T-shirts to jackets to pajama bottoms sporting their favorite team number or race car, to the bags of merchandise they purchase from the many haulers at the race track.
The 19-year-old Zilisch from Charlotte, North Carolina, was awarded the pole position for Saturday's Fourth of July event at Chicagoland due to inclement weather forcing NASCAR to replace qualifying with practice.
Will Power and Kyle Kirkwood were 1-2 on the speed chart as the Fourth of July holiday weekend began with a 95-degree afternoon at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
Enzo Fittipaldi waited until the closing minutes of INDY NXT by Firestone practice Friday to top the speed chart, turning the fastest lap to kick off this weekend’s doubleheader at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
