Chris Buescher Finishes Organization-Highest 18th Following Multiple Crashes in Closing Laps

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 19, 2024) – RFK Racing was on the wrong end of the big one in the Daytona 500, as all three Fords were collected in multi-car incidents. As a result, Chris Buescher was credited with an 18th-place finish, David Ragan finished 20th, and Brad Keselowski 33rd in the ‘Great American Race.’

The 66th running of the Daytona 500 was pushed to Monday due to heavy rain in the Daytona Beach area most of Saturday, and all of Sunday. Keselowski began the day from the 16th position with Buescher in 19th, and Ragan in 40th.

The race opened with a strange opening stage of 65 laps, dominated by fuel strategies and various packs throughout the field. RFK’s three Fords finished 20th (Keselowski), 22nd (Buescher) and 26th (Ragan) at the end of the 65-lap stage.

Stage two ran caution-free with Keselowski crossing the stripe 12th, Buescher 10th – earning stage points – and Ragan in 25th in the BuildSubmarines.com Ford.

From there, Keselowski and Ragan methodically worked their way to the front as the No. 60 led once for a pair of laps, and Keselowski led the race two different times for a handful of laps. Keselowski ran third with 20 to go with Ragan just in front.

Then, as the laps continued to wind down, Keselowski was P2 with eight to go, and was hooked in the right rear, resulting in a massive crash that collected 23 different cars. That incident ended Keselowski’s quest for a Daytona 500.

“I don’t know,” Keselowski said after the incident. “I got hit in the back, so I couldn’t really tell you. It’s a shame. I was kind of making a move for the lead with eight laps to go in the Daytona 500 and I’m here talking to you. It’s just one of those deals. We were mixed up in the middle of the soup most of the race. We executed really well in the final stage and put ourselves in position, but that’s just the way Daytona goes.”

Buescher unfortunately sustained heavy damage to his Fastenal Ford in the same crash, which ultimately proved to be too costly for him to remain competitive in the final restart and closing laps.

“We had a fast Fastenal Ford Mustang and I am excited about that heading into next week,” Buescher added. “That is about where my excitement ends on the day. The crash, that sucks, there is no way around that. That definitely ruined our ultimate result. It was a really strange race. One of the most frustrating races I have been a part of in a long time. Tons of fuel saving and it was all about the pit stop, one pit stop for every stage and then some massive blocks by single cars that weren’t up to speed. It is a lot different than the last go around. I didn’t have as much fun as I hoped to but we will be good for next weekend.”

Ragan did skirt through that crash mostly unscathed, giving him a chance on the final restart. After restarting outside the top-10, he unfortunately was collected in a crash that occurred coming to the white flag, which ultimately ended the race under yellow.

Up Next
Atlanta Motor Speedway hosts race two on the NASCAR Cup Series season next weekend. Race coverage Sunday is set for 2:30 p.m. ET (FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

About RFK Racing
RFK Racing, entering its 37th season in 2024, features an ownership lineup pairing one of the sport’s most iconic names, Jack Roush, along with NASCAR Champion, Brad Keselowski, and Fenway Sports Group owner John Henry. Roush initially founded the team in 1988 and it has since become one of the most successful racing operations in the world, propelling him to be the first NASCAR owner to amass three hundred wins and capturing eight championships, including back-to-back NASCAR Cup titles in 2003 and 2004. Keselowski, a former owner in the NASCAR Truck Series, is the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series Champion. In 2007, Roush partnered with Henry, who also owns Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox, English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C., and the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, to form Roush Fenway Racing. Off the track, RFK is a leader and proven winner in NASCAR marketing solutions, having produced multiple award-winning social media, digital content and experiential marketing campaigns. Visit rfkracing.com, and follow the team on all social platforms @rfkracing.

RICK WARE RACING
66th Running of the Daytona 500
Date: Feb. 19, 2024
Event: 66th Running of the Daytona 500 (Round 1 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (2.5-mile oval)
Format: 200 laps, broken into three stages (65 laps/65 laps/70 laps)
Race Winner: William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 1 Winner: Chase Elliott of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Ryan Blaney of Team Penske (Ford)

RWR Finish:

● Riley Herbst (Started 36th, Finished 24th / Running, completed 199 of 200 laps)
● Justin Haley (Started 22nd, Finished 26th / Running, completed 199 of 200 laps)

RWR Points:

● Justin Haley (27th with 12 points)
● Note: Herbst is a fulltime driver in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and is not eligible for points in the NASCAR Cup Series.

RWR Notes:

● This was Herbst’s second career start in the Daytona 500. His best Daytona 500 finish remains 10th, earned last year.
● This was Haley’s fourth career start in the Daytona 500. His best Daytona 500 finish remains 13th, earned in 2020.

Race Notes:

● William Byron won the Daytona 500 to score his 11th career NASCAR Cup Series victory and his second at Daytona.

● There were five caution periods for a total of 20 laps.

● Twenty of the 40 drivers in the Daytona 500 finished on the lead lap.

● Byron leaves Daytona as the championship leader with a four-point advantage over second-place Alex Bowman.

Sound Bites:

“Obviously, we would’ve loved to have had a better finish for the No. 15 Monster Energy Zero Sugar team, but Daytona is such an unpredictable race, and you never know what’s going to happen in those last laps. We did our best to stay out of trouble and probably would’ve been in a good position if we didn’t have to spend some extra time on pit road early on. I’m proud of the team. They stuck with me and if there had been another caution at the end, I think we could’ve had something for them.” – Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 15 Monster Energy Zero Sugar Ford Mustang

“Our No. 51 team did great working through the adversity that comes with a race at Daytona. It was good to get up front and work with our Ford teammates. That was something I was really looking forward to and it was nice to be able to show early on that we’re capable of being there. We’ve got some things to clean up on pit road, but that’s expected with a new team. I feel good about what we did overall.”– Justin Haley, driver of the No. 51 Tree Top/Fraternal Order of Eagles/Jacob Ford Mustang

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Ambetter Health 400 on Sunday, Feb. 25 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The race begins at 3 p.m. EST with live coverage provided by FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

STEWART-HAAS RACING
66th Running of the Daytona 500
Date: Feb. 19, 2024
Event: 66th Running of the Daytona 500 (Round 1 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (2.5-mile oval)
Format: 200 laps, broken into three stages (65 laps/65 laps/70 laps)
Race Winner: William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 1 Winner: Chase Elliott of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Ryan Blaney of Team Penske (Ford)

SHR Finish:

● Noah Gragson (Started 38th, Finished 9th / Running, completed 200 of 200 laps)
● Chase Briscoe (Started 20th, Finished 10th / Running, completed 200 of 200 laps)
● Ryan Preece (Started 25th, Finished 23rd / Running, completed 199 of 200 laps)
● Josh Berry (Started 30th, Finished 25th / Running, completed 199 of 200 laps)

SHR Points:

● Chase Briscoe (13th with 29 points)
● Noah Gragson (15th with 28 points)
● Ryan Preece (25th with 14 points)
● Josh Berry (26th with 12 points)

SHR Notes:

● Gragson earned his second top-10 in four career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Daytona.

● This was Gragson’s third career start in the Daytona 500 and it resulted in his best Daytona 500 finish. His previous best result in The Great American Race was 24th, earned last year.

● Gragson led once for five laps – his first laps led at Daytona.

● Briscoe earned his second top-10 in seven career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Daytona.

● This was Briscoe’s fourth career start in the Daytona 500. His best Daytona 500 finish remains third, earned in 2022.

● This was Preece’s fifth career start in the Daytona 500. His best Daytona 500 finish remains sixth, earned in 2021.

● This was Berry’s first career start in the Daytona 500, but his second career NASCAR Cup Series start at Daytona. He finished 22nd in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 last August.

● Berry led one lap to score his first lap led at Daytona.

Race Notes:

● William Byron won the Daytona 500 to score his 11th career NASCAR Cup Series victory and his second at Daytona.

● There were five caution periods for a total of 20 laps.

● Twenty of the 40 drivers in the Daytona 500 finished on the lead lap.

● Byron leaves Daytona as the championship leader with a four-point advantage over second-place Alex Bowman.

Sound Bites:

“We led some laps early, but we came down there at the end to fix some damage right before the final restart. We didn’t have a whole lot of area to go, but I guess it’s better than being wrecked. Overall, we’ll take a top-10. We kind of got pinned on the bottom and didn’t have a lot of room to go and then the race ended. I feel so good being behind the wheel. This whole Stewart-Haas team did a great job, especially getting the backup car going.” – Noah Gragson, driver of the No. 10 Black Rifle Coffee/Ranger Boats Ford Mustang

“Anytime you can finish this race in one piece is nice. It was hard to get track position. It seemed like wherever you kind of fell in after two or three laps of green-flag pit stops, you just kind of ran there the whole time. That was a weird race. It seems like every time we run these superspeedways it turns into more and more of a fuel-mileage race. I thought we would be OK there at the end and we had to start 12th or 13th on the restart and it was hard to do anything. We were all kind of bottled up. Coming out of here with a 10th-place finish and missing the wrecks and not being in a huge points whole is nice. We have to play the same game next week at Atlanta and, hopefully, we can do it again, but a couple of spots better.” – Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang

“Speeding on pit road screwed us, and then ending it was not getting the Lucky Dog when we should’ve gotten the Lucky Dog. I felt like we earned our right with seven to go to get the Lucky Dog and to at least compete for a top-five or a top-10, or put ourselves in position there, but we had it taken away for no reason. Frustrated is definitely the word right now.” – Ryan Preece, driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang

“I feel like I learned a lot and raced well. There were a couple moves I wish I could have back maybe here or there but, overall, I was pretty happy we could work toward the front and maintain it. I thought the car was really good. I just hate we got turned on pit road. That got us behind. We were able to get in the Lucky Dog position but it just didn’t work out there at the end. Overall, it was a good night to learn. I just hate we didn’t get the finish we deserved.” – Josh Berry, driver of the No. 4 SUNNYD Ford Mustang

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Ambetter Health 400 on Sunday, Feb. 25 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The race begins at 3 p.m. EST with live coverage provided by FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK

No. 42 DOLLAR TREE TOYOTA CAMRY XSE

START: 10TH
FINISH: 7TH
POINTS: 6TH

How was your race? “Solid Daytona 500, solid start to our year. P7. Ran up front for a little bit, rode around for a while and stayed out of the carnage. Overall, really proud of everyone at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB with this Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE.”

How did your Toyota Camry XSE feel during the race? “It felt good in the draft. I felt like I could push, I could ride, I could be pushed. Overall, a solid day. I feel good about where we are at. Decent start to the year.”

ERIK JONES

No. 43 ADVENTHEALTH TOYOTA CAMRY XSE

START: 11TH
FINISH: 8TH
POINTS: 9TH

How was your race? “A top-10 it looks like, so a good day for the AdventHealth Camry. It went the way we needed it to. We had some issues on pit road. We had a fast car; it just didn’t work out. We were out front there and then got caught up in a wreck there, and then came back and finished top-10. Good solid start.”

How do you feel about the top-10? “It’s good. It’s a good start to the season. I’ve not had good luck at the start of the season at Daytona, so we will take a top-10. I wish it was more. I think we had a car capable of more – I just struggled to make much happen throughout the day, getting in line and getting to the front. The AdventHealth Camry was good. Just didn’t play out at all throughout the night like we needed. We finally had something rolling there in the middle and it got choked up and we got caught up in that wreck, but we will take it. We will go to Atlanta and try again.”

JIMMIE JOHNSON

No. 84 CARVANA TOYOTA CAMRY XSE

START: 23RD
FINISH: 28TH
POINTS: 28TH

“It was so good to get two top-10’s for the No. 42 and Dollar Tree and the No. 43 and AdventHealth. I hoped to race a little longer in the Carvana Toyota Camry XSE before we got in a wreck, but it’s just a matter of time before you get caught up in something here. So, it was pretty disappointing. We had some optimism in the beginning, hopeful we could straighten out the suspension and then at least run in the draft. Then, as time went on, we realized the severity of the damage and we just had too much damage to even really hang in the draft unless I had a unique situation. So then, at that point it was just wondering if there were going to be more cautions and if we would gain some positions through the cautions.”

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ is a professional auto racing club owned by businessman and entrepreneur Maurice “Maury” J. Gallagher and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. The Club competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series fielding the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE of John Hunter Nemechek, the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE of Erik Jones, and the No. 84 limited schedule entry for Johnson. LEGACY M.C. also competes in the Extreme-E Series. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty “The King” serves as Club Ambassador.

With a unique title signifying a nod to car clubs of past eras, LEGACY M.C. is an inclusive club for all motorsport enthusiasts to celebrate the past and future legacies of its members, while competing for wins and championships at NASCAR’s elite level. To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ on Facebook, X, Instagram and at www.LEGACYMOTORCLUB.com.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet Team Moving Forward After Stage 1 Incident at Daytona International Speedway

Finish: 37th
Start: 33rd
Points: 36th

“Not the most memorable Daytona 500 for the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet team. Thankful for all of the employees at RCR and ECR for building a great race car. I hate that we never really got a chance to show what we have. Only way to move is forward and to get ready for Atlanta Motor Speedway.” -Austin Dillon

Kyle Busch and the No. 8 zone Chevrolet Team Lead Laps and Avoid the “Big One” On the Way to a 12th-Place Finish In The Daytona 500

Finish: 12th
Start: 34th
Points: 8th

“We had a strong zone Camaro for sure tonight at Daytona International Speedway. All the guys on the zone Chevrolet team did a great job preparing the backup car. We ran up front and led some laps tonight and scored points in both stages. At the end of the race we tried to pick off a couple of spots and just got shucked out of line and shuffled to the back. It’s always disappointing when you don’t win, especially at Daytona.” -Kyle Busch

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/DEX Imaging team were knocked out of Monday’s rain-delayed Daytona 500 after just six laps.

Burton had his Mustang Dark Horse just outside the top 10 when a driver running to his outside got a push that caused him to suddenly turn left into the No. 21 Mustang. The contact shoved Burton off the racing surface into the grass on the inside of the track.

With matters out of his control, Burton eventually slid back up onto the banking, where he was hit by oncoming cars. Six other drivers were involved.

Burton was uninjured but the Motorcraft/DEX Imaging Mustang was too damaged to continue. He was credited with 39th place.

“I don’t remember exactly who it was on my outside,” Burton told reporters at the track after being checked at the track’s care center. “It just looked like they either got a bad push or got loose and just hit me in the right side and sent me across.

“The grass was so wet that once I got in the grass I thought I’d be OK, but the car just kept going and going, so really sad that our day is over as quick as it was.”

Burton said the wreck was especially disappointing because the No. 21 Mustang had been fast in the preliminary events at Daytona and finished a strong fifth in Thursday’s second Duel qualifying race.

“We had a really fast Motorcraft/DEX Imaging Ford Mustang,” he said. “It’s just a bummer. There’s nothing we can do but just move on and try to win next week.”

Burton said it’s not uncommon for drivers to push one another at Daytona, and to run three-lanes wide, but it requires drivers to be precise in the moves they make.

“I don’t mind top of three-wide,” he said. “We should be good enough to do that, but I guess just the pushing end and the placement of the pushing was not ideal, obviously.”

Once things go awry, there’s not much a driver can do at that point, Burton said.

“It’s a pretty helpless feeling, but I’m OK,” he said. “I felt fine. All good. I’m just over wrecking early that’s for sure.”

Burton and the Wood Brothers team will return to the track later this week for the Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

About DEX Imaging
DEX Imaging is the digital document imaging division of Staples, the world’s largest business solutions provider. DEX sells and services the broadest selection of copiers, printers and data management solutions, such as HP, Konica Minolta, Canon, Kyocera and numerous others.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES:
Reducing Operating Costs
Reducing Paper Consumption
Increasing Productivity

DEX Imaging has been the recipient of virtually every industry award since the company’s inception, including the JD Power & Associates Award for Best Customer Experience, the prestigious ProTech Service award by Konica Minolta, the Diamond Premier Dealer Award by Kyocera, and the Elite DEALER Award by ‘ENX’ magazine. Other accolades include being named ‘Best Place to Work’ by numerous business journals in the markets DEX serves.

About Motorcraft®
Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to under hood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers, independent distributors and automotive-parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty* of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.

About Quick Lane® Tire & Auto Center
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine maintenance, serving all vehicle makes and models. Quick Lane provides a full menu of automotive services, including tires, oil change and maintenance, brakes, batteries, alternator and electrical system, air conditioning system, cooling system, transmission service, suspension and steering, wheel alignment, belts and hoses, lamps and bulbs and wiper blades plus a thorough vehicle checkup report. Service is performed by expert technicians while you wait at any of nearly 800 locations in the U.S., with evening and weekend hours available and no appointment necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.”

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services. The company does that through three customer-centered business segments: Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough EVs along with embedded software that defines exceptional digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs. Additionally, Ford is pursuing mobility solutions through Ford Next, and provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 177,000 people worldwide. More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com.

About Ford Performance
Ford Performance is based in Dearborn, Mich. It is responsible for Ford’s performance vehicle development and major racing operations globally, including NASCAR, IMSA, SRO British GT, FIA World Rally Championship, Supercars Championship, World of Outlaws, Ultra4, SCORE-International, FIA Rally-Raid, Formula Drift, NHRA, Rebelle Rally, Thailand Super Series and our latest commitment in Formula 1 with RedBull Ford Powertrains. Ford Performance also maintains a constantly evolving fleet of electric performance demonstrators to showcase the limits of electrification technology. In addition, the organization also oversees the development of Ford’s racing engines, as well as the outreach programs with all Ford Clubs and Ford enthusiasts. For more information regarding Ford racing’s activities, please visit Performance.Ford.com or follow @FordPerformance on Facebook, Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube.

Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glenn’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Harrison Burton in the famous No. 21 racer.

Race Recap | Daytona 500

 AJ ALLMENDINGER

No. 16 Celsius Camaro ZL1

• AJ Allmendinger qualified 28th for the 66th running of the Daytona 500.
• When the caution came out on lap six, Allmendinger reported his No. 16 Celsius Chevy was fast and handling well. After pitting, Allmendinger felt a vibration and returned to pit road to ensure the lug nuts were tight. The team received a penalty on the restart on lap 12. Allmendinger finished the opening stage in 34th.
• The No. 16 received the lucky dog at the end of the first stage and restarted stage two in 32nd after pitting. Allmendinger rode around until the pit cycle began and came to pit road for fuel only on lap 113. The No. 16 came off pit road 10th and moved as high up as fifth before finishing the stage in ninth.
• After coming to pit road, the No. 16 restarted seventh. Three laps into the stage, Allmendinger took the lead running the bottom lane. Allmendinger led nine laps before falling back to save fuel. The No. 16 avoided the wreck on lap 193 and was scored in ninth when the red flag was displayed. Allmendinger went on to finish sixth in the Daytona 500.

“We had an up and down night but everyone at Kaulig Racing did a great job this weekend. We had great pit stops, great strategy and we had a car that could hang up there. We gave ourselves a shot at it and that’s all we can do. It’s the biggest race we have in the sport and I’m really proud of everyone’s effort this week.” – AJ Allmendinger  

DANIEL HEMRIC

No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1

• Daniel Hemric started 37th in the 66th running of the Daytona 500.
• After the first caution on lap six, Hemric restarted in fourth and ran as high as third before pitting on lap 39 for fuel only. He radioed to crew chief, Trent Owens, that the balance of his No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1 felt good, as he went on to finish the stage in 31st.
• Hemric pitted for four tires and fuel during the stage break before starting the second stage in 31st. Within the first three laps, Hemric made it back into the top 10. He made it as high as third before pitting on lap 113 for fuel only and went on to finish the second stage in 15th.
• Hemric pitted for four tires and fuel during the second stage break and started the final stage from 17th place on lap 136. By lap 143, Hemric found teammate, AJ Allmendinger, where the pair ran 1-2 for a number of laps. The two bailed out to conserve fuel shortly after, and Hemric made his final fuel-only pit stop on lap 178. Heavy nose damage from a late-race wreck on lap 193 forced Hemric to pit for repairs before finishing 16th under caution.

“I’m proud of the fight this No. 31 Cirkul team showed from the start of the weekend getting our backup car ready to race. We wanted to get to the front early in the race if possible, which was a little bit of a different approach than what I’ve typically had at these kind of tracks. Trent [Owens] made some great calls, and we were able to do just that and stay up there to show everyone we can push successfully and accept pushes successfully while battling up front. That goes a long way when you get down to the end of these races. I thought it was going to workout there at the end, but unfortunately we got some nose damage we couldn’t avoid with about 10 to go. Not quite the finish we wanted, but I’m looking forward to what’s to come with this team.” – Daniel Hemric  
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Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started and has won back-to-back regular-season championships. Before becoming a full-time NCS team, Kaulig Racing made multiple starts in the 2021 NCS season and won in its seventh-ever start with AJ Allmendinger’s victory at “The Brickyard” for the Verizon 200 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The team expanded to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and added a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. In 2024, the team will once again field two, full-time entries in the NCS and continue to field three, full-time NXS entries. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

NASCAR CUP SERIES
DAYTONA 500
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE REPORT
FEBRUARY 19, 2024

William Byron, Chevrolet Takes 2024 Daytona 500 Victory
Chevrolet’s 26th Win in the ‘Great American Race’

· William Byron, No. 24 Axalta Camaro ZL1, captured the victory in the 66th running of the Daytona 500 – his first career victory in the NASCAR Cup Series’ crown jewel event.

· The victory marked Chevrolet’s second consecutive – and 26th all-time – triumph in the ‘Great American Race’.

· Byron is the 19th different driver to take Chevrolet to victory lane in the Daytona 500.

· The victory is Chevrolet’s 51st NASCAR Cup Series win at Daytona International Speedway, and the manufacturer’s 852nd all-time win in NASCAR’s top division – both of which are series-leading feats.

· Byron delivered Chevrolet its 101st win in the NASCAR national ranks at Daytona International Speedway, extending the Bowtie brand’s record as the winningest manufacturer in NASCAR history at the ‘World Center of Racing’.

 
TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-10 RESULTS:
POS. DRIVER
1st William Byron, No. 24 Axalta Camaro ZL1
2nd Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1
4th Corey LaJoie, No. 7 Chili’s Catch-a-Rita Camaro ZL1
6th AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Celsius Camaro ZL1

 
TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE QUOTES:

William Byron, No. 24 Axalta Camaro ZL1

Finished: 1st

HOW DOES DAYTONA 500 CHAMPION SOUND TO YOU?

“It sounds really damn good! Just thanks to an awesome crowd coming out. I have so many emotions. Obviously, I hate what happened on the backstretch. I just got pushed and got sideways.

I am just so proud of this team – this whole No. 24 Axalta Chevy team, winning on the 40th anniversary to the day (of Hendrick Motorsports’ first race). Just extremely blessed and thankful for all the opportunities and we just want to keep it going. We have a lot to prove this year and this is a good start, obviously. Daytona 500, its freaking awesome. Let’s go.”

YOU HAD NOT EVEN HAD A TOP-TEN IN THIS RACE BEFORE. WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE TONIGHT TO GETTING IN POSITION TO WIN?

“I don’t know, just really good strategy. We obviously laid back and tried to save fuel for most of the race. We would get up there at the end of the stages and make some moves. Just thankful for the power under the hood, all of our partners, Chevrolet, and everybody that allows us to do this. I’m just a kid from racing on computers and now winning the Daytona 500. I can’t believe it. I wish my dad was here, he is sick, but this is for him, man. We have been through so much and we sat up in the grandstands together and watched this race. This is so freaking cool.”

Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1

Finished: 2nd

“Proud of William (Byron) and his team – they deserved it there at the end. They did all the right things, and I feel like we did too there at the end. Had to go up and block the top lane and that just killed the middle for a bit. We got the middle back rolling and then they all started crashing.

Just proud of everybody on this No. 48 Ally Chevy team. Super pumped for everybody at Hendrick Motorsports – it’s 40 years to the day since the first HMS race, so really cool to see William in victory lane, and obviously a good day for our Ally Camaro, as well.”

Corey LaJoie, No. 7 Chili’s Catch-a-Rita Camaro ZL1

Finished: 4th

“Really stoked to start the year with a top five in our Chili’s Catch a Rita Chevy Camaro. Super happy with our team’s execution to start the season. Our Spire Motorsports team brought a great race car with good speed & executed throughout the course of the day. We gained some track position, led some laps and after getting shuffled back continued to fight & claw our way to the front. The 500 begins a marathon season, so it’s great to start off on the right foot. We have 35 more to execute one run at a time & one race at a time to keep this 7 car up front where should be.”

Kyle Larson, No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Camaro ZL1

Finished: 11th

TELL US HOW YOUR RACE WENT.

“Yeah, obviously the first stage went well and then the next two stages just got caught in the wrong lanes at pivotal points and lost track position. So, yeah, kind of cost us a good shot to win there at the end, but was able to miss that big wreck mostly. Got a left, front flat from sliding them and had to pit, but thankfully we missed the last one and awesome to have a Hendrick Chevrolet win that race and cool to see William win.”

Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1

Finished: 14th

“I made a mistake and I saw Kyle was coming really hard on the top and I tried to pick that lane up and he gave me a big shove down the short shoot, and I thought I could sneak back to the middle but the 20 was wanting to be there too. Just made a mistake there on the last lap and not sure I would have got to the front row, but certainly would have been a better finish for us. I hate that because we had a solid day otherwise. Happy for William to kick off the 40th year of Hendrick Motorsports with the win.”

Daniel Hemric, No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1

Finished: 16th

“I’m proud of the fight this No. 31 Cirkul team showed from the start of the weekend getting our backup car ready to race. We wanted to get to the front early in the race if possible, which was a little bit of a different approach than what I’ve typically had at these kind of tracks. Trent [Owens] made some great calls, and we were able to do just that and stay up there to show everyone we can push successfully and accept pushes successfully while battling up front. That goes a long way when you get down to the end of these races. I thought it was going to workout there at the end, but unfortunately we got some nose damage we couldn’t avoid with about 10 to go. Not quite the finish we wanted, but I’m looking forward to what’s to come with this team.”

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Busch Light Camaro ZL1

Finished: 21st

ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH HOW YOU RACED THERE?

“I am. To learn the fuel saving game and really get aggressive and match these guys, so that we can pit when we need to…..I have burned up too much fuel in the past couple of races and to put ourselves in position on the final pit stop to come out with the lead, cover the other OEM when they caught up to us, and just work with some legends of the sport, and have control over the race there at the end. I know the top is the logical thing and it makes sense when the third lane is split up. It just pulls us back and we still had a shot though. I really do feel content. It’s weird to say it, but we did everything right.”

CAN YOU BE TOO AGGRESSIVE ON THE FINAL LAP?

“When you crash, I think so. Happy for William and Chevy and General Motors to win. It was really awesome for us to control some of the cycles, the green flag pit cycles, and kicked their butts. So that was really cool and then to have a bunch of Chevys left there at the end there made me feel good. It was cool Alex (Bowman) pushed me there at the end and I felt like there was minimal chance that a Chevy wasn’t going to win and one of them got it done. But yeah, too aggressive is when I don’t finish.”

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Boost by Kroger Cottonelle Camaro ZL1

Finished: 31st

“I didn’t see what happened there. I know I got us in that position, made a bad move once I got to the lead. The outside lane had a run coming and I thought I could get there, and I didn’t, and I got hung there in the middle so that kind of got us back there kind of in the middle of that pack there and I didn’t see what happened there obviously. Someone got turned around and caused a melee. I thought I was going to get through, I got clipped just there at the end and broke a right rear. So, unfortunate for our Boost by Kroger/Cottonelle Camaro because it was really, really fast and I felt very strong about it in the draft and what I was doing out there, but just didn’t make it to the end.”

Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Freeway Insurance Camaro ZL1

Finished: 34th

It’s very heartbreaking right now because the car was very strong, and the team did an amazing job calling the race strategy-wise. We got points in both stages, and this was my strongest Daytona 500. The car was capable of winning the race, we just needed things to fall our way, and unfortunately, they didn’t. I haven’t seen the replay, but I was told that we almost missed the wreck. Just part of it.”

CARSON HOCEVAR, NO. 77 GAINBRIDGE / ZEIGLER AUTO GROUP CAMARO ZL1

Finished: 40th

HOCEVAR ON THE ACCIDENT THAT ENDED HIS RACE IN STAGE ONE:

“I didn’t really see anything. I was just going where I could go. Just a bummer.. bummer for my No. 77 Gainbridge / Zeigler Auto Group Chevy team. There’s a lot of people here from Gainbridge and Zeigler here, and I wanted to be able to put on a good showing. Just really disappointing to have our race end early.”

HOW MUCH TIME DID YOU HAVE TO REACT?

“0.1 seconds, basically. It happened right in my lap. I tried my best not to slide across the grass, but obviously with two-plus days of rain, it’s going to be really slick. I just kept sliding. It felt like I was all alone sliding across the grass and just hoping that nobody hit me. It’s just unfortunate that was the case.”

About Chevrolet

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