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Young’s Motorsports Daytona International Speedway Truck Series Team Preview

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Official Release
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Young’s Motorsports | NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway | NextEra Energy Resources 250

Fast Facts

No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Team:
Driver: Jesse Little
Primary Partner(s): Shriners Children’s
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado RST
Crew Chief: Eddie Troconis
2021 Driver Points Position: N | A | 2021 Owner Points Position: 21st
Chassis Intel: YMS Chassis No. 03
Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

Notes of Interest:

The Lowdown: In December, Young’s Motorsports announced that veteran driver Jesse Little will drive the team’s flagship No. 02 Chevrolet Silverado for 12 races in 2022 – splitting the seat with driver Kaz Grala.

Following Daytona, Little is scheduled to drive the No. 02 in the third Truck Series race of the season at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway on Sat., Mar. 19, 2022.

Welcome Aboard: Longtime Jesse Little partner Shriners Children’s will serve as the primary marketing partner of the No. 02 Chevrolet Silverado at Daytona.

Shriners Children’s has a mission to:

Provide the highest quality care to children with neuromusculoskeletal conditions, burn injuries, and other special healthcare needs within a compassionate, family-centered, and collaborative care environment.

Provide for the education of physicians and other healthcare professionals.

Conduct research to discover new knowledge that improves the quality of care and quality of life of children and families

Jesse Little Truck Series Daytona International Speedway Stats: Jesse Little will make his second Truck Series start at Daytona in Friday’s NextEra Energy Resources 250. He earned a track-best 24th at the 2.5-mile superspeedway in 2020 after starting 26th for Diversified Motorsports Enterprises.

Driver Intel: Little, the son of former NASCAR driver Chad Little returns to the Truck Series scene after spending the last two seasons competing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for JD Motorsports and BJ McLeod Motorsports, respectively.

Daytona will mark Little’s 35th career start in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and second at the “World Center of Racing” after competing for Diversified Motorsports Enterprises (DME) in February 2020.

From 2015 to 2020, Little, 24, has achieved seven top-10 finishes in the Truck Series, including a career-best sixth-place finish driving for his family-owned JJL Motorsports team at Iowa Speedway in 2018.

Calling the Shots: Guiding Little as crew chief of the No. 02 Shriners Hospitals for Children Chevrolet Silverado is crew chief Eddie Troconis.

Troconis is a two-time winning crew chief in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and comes to Young’s Motorsports after tenures at ThorSport Racing, AM Racing and Sam Hunt Racing (Xfinity Series) respectively.

He will crew chief his 143rd NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Friday night. In his previous 142 races, he has two wins, 23 top-five and 46 top-10 finishes to his resume.

Touted as a gifted engineer, Troconis will make his ninth crew chief start at Daytona this weekend.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Jesse Little, please like him on Facebook (Jesse Little Racing) and follow on Instagram (@JesseLittle97) and Twitter (@JesseLittle97).

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports) and follow on Instagram (@youngsmotorsports) and Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

Jesse Little Pre-Race Quote:

On Daytona: “This is the most excited I’ve ever been to be at Daytona. Not only getting to drive for Tyler (Young) and his family. The No. 02 Young’s Motorsports team has put together a top-notch truck for this weekend’s season-opener.

“They going to give myself and Shriners Children’s the best opportunity possible to run up front and showcase our potential. Anything can happen here at Daytona, and with a clean truck and a little luck we could be celebrating come Friday night.”
No. 12 Young’s Motorsports Team:

Driver: Spencer Boyd
Primary Partner(s): RimTyme
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado RST
Crew Chief: Ryan “Pickle” London
2021 Driver Points Position: 24th
2021 Owner Points Position: 27th
Chassis Intel: YMS Chassis No. 12
Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

Notes of Interest:

Back To Familiar Territory: Fan favorite Spencer Boyd returns to Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway aboard a new number and eyeing his second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win of his career.

No. 120: This weekend at Daytona, Boyd will make his 120th career NASCAR start. Boyd has three starts in the NASCAR Cup Series, 50 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and will make his 67th start in Trucks when the green flag waves Friday night.

The highlight of his NASCAR career is a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in October 2019 driving for Young’s Motorsports.

Anchor Partner: Last month, Spencer Boyd announced that RimTyme will serve as an anchor partner on his No. 12 Chevrolet Silverado for the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season.

RimTyme will serve as the primary marketing for seven races this season while serving as an associate marketing partner for the remaining 16 races.

RimTyme Custom Wheels and Tires carries more custom rims than the traditional wheel shop. They have a large selection of name-brand custom wheels available in the latest styles, finishes, colors, and sizes.

In addition to a variety of wheel brands, RimTyme carries popular tire brands for everyday driving needs at affordable prices to fit any budget.

Spencer Boyd Truck Series Daytona International Speedway Stats: Spencer Boyd will make his fourth start at Daytona in Friday’s NextEra Energy Resources 250. He earned a track-best fourth at the 2.5-mile superspeedway in 2019 and has three top-20 finishes.

His best start came in 2019 when he qualified 14th.

He carries an average starting position of 22.3 and an average finishing position of 12.0.

Spencer Boyd Truck Series Speedway Stats: At NASCAR Camping World Truck Series tracks classified as a speedway in lengths of 2.0-mile(s) or larger, Boyd has made 12 starts throughout his career with one win, two top-five and three top-10 finishes, while also carrying an average finishing position of 17.6.

Truck Series Rundown: In five years of Truck Series competition, Boyd has 66 career Truck Series starts with one win, two top-five and three top-10 finishes and a championship best of 17th in 2019 and carries an average finish of 22.6.

Calling the Shots: Guiding Boyd as crew chief of the No. 12 RimTyme Chevrolet Silverado is veteran crew chief Ryan “Pickle” London.

He will crew chief his 47th NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Friday night. In his previous 46 races, he has one win, two top-five and four top-10 finishes to his resume.

This weekend marks his second race as crew chief at Daytona.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Spencer Boyd, please like him on Facebook (Spencer Boyd Racing) and follow him on Instagram (SpencerBoydpr) and Twitter (@SpencerBoyd).

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports) and follow on Instagram (youngsmotorsports) and Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

Spencer Boyd Pre-Race Quotes:

On Daytona: “Daytona is the place! I am pumped to kick off 2022 with the No. 12 team and RimTyme custom wheels and tires. Superspeedway racing is my favorite style of racing and I hope I’m able to deliver a strong finish for everyone at Young’s Motorsports to start the year on the right foot.”

No. 20 Young’s Motorsports Team:
Driver: Danny Bohn
Primary Partner(s): North American Motor Car
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado RST
Crew Chief: Joe Lax
2021 Driver Points Position: 22nd
2021 Owner Points Position: 32nd
Chassis Intel: YMS Chassis No. 24

Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies
Notes of Interest:

Welcome To The Team: Last month Young’s Motorsports announced that Danny Bohn will join the team to pilot the No. 20 Chevrolet Silverado in Friday night’s 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season-opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

Sponsor Intel: Bohn will pilot the No. 20 Chevrolet Silverado with support from North American Motor Car.

North American Motor Car offers concierge services including custom restoration, maintenance, upholstery repair, professional detailing, aftermarket accessory installation, storage and automotive shipping and receiving for exotic and classic cars.

Danny Bohn Career At A Glance: Bohn rose into prominence in 2012 when he earned NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour Championship runner-up, Rookie of the Year and Most Popular Driver honors. Bohn followed that up with the 2014 modified track championship at the famed Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C.

But a Bohn winning races is nothing new. Both Bohn’s grandfather, Parker Bohn, and father, Eddie Bohn, are legendary drivers and mechanics from New Jersey.

The Freehold, N.J. native has 33 Truck Series starts to his resume, including four top-10 finishes, most recently at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway last October where he finished eighth after starting 23rd.

Danny Bohn Truck Series Daytona International Speedway Stats: Danny Bohn will make his second start at Daytona in Friday’s NextEra Energy Resources 250. He earned a track-best 17th at the 2.5-mile superspeedway in February 2021 after starting 32nd.

Danny Bohn Truck Series Speedway Stats: At NASCAR Camping World Truck Series tracks classified as a speedway in lengths of 2.0-mile(s) or larger, Boyd has made four starts throughout his career with one top-10 finish, while also carrying an average finishing position of 24.3.

Calling the Shots: Guiding Bohn as crew chief of the No. 20 North American Motor Car Chevrolet Silverado is veteran crew chief Joe Lax.

He will crew chief his 77th NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Friday night. In his previous 76 races, he has one pole and seven top-10 finishes to his resume.

This weekend marks his fourth race as crew chief at Daytona.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Danny Bohn, please visit DannyBohn.com, like him on Facebook (Danny Bohn Racing) and follow on Instagram (@dannybohn) and Twitter (@dbohn659).

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports) and follow on Instagram (youngsmotorsports) and Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

Danny Bohn Pre-Race Quotes:

On Daytona: “I am very excited about joining Young’s Motorsports for Daytona. Time and time again Young’s Motorsports have shown that they build very fast Chevrolet Silverados for the superspeedway races and I am excited to be able to drive one of them next month at Daytona.

“Young’s Motorsports is the most recent superspeedway winner in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and I definitely want to do my part to help keep that statistic alive working alongside my teammates Spencer (Boyd) and Jesse (Little).”
Race Information:

The NextEra Energy Resources 250 (100 laps | 250 miles) is the first of 23 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races on the 2022 schedule. Qualifying is set for race day, Fri., Feb. 18 beginning at 3:00 p.m. The field will take the green flag shortly after 7:30 p.m. with live coverage on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90.

Fans Coming Back Home to IMS To Celebrate 100 Days from Indy 500

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Official Release
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2021-Indianapolis-500-Pace-Car

INDYCAR Team Co-Owner Letterman Voices Official Indy 500 Campaign Video

INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, Feb. 18, 2022) – The countdown to Race Day for the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge reaches a significant milestone tonight as the 100 Days Party returns to Indianapolis Motor Speedway after a one-year hiatus.

Fans will celebrate the milestone of 100 days until the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge during the event, scheduled for 7-10 p.m. (ET) Friday, exactly 100 days from Sunday, May 29, Race Day for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

The celebration, which has reached full capacity with no admission at the door, will feature NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver appearances, photo opportunities and a showcase of the extended version of the campaign advertisement. Fans also will see an Indy 500 ad spot airing live that evening on NBC’s primetime telecast of the Winter Olympics in Beijing.

WATCH: “Back Home Again” teaser video

Created by IMS Productions, the 60-second spot, which is scheduled to be shown on NBC affiliates in Indiana, promotes the “Back Home Again” campaign for this year’s race as fans return in full capacity for the world’s largest single-day spectator sporting event for the first time since 2019.

The ad features iconic scenes from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the greater Indianapolis community; a voiceover by David Letterman, co-owner of two-time Indianapolis 500 winners Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing; a cameo by four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves; and the first-known recording of “Back Home Again” by James Melton in 1947 with notable performances of the beloved song during Indy 500 pre-race ceremonies by Jim Nabors and Jim Cornelison.

The 60-second ad and an extended version, showcased at the 100 Days Out Fan Party, will be posted on IMS social channels, the IMS YouTube challenge and IMS.com shortly after it airs on Friday evening, so fans can watch and share on their own social platforms.

Tickets are on sale now at IMS.com for the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, GMR Grand Prix and all Month of May activities.

Brad Keselowski, Chris Buescher Complete RFK Racing Sweep of Bluegreen Vacation Duels At DAYTONA; Great American Race set for This Sunday

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Official Release
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 17, 2022) – Roush Fenway Keselowski teammates Brad Keselowski (+1400 on DraftKings) and Chris Buescher (+2500 on DraftKings) swept Thursday nights Bluegreen Vacation Duels, but a last-lap collision in the second race wiped out then-frontrunner Joey Logano and spoiled a perfect night for the Ford Performance entries.

Running second to Logano, Buescher made a move to the inside on the backstretch on Lap 60. Logano moved down to block, and contact between the cars sent Logano’s No. 22 Team Penske Ford into the outside wall, crippling the car.

The accident caused the only caution of the night, with Buescher in the lead when the fields was frozen at the moment of the yellow flag. Defending DAYTONA 500 winner Michael McDowell was second and Harrison Burton was credited with third after nosing into Logano’s Ford.

In contrast, the first Duel—the first points-paying event with the NASCAR Cup Series’ new Next Gen race car—ran without incident, and Keselowski led a 1-2-3-4 Ford sweep with a pass of Ryan Blaney with four laps left. Austin Cindric was second, followed by Blaney and Chase Briscoe.

In that race, Kaz Grala rallied from a pit road speeding penalty and advanced to the DAYTONA 500 with a pass of JJ Yeley on the final lap. In the second Duel, Greg Biffle claimed the final spot in Sunday’s race with a 13th-place finish, eliminating Timmy Hill, who ran 20th.

Biffle, 52, was competing in his first Cup event since 2016.

But the excitement was reserved for the final lap of the final race, with Logano acknowledging the mistake that broke up another 1-2-3-4 Ford finish.

The beneficiary was Buescher, who finished off the first sweep of the Duels by one organization since Hendrick Motorsports accomplished the feat in 2015 with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson.

“Yeah, what a way to start Speedweeks out here, to put both RFK Ford Mustangs in Victory Lane, give Fastenal their first win on a Cup car,” Buescher said. “It’s not the big show, but we’ve got a really good hotrod here.

“Just hats off to everybody back at the shop. I know it’s been a hectic off season for everybody in our sport, but we’ve had a lot of changes going on, and it’s cool to see it play out.”

A rueful Logano gave a succinct post-mortem of the wreck that will force him to a backup car for the Daytona 500.

“Driver screwed up,” Logano said. “That’s really all there is to it. “I thought I was still clear, and the run (from Buescher) came a lot quicker than I thought it would.

“I tried to block it a little bit and just got a tag in the left rear, and off it went. It’s my fault. It stinks, because it tore up our car and kind of puts us in a spot as a race team. It’s just a dumb mistake.

In the first Duel, new team co-owner Keselowski passed his former teammate Blaney to notch his first victory as a principle at Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing. NASCAR Hall of Fame owner Jack Roush joined Keselowski in Victory Lane after the race with smiles all around at the newly-reorganized Ford team’s first points-paying outing.

Cindric, Blaney and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Briscoe crossed the line three-wide .264-seconds behind Keselowski, giving Ford the four-car sweep.

“It sure is (a great start),” said Keselowski, who will now start third in the DAYTONA 500. “I felt pretty good about our car in practice on Tuesday.

“I’ve got to give credit to the other Fords. We worked really well together, Ryan Blaney, Chase Briscoe. We had great strategy… Austin Cindric… and we stuck together and drove away and got ourselves in position where we could control the finish of this race, and I’m happy to see all those Fords up front.

“Good job to all those guys’’ said Keselowski, whose No. 6 Ford carried a sticker honoring his father Bob, a former NASCAR competitor who passed away Dec. 2, 2021.

“This is special,” Keselowski said.

DAYTONA 500 polesitter and reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson led a race best 34 of the 60 laps in Duel #1 but lost the lead when he and his Chevrolet teammates took four tires on the race’s only pit stop. The Ford teams took only two tires.

The first Duel set the inside line of the 40-car Daytona 500—with cars lining up on the inside of the grid behind pole winner Larson according to their finish in the qualifying race. Hendrick Motorsports’ driver Chase Elliott, Erik Jones, Larson, Tyler Reddick, Kurt Busch and Ross Chastain rounded out the top 10 from the opening Duel.

The second Duel determined the order of the outside row, with drivers lining up according to finishing order behind Alex Bowman, who secured the second starting spot in Wednesday night’s qualifying session. Kyle Busch finished fourth behind the three Fords, with Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Christopher Bell and Martin Truex Jr. behind him.

Bubba Wallace ran seventh and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. eighth. Logano was credited with a lead-lap finish in ninth but will start from the rear on Sunday in his backup car.

Grala earned the transfer position from Duel 1 with a stunning last-lap pass of J.J. Yeley to put the No. 50 TMT Racing Chevrolet in the big show—much to the delight of Grala and his new The Money Team Racing team owner, boxer Floyd Mayweather.

“It’s a relief I can tell you that,” Grala said. “I thought we weren’t going to make it for a bit.

“But got the hiccups out the way, and hopefully will have a smooth Sunday,” he added, thanking Kurt Busch for allowing him to re-join the field’s established racing line after receiving a pit road speeding penalty with 24 laps to go.

After the penalty, Grala ran behind Yeley but said he never gave up hope and never got off the gas. He was able to make the pass coming out of Turn 2 on the final lap.

“Right down to that last lap, there was no relief,” Grala said. “The key was our line staying formed up and being able to roll by him and him not having a chance to hop down in front of anybody.

“Definitely took years off my life.”

Biffle had a much easier time than Grala, given that Hill fell off the lead lap early.

“It feels really good,” said Biffle, who returned to the Cup Series to drive for the NY Racing Team headed by John Cohen. “I’ll tell you, I have not slept much in the last couple days just trying to keep a cool composure.

“I’ve been nervous about this race because there’s so many things that can happen and so many ways it can go.”

Notes: Already locked into the Daytona 500 on speed, the Open car of Jacques Villeneuve had an issue with its throttle cable and was late to the pace laps for the second Duel. Villeneuve quickly lost the draft and fell behind, then retired from the race in 21st place on Lap 39.

While the DAYTONA 500 is sold out, there are still plenty of exciting ways to experience the pageantry of Speedweeks Presented By AdventHeath with an excited lineup of super-competitive races. For ticket information, log onto www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP.

Friday, Feb. 18: NextEra Energy 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race (7:30 p.m. ET); ARCA Menards (1:30 p.m. ET) and Camping World Truck Series qualifying (3:00 p.m. ET); NASCAR Cup Series practice (6:00 p.m. ET).
Saturday, Feb. 19: Lucas Oil 200 Driven By General Tire ARCA Menards race (1:30 p.m. ET) and Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series event (5:00 p.m. ET); NASCAR Cup Series final practice (10:30 a.m. ET); NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying (11:35 a.m. ET).
Sunday, Feb. 20: DAYTONA 500, The Great American Race (2:30 p.m. ET).
** Schedule subject to change

Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, as well as the all-new NASCAR Tracks App, for the latest speedway news.

NASCAR Cup Series Race – Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1

            1. (9)  Brad Keselowski, Ford, 60.

            2. (11)  Austin Cindric #, Ford, 60.

            3. (7)  Ryan Blaney, Ford, 60.

            4. (10)  Chase Briscoe, Ford, 60.

            5. (3)  Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 60.

            6. (12)  Erik Jones, Chevrolet, 60.

            7. (1)  Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 60.

            8. (8)  Tyler Reddick, Chevrolet, 60.

            9. (13)  Kurt Busch, Toyota, 60.

            10. (4)  Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 60.

            11. (5)  Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 60.

            12. (2)  William Byron Jr., Chevrolet, 60.

            13. (14)  Justin Haley, Chevrolet, 60.

            14. (18)  Landon Cassill(i), Chevrolet, 60.

            15. (16)  Todd Gilliland #, Ford, 60.

            16. (15)  Cole Custer, Ford, 59.

            17. (6)  Daniel Hemric(i), Chevrolet, 59.

            18. (19)  Kaz Grala(i), Chevrolet, 58.

            19. (21)  JJ Yeley(i), Ford, 58.

            20. (20)  BJ McLeod, Ford, 58.

            21. (17)  Noah Gragson(i), Chevrolet, 57.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 185.185 mph.

Time of Race: 0 Hrs, 48 Mins, 36 Secs. Margin of Victory: .264 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 0 for laps.

Lead Changes: 2 among 3 drivers.

Lap Leaders: K. Larson 1-34;R. Blaney 35-56;B. Keselowski 57-60.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Kyle Larson 1 time for 34 laps; Ryan Blaney 1 time for 22 laps; Brad Keselowski 1 time for 4 laps.

NASCAR Cup Series Race – Bluegreen Vacations Duel 2

            1. (14)  Chris Buescher, Ford, 60.

            2. (11)  Michael McDowell, Ford, 60.

            3. (5)  Harrison Burton #, Ford, 60.

            4. (9)  Kyle Busch, Toyota, 60.

            5. (7)  Christopher Bell, Toyota, 60.

            6. (3)  Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 60.

            7. (8)  Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 60.

            8. (16)  Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 60.

            9. (6)  Joey Logano, Ford, Accident, 59.

            10. (13)  Kevin Harvick, Ford, 59.

            11. (15)  Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 59.

            12. (12)  Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 59.

            13. (19)  Greg Biffle(i), Chevrolet, 59.

            14. (1)  Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 59.

            15. (4)  Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 59.

            16. (17)  Cody Ware, Ford, 59.

            17. (20)  David Ragan, Ford, 58.

            18. (10)  Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 58.

            19. (2)  Aric Almirola, Ford, 58.

            20. (21)  Timmy Hill(i), Ford, 56.

            21. (18)  Jacques Villeneuve, Ford, Electrical, 34.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 185.98 mph.

Time of Race: 0 Hrs, 48 Mins, 24 Secs. Margin of Victory: Under Caution Seconds.

Caution Flags: 1 for 1 laps.

Lead Changes: 11 among 5 drivers.

Lap Leaders: A. Bowman 1;J. Logano 2;A. Bowman 3-7;J. Logano 8-9;A. Bowman 10;J. Logano 11-14;A. Dillon 15-16;C. Buescher 17;R. Stenhouse Jr. 18;C. Buescher 19-33;J. Logano 34-59;C. Buescher 60.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Joey Logano 4 times for 33 laps; Chris Buescher 3 times for 17 laps; Alex Bowman 3 times for 7 laps; Austin Dillon 1 time for 2 laps; Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 1 time for 1 lap.

About Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a state-of-the-art motorsports facility and was awarded the SportsBusiness Journal’s prestigious Sports Business Award for Sports Facility of the Year in 2016. Daytona International Speedway is the home of The Great American Race – the DAYTONA 500. Though the season-opening NASCAR Cup Series event garners most of the attention – as well as the largest audience in motorsports – the approximately 500-acre motorsports complex, also known as the World Center of Racing, boasts the most diverse schedule of racing on the globe. In addition to at least nine major event weekends, the Speedway grounds are also used extensively for events that include concerts, civic and social gatherings, car shows, photo shoots, production vehicle testing and police motorcycle training. The iconic venue will be the site of a host of motorsports events early in 2022, beginning with AHRMA Classic Motofest and the Rolex 24 At DAYTONA in January, and the 64th DAYTONA 500, which will debut the first points race for NASCAR’s ‘Next Gen’ car as part of Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth in February. The tradition-rich 81st Annual Bike Week At DAYTONA returns in March, featuring DAYTONA Supercross and the DAYTONA 200, and in May with the Heroes Honor Festival. Later in the summer during Independence Day weekend, the track, in association with Torneos, will host Soccer Fest before the NASCAR Cup Series returns for the final race of the regular season with the Coke Zero Sugar 400 on Aug. 27.

How to Encourage Your Kids to Take an Interest in Motorsports

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SM
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All children are obsessed with some activity at a young age. While some are into superheroes, dinosaurs, trains, or football, these infatuations often take up most of their playtime and conversations. If your child is among the few who love motorsports, you should find ways of encouraging their love of cars.

Like soccer, basketball, and baseball, motorsports provides an opportunity for kids to have fun, build character, and compete while mastering different skills. Unfortunately, motorsports is a rarely discussed sport. Below are ways of encouraging your kids to develop an interest in this sport.

  1. Talk about motorsports

A big parenting hack is to talk about anything you want your kids to develop an interest in. However, the psychology behind discussing your passion with kids remains interesting. Young kids generally admire their parents and want to follow in their footsteps, which includes liking what their parents do.

That said, if you start talking about motorsports with your kids from an early age, they might start developing an interest in the game. However, don’t push the idea of motorsport too much. It should be a mere but random conversation. Regardless of their age, discussing motorsports with your kids and showing them that you value their opinions is a psychological way of increasing their interest in the sport.

  1. Watch the professionals

Watching Formula One and NASCAR races intentionally is another effective way of encouraging your kids to develop an interest in motorsports. Most top motorsports fans currently owe their interests in these sports to their parents. Kids are very visual and can easily learn various cars, tracks, and races by watching them on TV.

The excitement from watching these races can spark your kids’ interests. Fortunately, there are endless avenues to watch these sports today. You can subscribe to special channels that show all the motorsports.

  1. Attend motorsport races live

In most cases, experiencing things live is way better than watching TV. Therefore, if possible, consider taking your kids to a live motorsports race. Seeing the drivers and race cars live will get your kids excited and build a participatory attitude on them. Fortunately, like TV channels, most big and small cities have racetracks where kids can get live exposure. Most of these tracks also charge affordable entrance fees, which won’t break your bank.

  1. Buy them motorsport-themed toys

Kids undoubtedly love toys. Fortunately, there are several options to consider when buying your kids their favorite toys. Significant developments have made modern car and motorsport toys more engaging. You can choose from new motorcycles and cars to find models that your kid is into. With advanced technologies, you can even find remote-controlled motorized toys, which are more engaging and interactive.

To ignite your children’s interest in motorsports, consider introducing them to a kids car, blending fun with the thrill of racing, thus planting the seeds of enthusiasm early on.

  1. Take your children to go-karts

Go-karting has always been a gateway for anyone with an interest in motorsports. Actually, most F1 drivers started their careers on go-kart tracks. That said, go-kart parks are the best for introducing your children to motorsports despite their young age. They are generally fun, and your kids can spend several hours racing on the tracks.

  1. Enroll them into a league

If all indications show that your kid is interested in motorsports, don’t hesitate to enroll them in a league or club. Circuit racing clubs, go-karting clubs, and dirt-biking clubs are a few motorsport-oriented options that can suit your kids’ interests. Doing this exposes your kids to different motor sporting activities and builds their social cycle.

The Bottom Line

Unlike other sports, you shouldn’t necessarily be a motorhead to introduce your kids to motorsport. Using the tips mentioned above can help your kids develop an interest in this sport. Additionally, you should consider a coding class to learn more about the technology behind their favorite rides.

5 Online Car Spare Parts You Can Get to Upgrade Your Vehicle

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SM
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Photo by C Joyful on Unsplash

Back in the day, if you needed to upgrade your car, you had to go out and search for the correct part yourself. You might have gone to a few different stores before finding what you were looking for, or maybe even ordered the part online and waited weeks for it to arrive. 

But these days, there are several online car spare parts stores that can help you get the upgrades you need without leaving your house. This blog will discuss the five top car spare parts you can buy from such online marketplaces. 

1) Tires

It is an essential part of the car and needs to be upgraded regularly, and you can buy new tires online at an excellent price and offers. It is a primary aspect of your vehicle’s safety, aesthetics, and performance.

When upgrading your tires, make sure that the new ones fit well with the existing wheels on your car. You don’t want to spend on expensive new tires and not use them because of the wrong size. 

2) Suspension

The suspension is the next important part of your car that you should upgrade. A sound suspension system can improve handling, comfort, and safety. You can buy a new or upgraded suspension system online easily and for a reasonable price.

Upgrading the car’s suspension is a great way to improve its handling and performance. If you’re looking for a more comfortable and safe ride, upgrading your car’s suspension is a great way to go.

3) Brakes

Brakes are another essential aspect of your car that needs to upgrade regularly. Your brakes will wear out over time, so it is always advisable to replace them as soon as possible. You can easily buy new or upgraded brake pads online at a reasonable price and have them installed in no time.

4) Engine

The engine is the most basic yet essential part of the car and should upgrade regularly. A new or upgraded engine can give your vehicle a whole new lease on life. You can easily buy an engine online at a reasonable price and have it installed in no time.

Just make sure that the new one will fit nicely into your car’s engine bay! If it doesn’t, you will have to spend more money on an upgrade that may not be worth the cost. Upgrading your car’s engine is a great way to improve its performance and fuel economy. It can also give your vehicle new life after years of hard work.

This combination of modern-era car technology and production ensures that you will get the highest quality satisfaction of El Camino parts when you use that in your car engine

5) Exterior

The car’s exterior is also essential and should be upgraded for aesthetic purposes. A new or upgraded body kit can completely change the look of your vehicle and make it stand out from the crowd. You can buy a body kit online at a discounted price and have it installed in no time.

Upgrading the exterior of your vehicle is a great way to change its look and make it stand out from the crowd.

Therefore, these are some of the best car spare parts that you can use to upgrade your vehicle. These parts will be helpful for a long time and make it more efficient. You should always do thorough research before you buy online car spare parts so that there won’t be any problems later on.

Sports Betting in Florida

By
SM
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With the new legislation put in place, things have now changed in Florida. The new law has made it possible for Floridians to bet on their favorite sports without having to leave the state. You can’t just go to any casino in Florida to get your dose of sports betting since the county is still severely controlled.

In March of last year, the Sunshine State and the Seminole Tribe signed a new gambling agreement under Gov Ronald DeSantis to allow local sports wagering and internet casino operations. For the upcoming NFL season, the Seminole Tribe, which administers the state’s gaming sector, intends to have sports betting in Sunshine State available at tribe casinos throughout the Sunshine State. Pro sports stadiums found in Florida will also soon be providing betting possibilities.​ ​In the meantime, when betting, punters from Florida tend to opt for offshore betting sites as an alternative. This is because offshore sites come from countries where gambling is permitted, therefore Floridians can use these sites to bet on their favorite sports teams. Of course, choosing the right site is crucial since there are some sketchy sites out there.  

In the eyes of these groups, the expansion of gambling in Florida is in violation of the 3rd Constitution, which grants people exclusive discretion over whether or not to authorize new casinos. Despite this, many are optimistic that the agreement would be accepted by the various stakeholders.

Using offshore sports betting sites

There are now hundreds of sportsbooks accessible all over the world, and some of them are even designed to accommodate gamers from countries where it is illegal to conduct sports betting. For what reasons are there so many international sportsbooks advertising in North America? If anybody wishes to gamble from a place where gambling companies are prohibited such as Florida, they can utilize overseas bookies because they are not causing a legal disturbance by using overseas companies that are licensed in a different country. This means that Floridians have access to hundreds of offshore betting providers, which is why it’s important to turn to trusted and professional informative sources that will explain everything you need to know about sports betting in Sunshine State, as to make sure they are not breaking any laws, as well as finding the most ideal provider.

Consequently, the number of offshore bookies in Florida has skyrocketed in recent years. Finding reliable data on famous overseas bookmakers, as well as indicators of varied chances and incentives, and the standard of service can be a challenge because of the enormous diversity.

In order to find the most value for your money, there will be an abundance of alternative betting specials and special offers at multiple bookies for all major sporting events. 

For instance, a set wagering incentive with a payment limitation related to the number of your bonus points would negate any winnings you may have made by taking advantage of it. Consolation incentives, which may transform a lost wager into a threat gamble in which your wager money is returned if anything happens during the sports game on which you have bet that was pre-determined by the bookmaker, should be examined for possible application.

Even in heavily regulated settings, US punters receive higher incentives than overseas gamblers. Taxes are low or absent in many countries, thus operational costs are lower than in the U.S.A. Betting bonuses aren’t common at local bookies. Bonuses play a significant role in offshore betting.

When it comes to offshore betting websites there are a lot of different bonus offers that are provided when signing up. A large number of overseas gambling sites have a higher level of credibility than many local bookies. In addition, the betting possibilities and rewards available in overseas gaming establishments tend to be more diverse.

What one can expect from online sports betting providers

Sports Teams from the area

The vast bulk of bets placed on the majority of teams will still have to take place overseas, where citizens of Florida are not subject to any limitations. Fortunately, Florida shares boundaries with Georgia and Alabama, which means that you shouldn’t have a problem betting on your favorite teams that reside from those areas!

Horse racing bets are all allowed as long as the wager is placed on-site at the racetrack itself.

Dog Racing 

Greyhound racing was made prohibited in all of Florida on February 1, 2021, after a proposal was adopted by the people of The Sunshine state in 2018.

Casinos

Most sportsbooks also provide some casino games. Florida is a center for conventional gambling, with more than 50 casinos in which Floridians may place their wagers on the state’s countless gambling machines and poker games, among other things. 

Cardrooms

Cardrooms, as opposed to casinos, are state-licensed establishments where people can come to play poker. Numerous card rooms can be found in tribal casinos and racecourses, where Residents and visitors alike may enjoy additional games like Panguingue and Pai Gow, among others.

Bingo

It is legal for Floridians to wager on bingo games as long as the activities are sponsored by charity, non-profit, or war vet organizations. Such organizations may include religions, major universities, and civic groups – must have been in operation for at least 4 years before being considered.

Buescher avoids final lap calamity to win second Bluegreen Vacations Duel; Biffle transfers to the Daytona 500

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Patrick Sue-Chan for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Chris Buescher capped off a perfect day for the newly named Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing by winning the second Bluegreen Vacations Duel at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday, February 17, despite being involved in a last lap incident with Joey Logano that sent Logano hard into the wall and with a wrecked race car leading up to this year’s 64th running of the Daytona 500.

The second Duel victory awarded Buescher a starting spot on the second row alongside teammate Brad Keselowski in fourth place as he will contend for his first victory in his seventh career start in the Great American Race.

Prior to the event, Alex Bowman, who claimed a front row starting spot for the 64th running of the Daytona 500, started on the pole and was joined on the front row with Aric Almirola. In addition, Jacques Villeneuve, who locked himself into the 500 based on qualifying speed, fell out of lead lap contention after enduring a throttle cable issue before he could roll his car out on the track for the pace laps.

When the green flag waved and the race started, Bowman assumed an early command with the lead while Almirola challenged Martin Truex Jr. for the runner-up spot on the outside lane.

By the first lap, Bowman was leading ahead of Truex, who had Joey Logano challenge him on the outside lane with drafting help from rookie Harrison Burton while Almirola lost the draft and drifted towards the rear of the field.

During the following lap, Logano led by a hair through the tri-oval before Bowman stormed back to the lead on the inside lane in Turn 3 with drafting help from Truex and the competitors lined up on the inside lane.

By the fifth lap, Bowman was leading ahead of Logano and Truex, both of whom were locked in a side-by-side battle in front of Burton, Denny Hamlin and the field. 

Three laps later, Logano peaked his No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang ahead with the lead. Another two laps later, however, Bowman fought back to lead another lap for himself before Logano assumed full command, beginning on Lap 11.

By Lap 15, the Dillon brothers moved to the front as Austin Dillon assumed the lead followed by brother Ty. Another two laps later, however, Chris Buescher moved his No. 17 Fastenal Ford Mustang into the lead before Ricky Stenhouse Jr. led a lap for himself on Lap 18.

Through the first 20 laps of the event, Buescher was leading ahead of Stenhouse, Kevin Harvick, Michael McDowell Logano while Burton, Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon, Greg Biffle and Kyle Busch were in the top 10. 

On Lap 26, some competitors that included Kyle Busch, Bubba Wallace, Christopher Bell, Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin pitted under green. In the midst of the pit stops, Hamlin locked up the front tires of his No. 11 FedEx Toyota TRD Camry while trying to enter pit road and spun just past the pit road entrance. Despite continuing, he lost the draft with his Toyota teammates and was mired back in 19th place.

Back on the track, Buescher continued to lead followed by Stenhouse, Harvick, McDowell and Logano. 

At the halfway mark on Lap 30, Buescher retained the lead ahead of Stenhouse, Harvick, McDowell and Logano. Burton, Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon, Biffle and Kyle Busch were in the top 10. By then, Biffle was in a transfer spot and 12 spots ahead of Timmy Hill, who was also vying for a transfer spot but mired back in 21st place, dead last.

Two laps later, the next wave of competitors led by Stenhouse pitted under green. Then coming to Lap 34, Buescher pitted as Logano cycled to the lead. In the midst of the pit stops, Biffle endured a long pit stop after his pit crew had issues while trying to get fuel in his car, but he retained a transfer spot for the 500 ahead of Hill and Villeneuve.

With 20 laps remaining, Logano was leading ahead of Buescher, McDowell and Harrison Burton, all of whom were separated by less three-tenths of a second while fifth-place Stenhouse trailed by less than nine seconds. Harvick, Kyle Busch, Bell, Truex and Bubba Wallace were in the top 10 while Biffle retained a transfer spot in 14th place, six spots ahead of Timmy Hill and seven ahead of Villeneuve.

Down to the final 10 laps of the event, Logano continued to lead by a narrow margin over Buescher, McDowell, Harrison Burton and Kyle Busch while Bell, Truex, Wallace, Stenhouse and Harvick were in the top 10. Behind, Biffle was in 14th ahead of Bowman, but in a transfer spot while Hill and Villeneueve were mired back in 20th and 21st.

When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Logano continued to lead ahead of Buescher, McDowell and Burton as Harvick was lapped. Then entering the backstraightaway, Buescher, who tried to make a move beneath Logano, made contact with Logano as Logano tried to block Buescher’s run, which sent Logano head-on into the outside wall. While Buescher and McDowell bolted to the left to avoid the carnage, Burton made contact with Logano’s damaged No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang, which sent his car spinning while Burton continued. 

Logano’s wreck ended the event under caution as Buescher crossed the finish line in first place ahead of McDowell and Burton. Shortly after, Buescher was declared the winner of the event following an official review.

The victory marked Buescher’s first victory in the NASCAR Cup Series since claiming his first career victory at Pocono Raceway during a rain-shortened event and his first career Daytona Speedweeks win.

“What a way to start Speedweeks out here,” Buescher said on FS1. “To put both [Roush Fenway Keselowski] Ford Mustangs to Victory Lane. To get Fastenal their first win on a Cup car. I know it’s not the big show, but we got a really good hot rod here. Just hats off to everybody back at the shop. I know it’s been a heck of an off-season for everybody at our sport, but we’ve had a lot of changes going on and that’s cool to see it play out…We’re in a good spot here. That’s exciting.”

Following his wreck, Logano ended the night in ninth place, the first competitor a lap down.

“I just made a mistake,” Logano, who emerged from the infield care center uninjured, said. “I didn’t think the run would come that quick. It just seemed like it happened really quick. Even watching the replay, it happened quicker than I thought it would. I knew a run was gonna happen at some point on the last lap. I thought that was pretty early…Thought I was still clear and I wasn’t. I apologize to my race team…Just blew it. ”

McDowell and Burton were scored in second and third while Kyle Busch and teammate Bell finished in the top five. Truex, Wallace and Stenhouse finished sixth, seventh and eighth while Harvick settled in 10th, a lap behind.

Meanwhile, Greg Biffle finished 13th and raced his way into this year’s 64th running of the Daytona 500 while driving the No. 44 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for NY Racing. With the accomplishment, Biffle will be making his 511th career start in NASCAR’s premier series and contend for his first victory in the Great American Race, which will mark his 15th career start in the 500.

“It was a tough go,” Biffle said. “I gotta thank Chevy, [Richard Childress Racing], Hendrick engines and [crew chief] Jay Guy. The car drove so good. This was a last minute deal. These team guys thrown together. We had trouble getting fuel in the car. I ran out of gas with two laps to go…Everything happened tonight, but we finished 14th. I’m glad maybe that fuel stop wasn’t perfect because I might’ve been in that wreck [on the final lap]. ”

Timmy Hill, who finished 20th, failed to qualify for the Daytona 500 while Jacques Villeneuve, who retired in 21st place, dead last, secured the final transfer spot to the 500 based on his qualifying speed. 

There were 11 lead changes for five different leaders. The race featured one caution for one lap.

Results.

1. Chris Buescher, 17 laps led

2. Michael McDowell

3. Harrison Burton

4. Kyle Busch

5. Christopher Bell

6. Martin Truex Jr.

7. Bubba Wallace

8. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., one lap led

9. Joey Logano – OUT, Accident, 33 laps led

10. Kevin Harvick, one lap down

11. Corey LaJoie, one lap down

12. Ty Dillon, one lap down

13. Greg Biffle, one lap down

14. Alex Bowman, one lap down, seven laps led

15. Denny Hamlin, one lap down

16. Cody Ware, one lap down

17. David Ragan, two laps down

18. Austin Dillon, two laps led

19. Aric Almirola, two laps down

20. Timmy Hill, four laps down

21. Jacques Villeneuve – OUT, Electrical

With the starting lineup for the 2022 Daytona 500 established, the main event is set to commence on Sunday, February 20, which will also mark the start of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season. Coverage for the event is scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

Keselowski wins first Bluegreen Vacations Duel at Daytona; Grala transfers to the Daytona 500

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Patrick Sue-Chan for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Brad Keselowski commenced a new beginning to his racing career as a driver and co-owner of the newly named Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing on a high note by winning the first Bluegreen Vacations Duel at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday, February 17, following a late battle against his fellow Ford and ex-teammates from Team Penske that included rookie Austin Cindric, Ryan Blaney and Chase Briscoe.

The first Duel victory awarded Keselowski the third-place starting spot for this year’s 64th running of the Daytona 500 as he will contend for his first victory in the Great American Race in his 13th career start in the 500.

Prior to the event, Kyle Larson, who claimed the pole position for the 64th running of the Daytona 500, started on the pole for the first Duel event and was joined on the front row with teammate William Byron. Kaz Grala, competing for the non-chartered Money Team Racing that needed to race their way into the Daytona 500, started at the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments to have his digital dash fixed in his car.

When the green flag waved and the race started, Larson moved in front of teammate Byron to retain the lead ahead of the field. With the field fanning out to double lanes and in close quarters racing, Larson led the first lap.  

Behind Larson on the inside lane were his Hendrick Motorsports’ teammates Byron and Chase Elliott while Ross Chastain, who had drafting help from Tyler Reddick, started to mount a challenge for the lead on the outside lane. 

Through the first 10 scheduled laps, the field settled in a long single file line as Larson continued to lead ahead of teammates Byron and Elliott followed by Daniel Suarez and Ryan Blaney. Brad Keselowski, rookie Austin Cindric, Kurt Busch and Cole Custer were running sixth through ninth while Chastain, who made several attempts to take the lead on the outside lane early, slipped back to 10th place ahead of Reddick, Erik Jones, Chase Briscoe and Kaz Grala. By then, Grala was five positions ahead of J.J. Yeley, who needed to race his way into the Daytona 500, and seven ahead of Noah Gragson, who was guaranteed a starting spot for the 500 based on his qualifying speed.

Ten laps later on Lap 20, the field continued to run in a long single file line as Larson remained as the leader ahead of teammates Byron and Elliott followed by Suarez, Blaney, Keselowski, Cindric, Kurt Busch, Chastain and Reddick. Grala was back in 18th place ahead of Yeley, B.J. McLeod and Gragson.

When the field Duel event reached the halfway mark on Lap 30, the 21-car field was broken apart in certain segments with a majority running closely at the front while the rest settled far back at the rear of the field. At the front, Larson retained the lead ahead of teammates Byron and Elliott while Suarez, Blaney, Keselowski, Kurt Busch, Cindric, Erik Jones and Chastain were in the top 10.

Five laps later, all three non-chartered competitors were scored a lap behind as Grala lost a lap to the leaders while running ahead of Yeley and Gragson.

Just then, a wave of competitors led by Larson pitted under green while Blaney assumed the lead. Soon after, Blaney, Keselowski, Briscoe and Cindric pitted for two fresh tires as they emerged ahead of the pack. In the midst of the pit stops, Grala was forced to serve a pass-through penalty for speeding on pit road during his service.

With 20 laps remaining, Blaney was leading ahead of ex-teammate Keselowski, Briscoe and teammate Cindric while Reddick and Kurt Busch were in fifth and sixth. Elliott was in seventh ahead of Erik Jones while Larson was back in ninth ahead of teammate Byron, Chastain, Suarez, rookie Todd Gilliland, Justin Haley, Landon Cassill, Daniel Hemric and Cole Custer. By then, Yeley was in a transfer spot in 18th while Gragson and Grala were mired back in 20th and 21st.

Five laps later, the top-five competitors led by Blaney were more than five seconds ahead of sixth-place Elliott as Blaney remained as the leader ahead of Keselowski, Briscoe, Cindric and Reddick.

Down to the final 10 laps of the event, Blaney continued to lead by a narrow margin over Keselowski while Briscoe, Cindric and Reddick remained in the top five. Elliott continued to trail by less than five seconds in sixth place ahead of Erik Jones, Larson, Kurt Busch and Byron. By then, Yeley was in 18th but in a transfer spot ahead of Grala and Gragson.

With five laps remaining, the top-four Ford competitors distanced themselves from the rest of the field by less than five seconds as Blaney led Keselowski, Briscoe and Cindric across the start/finish line.

Then during the following lap, Keselowski made a bold move on the outside lane past the tri-oval to take the lead followed by Briscoe while Blaney and Cindric fell back to third and fourth. Blaney and Cindric, however, returned the favor by overtaking Briscoe to move back to second and third during the following lap as Keselowski made his way past three lapped competitors. 

When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Keselowski continued to lead despite being pressured by Blaney, who was drafting Keselowski through the first two turns. Then through the backstraightaway, Cindric and Briscoe made their move to pass Blaney and close in on Keselowski for the lead entering Turns 3 and 4. Entering Turn 4, however, Briscoe made a move on Cindric for the runner-up spot, which allowed Keselowski to pull away from his fellow Ford competitors as he crossed the finish line to win by more than two-tenths of a second.

The victory was Keselowski’s first in a Daytona Duel event and his first as a co-owner and competitor of the newly named No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford Mustang team as he will occupy the inside line on the second row for this year’s Daytona 500. 

“I felt pretty good about our car on practice on Tuesday,” Keselowski said on FS1. “I gotta give credit to the other Fords. We worked really well together. Ryan Blaney, Chase Briscoe, Austin [Cindric]. We had a great strategy. We stuck together and we drove away. Got ourselves in position where we could control the finish of this race. I’m happy to see all those Fords upfront. Good job to all those guys. Great start for our Kohler Generators Ford team! This is special.”

Behind, Cindric edged Blaney and Briscoe in a photo finish to finish second while Elliott settled in fifth place, trailing by more than two seconds. Erik Jones, Larson, Reddick, Kurt Busch and Chastain rounded out the top 10 on the track.

Meanwhile, Kaz Grala managed to track down Yeley and overtake him on the final lap while two laps behind to finish 18th and earn a transfer spot in this year’s Daytona 500, which will mark the first NASCAR Cup Series start for the Money Team Racing co-owned by former boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. The accomplishment will allow Grala to make his fifth career start in NASCAR’s premier series and his second in a row in the Daytona 500.

Photo by Patrick Sue-Chan for SpeedwayMedia.com.

“I made it happen not the way I wanted to,” Grala said. “I made a mistake. I sped on pit road and I thought we were out of it, but I wasn’t gonna give up no matter what. We got into a little line in there with Kurt Busch pushing us and we were running fast lap times, and I was hoping the timing was gonna work out. It wasn’t by much, but it did. We caught them in [Turns] 1 and 2 on the very last lap and was able to get by [Yeley] for it. [I] Pulled a couple years off my life, but it doesn’t matter because we’re gonna be out there on Sunday and we got a shot to win the Daytona 500. I’m really grateful, I’m excited for the Money Team Racing. Floyd Mayweather’s car is gonna be out there, making its debut, and I’m really, really grateful to be the one holding the wheel. We’re gonna have fun. This is gonna be a fun ride together all year with them and I can’t wait to get it started.”

Yeley, who ended up in 19th place, failed to qualify for this year’s Daytona 500 while Gragson, who settled in 21st place, dead last, made the 500 based on his qualifying speed.

There were two lead changes for three different leaders. The race featured no cautions.

Results.

1. Brad Keselowski, four laps led

2. Austin Cindric

3. Ryan Blaney, 22 laps led

4. Chase Briscoe

5. Chase Elliott

6. Erik Jones

7. Kyle Larson, 34 laps led

8. Tyler Reddick

9. Kurt Busch

10. Ross Chastain

11. Daniel Suarez 

12. William Byron

13. Justin Haley

14. Landon Cassill

15. Todd Gilliland

16. Cole Custer, one lap down

17. Daniel Hemric, one lap down

18. Kaz Grala, two laps down

19. J.J. Yeley, two laps down

20. B.J. McLeod, two laps down

21. Noah Gragson, three laps down

The second Bluegreen Vacations Duel is underway at Daytona International Speedway, which will complete the starting lineup for the 64th annual running of the Daytona 500 scheduled for Sunday, February 20, at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

RFK Announces Partnership with CELSIUS® Energy Drink

By
Official Release
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Keselowski to Showcase Energy Drink Product throughout 2022 Season

CONCORD, N.C. (Feb. 17, 2022) – RFK Racing has announced it will team with CELSIUS energy drink to help keep its team fit, active and hydrated as it prepares for the upcoming NASCAR season. The lifestyle brand will serve as an associate partner for the No. 6 race team, which launches into what promises to be one of the most exciting seasons in the team’s history.

Brad Keselowski joins the team as part owner and driver of the No. 6 Ford Mustang, as the sport ushers into the Next Gen Era of the sport. In addition to helping the team on its quest of a healthy lifestyle and maximum performance, the CELSIUS brand will be featured on Keselowski’s No. 6 Ford Mustang and driver firesuit.

CELSIUS prides itself on containing no sugar, no aspartame, no high fructose corn syrup, and no artificial preservatives, colors or flavors. CELSIUS is certified gluten free, kosher, and non-GMO.

“We are extremely excited to partner with RFK Racing and help keep Brad and the team fueled heading around the track,” said John Fieldly, CEO of CELSIUS. “We are all about creating authentic partnerships and knowing first-hand how much Brad loves drinking CELSIUS makes this a no-brainer.”

RFK launches off into the new season this week at Daytona Speedweeks. The running of the Daytona 500 will take place Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET (FOX, MRN, SiriusXM).

About CELSIUS

CELSIUS embodies a healthy lifestyle and inspires you to live a fit and active life. They help fuel your body so you can stay motivated and push past your goals. CELSIUS fitness enthusiasts are fearless and each one is dedicated to living an active lifestyle that pushes the limits of their individual capability. CELSIUS stands out against other brands because it’s made with healthier ingredients such as ginger, guarana, green tea and 7 essential vitamins. Their drinks contain no sugar, no aspartame, no high fructose corn syrup, and no artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors. CELSIUS is certified gluten free, kosher, and non-GMO. They are made with nothing but the best, so you can do your best and take on any challenge that comes your way! To learn more about Celsius, visit www.Celsius.com and follow their social media on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing
RFK Racing, in its 35th season of competition in 2022, 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 himself in the NASCAR Truck Series, joins the ownership fold while piloting the iconic No. 6 Ford, and brings to the team a championship mindset himself having won the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series Championship. In 2007, Roush partnered with Henry, who also owns Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox and English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C., 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.

Toyota Racing – NCWTS Daytona Quotes – Ben Rhodes – 02.17.21

By
Official Release
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Toyota Racing – Ben Rhodes
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Quotes

DAYTONA BEACH (February 17, 2022) – ThorSport Racing driver Ben Rhodes was made available to media prior to the Daytona race this Thursday:

BEN RHODES, No. 99 EXT Extreme Hair Therapy Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, ThorSport Racing

How do you feel going into Daytona as the reigning, defending champion?

“Pretty good you know; practice will make me feel better. I kind of have like a metric that I do my own mental metric on how I think the truck is going to race aerodynamically and for stability, trying to get around a few people and try certain moves that, you know, allow me to kind of get a baseline so my crew chief (Rich Lushes) wants me to kind of follow his plan, but I’m gonna maybe do a little bit of my own thing sprinkled in there. Hopefully he doesn’t hear this but yeah, I mean, that’ll tell me right away. Last year, we qualified 23rd, I think. There was a lot of like, historically slow trucks in front of us. So, I don’t think it’s necessarily an indicator of how you qualify here. So yeah, I you know, I feel great. There’s an answer. That was a long-winded short answer.”

I got to visit the Toyota Performance Center last week. Is that a program that you are a part of?

“It is a good program. I would like to be, but I live eight hours away from that point. So that makes it tough for me, but if I move there, I would for sure be a part of it. But if they would invite me. If I get the invite, I would for sure be a part of it, but I had to move there first. It seems like an excellent program. I probably get in the best shape of my life. Definitely better than where I am now. But I’m still living in Louisville, Kentucky and the race shop still in Ohio. So, there’s some travel involved. But it is a thought. I did go house hunting this winter in North Carolina. I just didn’t never did it.”

What is biggest thing that you’ve done since becoming the champion?

“I had a pretty laid-back winter to be honest with you. I didn’t go to any Hollywood premieres, like Ryan Blaney. I just kind of chilled out and went to Florida Keys a little bit – went to the race shop. The coolest event was probably the Sandusky parade, where we did burnouts throughout like the whole town for like five miles. Then they had the Toyota-mobile, which was the new 2022 Tundra with the glass case in the back with the trophy. It’s just like ginormous parade. It was awesome. The truck was pretty much destroyed afterwards, but I got the, you know, the green line to do it. I didn’t get pulled over. The cops gave me a fake ticket. So, it is fun. I enjoy the heck out of that. But other than that, it’s pretty laid back. I mean, you had all the NASCAR banquets and all that stuff leading up to it but laid back on my side. We went to on the Chili Bowl. He watched literally like every lap of the shootout. And he says, ‘did you go on vacation yet?’ And I said no. He says you want to go on vacation with me to the to the Chili Bowl. So that sounds like a good vacation. So anyway, we had a good time. I would like to be a part of that event. Next year somehow. I’d like to do some midget races. I’d like to maybe get into some micros. I just looks like a really fun side sport that I have zero experience with, but I think it could help me I mean, for sure it would help develop some skills. I think back to my first race here at Daytona and like what I know now it’s like night and day. And even though last year when we won, I learned a lot of stuff at Talladega last year that I’m really excited to try out tomorrow.”

How do you look back at the night? You won the championship heading into a new season.

“I look back on about half of it up to up to most of the press conference. I was a little fuzzy. Speaking of which, that was the last time I was with you beautiful people. How about them apples? So yeah, I would say that. Honestly, I remember up to the press conference. They got a little fuzzy in there and then they give me a bunch of water and like snacks and then I diluted the beverages in the system and then it became memorable again. So, like there’s a couple TV spots that were running like some interviews as I sort of remember that, but I was definitely still buzzed. So great interviews, good memories, good times.”

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About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 48,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 43 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With the more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, more than a quarter of the company’s 2021 North American sales were electrified.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

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