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Byron scores resounding victory at Homestead

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images.

After struggling for the first two races of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, William Byron rebounded by racing his way to a resounding victory in the late stages of the Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, February 28. The win marked the second of his Cup career in his 111th career start.

The starting lineup was based on a performance metric formula, weighing the driver’s and owner’s results from a previous Cup event, the owner points position and the fastest lap recorded from a previous Cup race. With that, Denny Hamlin, the reigning winner at Homestead, was due to start on pole position. He, however, dropped to the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments. With that, Joey Logano started on pole position and was joined on the front row with Christopher Bell, winner of last weekend’s event at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course.

Along with Hamlin, Alex Bowman and Corey LaJoie started at the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments. James Davison joined the trio due to multiple pre-race inspection failures.

When the green flag waved and the race commenced, Logano jumped ahead with an early advantage while the field behind fanned out to two and three lanes entering Turn 2 while battling for spots. Logano was able to lead the first lap as Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski and Kurt Busch moved up while Bell fell back inside the top 10. 

By the fifth lap, Logano retained an early advantage by seven-tenths of a second over Harvick with Keselowski behind by nearly a second while closing in on Harvick. Kurt Busch and Bell were in the top five followed by Michael McDowell, Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Larson, teammate Chase Elliott and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Two laps later, Keselowski overtook Harvick for the runner-up spot. Another lap by, Kurt Busch passed Harvick for the third spot. In addition, Larson moved up to sixth while Truex fell back to eight. 

By Lap 10, Logano continued to lead, though his advantage shrieked to less than half a second over teammate Keselowski. 

Two laps later, Keselowski muscled his way into the lead over teammate Logano. Behind, Larson continued to rim-ride his way to the front after passing Harvick for fourth place. Shortly after, Stenhouse overtook Harvick to move into the top five. Meanwhile, Truex and Elliott were back in ninth and 10th.

By Lap 20, Keselowski stretched his advantage to more than two seconds over teammate Logano as Kurt Busch and Larson remained in pursuit. Stenhouse was in fifth followed by Harvick, Truex, Chris Buescher, Bell and Elliott.

When the field reached Lap 25, a planned competition caution flew. By then, Keselowski extended his advantage to more than four seconds over teammate Logano. Kurt Busch fended off Larson and Stenhouse to remain in third place. Behind, Truex moved into sixth place followed by Harvick, Buescher, Bell and Ryan Blaney.

By then, Elliott and Kyle Busch were in the top 15 while Tyler Reddick was in 17th, one spot ahead of Matt DiBenedetto. Alex Bowman was in 20th ahead of Bubba Wallace and Cole Custer while Denny Hamlin was back in 24th behind Aric Almirola.

Under the competition caution, the leaders pitted and Keselowski retained the lead following a four-tire pit stop. Kurt Busch was able to exit pit road into second place followed by Logano, Harvick and Truex.

When the race restarted on Lap 30, Keselowski and Kurt Busch challenged one another in a side-by-side battle for the lead for nearly one full lap. Entering Turn 4, however, Keselowski gained a run on the outside lane and retained the lead while teammate Logano attempted to pull a three-wide move on Harvick and Keselowski. Logano and Harvick were able to move into second and third while Kurt Busch slipped back to fourth. Shortly after, Buescher moved up to fourth over Kurt Busch as the field continued to battle for spots.

By Lap 35, Keselowski was ahead by nearly half a second over teammate Logano. Behind, Harvick was in third followed by Stenhouse, Buescher, William Byron, Kurt Busch, Larson, Bell and Ryan Newman.  

Five laps later, the two Penske drivers led by Keselowski were separated by seven-tenths of a second. Buescher moved up to third place followed by Byron and Stenhouse, who overtook Harvick for position. Larson moved back up to seventh while Kurt Busch fell back to eighth. Newman and Bell remained in the top 10 followed by Kyle Busch, Bowman, Austin Dillon, Blaney, Truex and Elliott.

By Lap 42, Buescher made a move beneath Logano to move into the runner-up spot while Byron started to close in on Logano for third place.

By Lap 50, Keselowski continued to lead by a narrow margin over Buescher. Byron remained in third place followed by Logano and Kurt Busch. Larson moved up to sixth followed by Stenhouse, Bowman and Newman. Harvick, meanwhile, slipped back to 10th followed by Bell, teammate Truex, Newman, Austin Dillon, Elliott and Kyle Busch. Further behind, Hamlin was in 20th and battling with power issues. 

Three laps later, Buescher became the third different leader of the day after passing Keselowski. 

By Lap 60, Buescher extended his advantage to more than two seconds over Byron while Keselowski fell back to third. Kurt Busch was in fourth followed by Logano while teammates Larson and Bowman were in sixth and seventh. Stenhouse fell back to eighth followed by Newman and Truex. Harvick, meanwhile, was back in 11th. 

Four laps later, the caution flew due to fluid on the backstretch coming from the No. 15 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE driven by James Davison, who had smoke and flames erupting beneath the car as Davison made the turn to the garage.

Under caution, the leaders pitted and Buescher retained the lead following a stellar four-tire stop over names like Keselowski, Logano, Truex, Bowman and Kurt Busch. During the pit stops, Byron dropped from second to seventh

The race restarted on Lap 72 with Buescher and Keselowski on the front row. At the start, Keselowski and Buescher battled for the lead followed by Bowman, who muscled his way inside the top three over Logano, as the field fanned out to three lanes through the backstretch. 

The following lap, Keselowski was back in the lead followed by Buescher, Bowman, Truex and Logano.

With the laps in the first stage closing, Buescher closed back in on Keselowski in a battle for the lead. After pressuring Keselowski for the top spot, Buescher moved back into the top spot with two laps remaining in the first stage.

Following his late charge and strong start in the early portions of the race, Buescher was able to easily cruise his No. 17 Fastenal Ford Mustang to the first stage victory on Lap 80. Keselowski trailed back by nearly a second followed by Truex, Byron and teammate Bowman. Larson settled in sixth followed by Logano, Elliott, Kurt Busch and Austin Dillon.

Under the stage break, the leaders returned to pit road and Buescher exited pit road in first place following another stellar pit stop. Keselowski exited pit road in second place followed by Bowman, teammate Elliott and Logano

The second stage started on Lap 87 with Buescher and Keselowski on the front row. At the start, Buescher and Keselowski battled for the lead while Logano was mired in a tight battle with all four Hendrick Motorsports competitors. 

Shortly after, Elliott mounted his way towards the front after overtaking his teammates, Logano and Keselowski for positions. By Lap 88, Elliott muscled his No. 9 NAPA Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE to the lead after passing Buescher in Turn 1. 

With Elliott in the lead, teammate Larson and Buescher, both of whom overtook Keselowski, battled for second place. Byron and Bowman, teammates at Hendrick Motorsports, were in fifth and sixth. Truex was in seventh while Logano dropped back to eighth. Hamlin, who struggled at the start, was up in ninth followed by Austin Dillon, Kurt Busch and Cole Custer.

On Lap 93, Buescher reassumed the lead over Elliott, who led four laps. Two laps later, Buescher stretched his advantage to nearly half a second over Elliott as teammate Larson settled in third. Teammates Byron and Bowman were in fourth and seventh while Keselowski, Truex and Logano were in fifth, sixth and eighth.

Five laps later, teammates Larson, Elliott and Byron were locked in a heated battle for the runner-up spot, with Larson and Byron prevailing and moving up.

By Lap 100, Buescher was leading by more than a second over Larson, who had teammate Byron closing in for more. Behind, teammate Elliott was locked in a battle with Truex for fourth place. Keselowski was in sixth followed by Bowman, Kurt Busch, Logano and Hamlin.

Ten laps later, Buescher stabilized his advantage to more than one-and-a-half seconds. Behind, Truex overtook Larson and Byron for the runner-up spot while Kurt Busch worked his way back into sixth place. Elliott fell back to sixth followed by teammate Bowman, Keselowski, Hamlin and Austin Dillon.

Another five laps later, Byron overtook teammate Larson for third place. By then, Buescher was still in the lead by more than a second over Truex.

Shortly after, the first round of pit stops under green commenced as Newman pitted followed by Ross Chastain, Matt DiBenedetto, Austin Dillon, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick. Hamlin, Elliott, Keselowski, Logano, Aric Almirola, Bell, Byron, Bowman, Custer, Michael McDowell, Truex, Kurt Busch, Larson, Erik Jones, Ryan Preece, Corey LaJoie and race leader Buescher pitted in the ensuing laps.

When the majority of pit stops under green were completed, Truex emerged with the lead on Lap 125 moments after Daniel Suarez and Bubba Wallace pitted under green.

By Lap 135, Truex was leading by nearly two seconds over Buescher while Byron was in third, trailing by more than four seconds. Kurt Busch and Austin Dillon were in the top five. Bowman was in sixth followed by Newman, Hamlin, Larson and teammate Elliott while Keselowski was in 11th. Earlier, Elliott, who made a three-wide move on teammate Larson and Keselowski for position through Turns 3 and 4, slipped up and got loose, though he was able to avoid wrecking in front of Keselowski.

Behind the leaders, Logano was in 13th, Harvick was in 14th and Kyle Busch was in 18th.

With the first 150 laps of the race complete, Truex remained in the lead by nearly two seconds over Buescher. Byron continued to run in third place followed by Kurt Busch and Austin Dillon. Bowman remained in sixth place followed by Hamlin, Larson, Newman and Almirola. Behind were Harvick, Keselowski and Elliott while teammates Logano and Blaney rounded out the top 15. 

Three laps later, the caution returned when smoke billowed out of Corey LaJoie’s No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE due to his engine letting go down the backstretch.

Under caution, the leaders pitted and Truex retained the lead after exiting pit road in first place followed by teammate Hamlin, Kurt Busch, Byron and Buescher.

The race restarted with a one-lap dash to conclude the second stage as Joe Gibbs Racing’s Truex and Hamlin were on the front row. At the start, teammates Truex and Hamlin battled dead even through Turns 1 and 2. 

Entering Turn 3, Hamlin squeaked ahead and tried to slide in front of teammate Truex for the lead. Byron, meanwhile, had other plans and made the inside lane work to his advantage as he powered through both JGR competitors and came out on top to claim the second stage victory on Lap 160. Hamlin settled in second followed by teammate Kurt Busch, Truex and Larson. Buescher, Harvick, Blaney, Bowman and Keselowski were scored in the top 10.

Under the stage break, some led by Truex pitted while the rest led by Byron remained on the track.

With 100 laps remaining, the final stage commenced with Byron and Hamlin on the front row. At the start, Byron retained the lead followed by Hamlin as the field fanned out to three, four and five lanes through Turns 1 and 2. 

When the field returned to the start/finish line, Byron continued to lead by a narrow margin over Hamlin while Larson overtook Kurt Busch for third place. Truex and Harvick were in fifth and sixth while Custer, Keselowski, Austin Dillon and Tyler Reddick were in the top 10.

With 90 laps remaining, Byron continued to lead by nearly a second over teammate Larson, who was locked in a heated battle with Hamlin for the runner-up spot. Truex was close behind in fourth while Kurt Busch was in the top five. Custer moved up to sixth place followed by Harvick, Keselowski, Austin Dillon and Reddick. Bowman was in 11th followed by Kyle Busch, McDowell, Ross Chastain and Newman. Bell and DiBenedetto were in 16th and 17th followed by Bubba Wallace, Blaney and Buescher. Elliott was all the way back in 23rd while Logano was in 25th in front of rookie Chase Briscoe. 

Twenty laps later, Byron remained in the lead by more than a second over Truex. Larson, Hamlin and Kurt Busch were in the top five followed by Harvick, who overtook teammate Custer for position. McDowell worked his way up to eighth followed by Reddick and Keselowski.

Under the final 70 laps of the race, the caution returned for an on-track incident involving Aric Almirola and Blaney, where Almirola tried to slide up in front of Blaney entering Turn 3 and the two made contact that resulted with both competitors making contact against the outside wall and sustaining damage to their respective machines.

Under caution, the leaders pitted and Larson, whose pit crew struggled throughout the event, emerged with the lead following a stellar pit stop. Truex exited in second place followed by Kurt Busch, Hamlin and Harvick while Byron dropped back to sixth place. Following the pit stops, however, Hamlin was busted with a pit road speeding penalty.

The races restarted with 60 laps remaining. At the start, Truex squeaked ahead while Larson fought back on the inside lane. While Truex and Larson battled for the lead, Byron made a bold three-wide move to overtake Keselowski and Harvick for third place. Byron then went to work on teammate Larson for the runner-up spot, which he prevailed. 

Not long after, Byron reassumed the lead with 58 laps remaining after passing Truex with Larson lurking behind. Custer, meanwhile, worked his way into fifth place as he went to work in challenging Keselowski for fourth place. 

With 55 laps remaining, a three-way battle for fifth place heated up between Kurt Busch, Harvick and Keselowski. Meanwhile, Byron was leading by nearly half a second over Truex with Larson behind by less than a second and Custer trailing by two seconds.

Five laps later, Byron remained in the lead by over teammate Larson, who prevailed over a late battle with Truex. 

Under the final 50 laps of the race and with the lights coming on as the race fell into night conditions, Kurt Busch, who was battling Custer for fourth place, radioed vibration issues to his No. 1 Monster Energy Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE.

With 40 laps remaining, Byron stabilized his advantage to more than two seconds over teammate Larson. Truex remained in third place followed by Kurt Busch and Custer.

Shortly after, Kurt Busch surrendered his top-five spot on the track to pit under green for tires and following his vibration issues. 

With 30 laps remaining, Byron’s advantage over teammate Larson remained unchanged as Byron led by more than two seconds. Truex remained in third place, trailing by more than three seconds, while teammates Harvick and Custer trailed by more than eight seconds. By then, Logano made a pit stop under green. Shortly after, teammate Keselowski also pitted under green for four fresh tires.

With 20 laps remaining, Byron stretched his advantage in his No. 24 AXALTA Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE to four seconds over Larson’s No. 5 Nations Guard Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE with Truex’s No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry trailing by nearly five seconds.

With 10 laps remaining, Byron remained in the lead by less than five seconds over teammate Larson. Truex was in third place and more than five seconds behind Byron, though he was closing in on Larson for the runner-up spot. Reddick was in fourth followed by Harvick. Teammate Custer remained in sixth followed by McDowell, Newman, Bowman and Kyle Busch.

Under five laps remaining, Byron continued to lead while a three-car battle for the runner-up spot ensued between Larson, Truex and Reddick. Utilizing the outside lane to his advantage while running close to the outside wall, Reddick moved into third place. Entering Turn 4, however, he got loose underneath Larson, though he prevented the car from spinning out.

With Byron long gone with the lead, the battle for the runner-up spot continued to heat up as Reddick overtook Truex for third place and went to work on Larson for more, which he prevailed not long after.

When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Byron was out in front by nearly four seconds over Reddick and Larson. With no challengers coming close, Byron was able to cruise around the circuit for a final time and come back around to claim the checkered flag in first place and with a victory margin of nearly three seconds.

With his second Cup career victory and first since winning at Daytona International Speedway in August 2020, Byron, who led a race-high 102 laps, became the third different winner of the 2021 season. While he snapped a two-race streak featuring first-time Cup winners, he extended the race-winning streak of Hendrick Motorsports to 36 consecutive seasons.

The victory was the first of the season for Hendrick Motorsports and the 95th career victory for the No. 24 car. The victory was also the first in the Cup Series for crew chief Ryan “Rudy” Fugle, who worked and won seven Truck Series races with Byron in 2016. 

“That guy [Fugle] has been huge for my career,” Byron said on FOX. “He’s the reason I’m here. I’m glad we could get him [a win]. He’s just awesome and this whole team did a phenomenal job. Everybody, pit crew, over the wall. Extremely blessed…I can’t even believe it. It was just a really smooth day and we worked hard in the winter on this track. I can’t believe it.”

“You had to go with the wall at certain times; (Turns) 3 and 4 were really fast up there,” Byron added. “I definitely didn’t do it as good as the Xfinity cars do it, but I used it when I had to, and this car was just awesome. It’s really a lot of hard work. I think we went to the [simulator] four or five times this off-season and it just pays off, man. It’s awesome.”

Behind, Reddick tied his career-best result after finishing in second place as he fell short in becoming the third first-time winner within the first three Cup races of the 2021 season. Compared to Saturday’s Xfinity Series event at Homestead, where his car failed post-race inspection and the driver was disqualified from his runner-up result to winner Myatt Snider, Reddick’s car passed the Cup post-race inspection process and he was able to remain in second place officially. Despite the result, he was less than pleased in falling short of the win.

“Second place, it’s a good night considering how the first two weekends have went,” Reddick said. “I needed to get this Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevy to Victory Lane because if I would’ve, it would’ve gotten a lot of people in America free chicken tenders on Monday night. Once I really saw how fast we were in clean air, at the end there and I saw how fast we were catching everybody, it’s beyond frustrating. Just two or three different decision on a restart would’ve put me miles ahead and I would’ve been within reach. Second’s great, but I saw how much faster I was than those guys there at the end. Naturally, it’s frustrating.” 

Truex, meanwhile, was able to squeak ahead of Larson to take third place while Harvick rounded out the top five.

“I felt like that last run, for whatever reason, it didn’t do what it’d done all day,” Truex said. “[Byron] and [Larson] got by us on that restart, I’m like, ‘Alright, I’m just gonna take care of it here and hope that this is gonna be a really long run.’ That’s where we were strong all day. It just never happened. My balance got off there the last 40 laps or so and the car wouldn’t do what it did earlier. So close. The guys did a great job. It was a solid good effort for our Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry. Just proud of everybody for working hard. It’s definitely something we can build on.”

“That got pretty intense there at the end, “Larson said on MRN. “[I was] Just trying to take care of my tires and was just struggling on the long runs. Loose for the majority of the race and there that last run, [I] actually got tight. But I felt like being tight was better for my long run just because I could be just a little more confident leading with the right front than the right rear. A top-five finish, I would’ve like to finish second, but those guys were better than me at the end and just couldn’t hold them off. I hate that I gave up those spots but all in all, a good day for the Nations Guard team.”

McDowell, Newman, Kurt Busch, Bowman and Kyle Busch completed the top 10 on the track. Hamlin settled in 11th, Elliott was in 14th, Keselowski ended up 16th and Logano finished all the way back in 25th.

There were 20 lead changes for nine different leaders. The race featured six cautions for 36 laps. 

Hamlin continues to lead the regular-season standings by 20 points over Harvick, 31 over Logano, 33 over McDowell, 34 over Elliott and 35 over Kurt Busch.

Results.

1. William Byron, 102 laps led, Stage 2 winner

2. Tyler Reddick

3. Martin Truex Jr., 37 laps led

4. Kyle Larson, five laps led

5. Kevin Harvick

6. Michael McDowell

7. Ryan Newman

8. Kurt Busch

9. Alex Bowman

10. Kyle Busch

11. Denny Hamlin

12. Austin Dillon

13. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

14. Chase Elliott, four laps led

15. Daniel Suarez, one lap led

16. Brad Keselowski, 47 laps led

17. Ross Chastain

18. Chase Briscoe

19. Chris Buescher, 57 laps led, Stage 1 winner

20. Christopher Bell

21. Ryan Preece

22. Bubba Wallace, two laps led

23. Cole Custer

24. Anthony Alfredo

25. Joey Logano, 12 laps led

26. Justin Haley, one lap down

27. Erik Jones, one lap down

28. Matt DiBenedetto, one lap down

29. Ryan Blaney, one lap down

30. Aric Almirola, three laps down

31. Garrett Smithley, four laps down

32. Cody Ware, six laps down

33. Josh Bilicki, eight laps down

34. B.J. McLeod, nine laps down

35. Quin Houff, nine laps down

36. Corey LaJoie – OUT, Engine

37. James Davison – OUT, Engine

38. Timmy Hill – OUT, Electrical

Next on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the first of a two-race West Coast swing for the series. The Vegas event in Nevada will occur on Sunday, March 7, at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

Ford Performance NASCAR: Homestead Post-Race Quotes

By
Official Release
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Ford Performance Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Cup Series – Dixie Vodka 400
Homestead Miami Speedway | Sunday, February 28, 2021

FORD FINISHING RESULTS:
5th – Kevin Harvick
6th – Michael McDowell
7th – Ryan Newman
16th – Brad Keselowski
18th – Chase Briscoe
19th – Chris Buescher
23rd – Cole Custer
24th – Anthony Alfredo
25th – Joey Logano
28th – Matt DiBenedetto
29th – Ryan Blaney
30th – Aric Almirola
33rd – Josh Bilicki
34th – BJ McLeod

FORD PERFORMANCE QUOTES

KEVIN HARVICK, No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang — HOW DID YOU GUT IT OUT AND GET YOUR MUSTANG GOOD AT THE END OF THE RACE? “We actually had a good car the second half of the race. We were just way too loose in the first third of the race. The Busch Light Ford team did a great job of getting the car better and a great job on pit road keeping our track position and the things we had early in the race, so I’m just really proud of the way that everybody is battling right now. I would consider these three tracks that we’ve gone to so far kind of hit or miss for me as far as my like-ability as far as driving and the things we have going on. To have the finishes that we’ve had in the first three races says a lot about our team.”

MICHAEL MCDOWELL, No. 34 Love’s Travel Stop Ford Mustang — WHAT DOES THIS SAY ABOUT YOUR TEAM? I think it says a whole lot for this whole Front Row Motorsports organization. We’re just making huge improvements and to come here to a very challenging mile-and-a-half and run in the top 10 and not luck our way in, we raced there all night long, is super impressive. Thank you to everybody back at the shop. I’ve got to thank Love’s Travel Stop, Speedy Cash, Freight Auctions, Speedco and especially Ford and our Roush Yates engines are super strong right now. Everything is clicking. The momentum is going and it’s pretty awesome right now. It’s exciting to be a part of this organization and to have this momentum. Like I said, this is a win for us to come to Homestead and run in the top 10.”

CHASE BRISCOE, No. 14 Ford Performance Racing School Ford Mustang — WHAT WAS IT LIKE OUT THERE? “I felt like for all the things we went through to finish 17th or 18th was a good recovery for being two laps down to catch back up. I’m still just learning so much. I felt like it took me until halfway through the race to even understand what I needed to do and then I definitely got schooled on restarts at the beginning and that’s kind of everything in this deal. It’s gonna take time. It’s gonna take experience and learning the hard way, so we’ll continue to build on it. I felt like this was our first real race of the season in a sense, so we’ll go to Vegas and now we’ll finally be able to start a little bit towards the front and pit stall selection will be a little bit better, so hopefully it will pay dividends.”

RCR Post Race Report – Dixie Vodka 400

By
Official Release
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Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops / TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE Team Show Speed at Homstead-Miami Speedway

Finish: 12th
Start: 22nd
Points: 11th

“All-in-all not a bad night for the Bass Pro Shops / TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE. We really had a strong car early. We drove to the front and we were going to finish fifth in Stage 2 but the caution came out. We restarted on the bottom and just made the wrong move going into Turn 1 and lost a bunch of spots. We lost some Stage Points there, so that was disappointing. We were able to get a Stage Point at the end of Stage 1. I thought we were going to be pretty good. We just never got going again like we needed to. We kind of got jumbled on some restarts. Man, Homestead-Miami Speedway is such a fun track. I got a little too tight in and loose off at the end. We just missed it when it got darker outside. We were really good early. We were doing a good job of keeping up with the track, but it changed drastically. It was really cool to see Tyler Reddick drive up to second and show us what we’ve got. It’s on to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for us.” -Austin Dillon

Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Team Impress With Second-Place Finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway

Finish: 2nd
Start: 35th
Points: 23rd

“Well, finishing second is a good night considering how the first two weekends of the season have gone, but I hate that I didn’t get this Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevy into Victory Lane because if I would have then I would have gotten a lot of people in America free chicken tenders on Monday night. Once I really saw how fast we were in clean air at the end of the race, and I saw how fast we were catching everybody it became beyond frustrating because I know just two or three different decisions on a restart would have put me miles ahead. I knew that we were going to have to have a well-executed restart. We didn’t do that, and it takes time to get around all of those cars who pass you on a restart because they are all really good drivers. That’s the difference. I thought we would be better in the day and everyone would catch up at night, but it was the opposite of that. We tried to work on our Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevy throughout the night. We learned a lot. You have to win these races by being very consistent and making the right calls as a driver and as a team. I’m proud of how fast we were at the end of the race.” -Tyler Reddick

Toyota Racing NCS Post-Race Recap — Homestead 2.28.21

By
Official Release
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TRUEX SCORES PODIUM FINISH IN HOMESTEAD
Martin Truex Jr. adds another top-five finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway

HOMESTEAD, Fla. (February 28, 2021) – Martin Truex Jr. (third) was the highest finishing Toyota Camry in the Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday evening.

Toyota Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Homestead-Miami Speedway
Race 3 of 36 – 400.5 miles, 267 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, William Bryon*
2nd, Tyler Reddick*
3rd, MARTIN TRUEX JR.
4th, Kyle Larson*
5th, Kevin Harvick*
10th, KYLE BUSCH
11th, DENNY HAMLIN
20th, CHRISTOPHER BELL
22nd, BUBBA WALLACE
38th, TIMMY HILL
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 3rd

How much did the track change for you once the sun set?

“The track changed a lot. Our Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry was really fast at times. At times a little bit off. On that last run, for whatever reason, I was just babying it. The 24 (William Byron) got the lead from me on that restart and then the 5 (Kyle Larson) got by us and I’m just biding my time waiting for them to start coming back to me and they just never did. They obviously were really fast at the end and we weren’t quite as good that last run. These things are so hard to win. These cars are so touchy and just needed one more adjustment to have a chance.”

Do you plan to talk with your teammate, Denny Hamlin, about the incident earlier in the race?

“I’ll ask him (Denny Hamlin) what happened. I don’t know if he just landed in the corner and got on the splitter or what. He just went straight and gave me nowhere to go, about ran me into the wall. Racing deal, but hopefully we can avoid those things as teammates.”

What were you lacking at the end of the race to contend for the win?

“I felt like that last run, for whatever reason, it just didn’t do what it had done all day. The 24 (William Byron) and the 5 (Kyle Larson) got by us on that restart and I was just going to take care of it here and this is going to be a really long run. That’s where we were strong all day and it just never happened. My balance got off there in the last 40 laps or so and the car wouldn’t do what it did earlier. So close. The guys did a great job. It was a good, solid effort for our Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry. Just proud of everybody for working hard. It’s definitely something we can build on.”

# # #

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 38 million cars and trucks in North America, where we have 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama (10 in the U.S.), and directly employ more than 47,000 people (over 36,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold 2.8 million cars and trucks (2.4 million in the U.S.) in 2018.

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 ToyotaNewsroom.com

DGR ARCA Menards Series East Recap: 5 Flags Speedway

By
Official Release
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Saturday, February 27
Track: 5 Flags (Fla.) Speedway, half-mile paved oval
Race: 2 of 8
Event: Pensacola 200 Presented by INSPECTRA (200 laps, 100 miles)

Taylor Gray, No. 17 Ford Performance Fusion

Start: 2nd
Finish: 3rd

  • Gray earned the second starting position by virtue of his fastest lap time from practice. He led the opening seven laps before falling back to second and holding that position until a caution on lap 55.
  • The No. 17 Ford Performance Fusion reassumed the lead on lap 69 and led the final six laps leading into the caution break at lap 75. The team opted for two tires and fuel during the caution period.
  • Gray paced the field back to green and managed to lead until lap 116. He rode comfortably in second until the second scheduled caution break on lap 150. During this period, the team put on four fresh tires, topped off with fuel and made final adjustments for the final 50 laps.
  • After restarting in second, the No. 17 was moved out of the preferred racing groove and fell to seventh during the opening three laps. Gray was able to advance up to fifth by lap 181 in which there was a caution. On the final restart, he picked up one additional position to finish third.
  • 53 laps led marked a new season-high for the the Artesia, New Mexico driver.

Joey Iest, No. 54 ASN/Basila Ranch Ford Fusion

Start: 6th
Finish: 5th

  • Iest started the race from the sixth position and cycled to ninth before he could settle into the preferred bottom groove on the racing surface. When caution waved on lap 55, he was in eighth and relayed to crew chief Derek Smith that he needed more drive off the corner.
  • The California native advanced two positions on the restart and finished the opening stint in sixth. During the lap 75 caution period, the team replaced right side tires and restarted sixth.
  • Iest held steady in sixth for much of the second stint before advancing to fifth on lap 149 right before the second caution period on lap 150. The team replaced all four tires and topped off with fuel to gear up for the final run.
  • Over the course of the final 50 laps, Iest drove the No. 54 as high as fourth and fell back as far as seventh, but after a caution on lap 181 he was able to slot into the fifth position and earn his second consecutive top-five finish for DGR.

Next event: Nashville 200 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville, Tennessee on May 8.

Myatt Snider Gets First Career Win in Contender Boats 250 at Homestead-Miami Speedway

By
Official Release
-

HOMESTEAD, Fla (February 27, 2021) – Myatt Snider got his first NASCAR Xfinity Series victory.

Noah Gragson got another heartache at Homestead.

With perfect execution from the inside lane on his second chance at an overtime restart, Snider held off charging Tyler Reddick to win Saturday’s Contender Boats 250 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

For his third straight race at the 1.5-mile track, Gragson was close enough to taste victory, but it was his ill-fated crash with just over two laps left in regulation that set up overtime and Snider’s victory.

On the first attempt at extra laps, Snider spun his tires, and Reddick grabbed the lead before AJ Allmendinger spun toward the infield grass in Turn 1 to cause the eighth and final caution.

In the second overtime, Reddick returned the favor, and Snider pulled clear in the bottom lane. With a determined charge on the final lap, Reddick gained ground, but he was .085 seconds in arrears when Snider crossed the finish line in the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet.

“Yeah, I guess I learned my lesson on that first restart, ‘cause I spun the wheels,” said Snider, who won in his 36th start in the series. “Then I saw Tyler spin the wheels on the next one, and I knew I might have a chance. 

“Just a shout-out to all these RCR guys, (sponsor) Taxslayer, all these people that supported me over the years. It’s been a rough journey, but we’re here with a win, and I can’t complain.”

Reddick, who drives full-time for RCR in the NASCAR Cup Series, was moonlighting with RSS Racing on Saturday, making his first Xfinity start since winning his second straight series title at Homestead in 2019. The end result didn’t last long, however, as the No. 23 was disqualified during post-race inspection for failing rear heights.

Gragson was just over two laps away from a redemptive victory when the No. 13 Ford of David Starr — the last driver on the lead lap — blew a right front tire and shot up the track into the outside wall and right into Gragson’s path.

Gragson, who led 83 and 81 laps in last year’s two Homestead races but failed to win either, couldn’t avoid the collision that destroyed his No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. At the time, Gragson led second-place Reddick by more than eight seconds.

“What are you going to do,” Gragson said after a visit to the infield care center. “We dominated the last three races here, including this one, and have stuff like that (happen). We were saving fuel. I was half-throttle the last 30 laps, and we were still pulling away.”

The first stage of the race was eventful—but not primarily for Stefan Parsons spin in Turn 4 on Lap 26 or for Daniel Hemric missing his pit stall under the resulting caution and knocking his tire carrier to the pavement. 

What Stage 1 demonstrated with jarring clarity was the enormous value of fresh tires on the abrasive asphalt surface. Allmendinger restarted 25th on fresh tires with 10 laps left in the stage and grabbed the lead from Kaulig Racing teammate Justin Haley eight laps later. 

Allmendinger won the stage with Haley second after restarting 20th and moving into the lead on Lap 33 before surrendering the top spot to his teammate. Reigning series champion Cindric, on the other hand, stayed out during the caution, restarted in the lead on old tires and fell to 14th by the end of the 10-lap run.

Stage 2 was the mirror image of Stage 1. When fluid from Parsons’ car necessitated the third caution of the race on Lap 68, drivers who had stayed out under the Lap 26 caution to save a set of tires came to pit road—Cindric among them. 

Allmendinger led the field to the restart with six laps left in the second stage. Cindric restarted 22nd, and in less than three laps took the lead on the way to a stage win and a Playoff point.

Pit stops followed at the end of the stage, on Lap 83, leaving almost all drivers on equal rubber for the final run, with two sets of sticker tires left in the pits. But in terms of track position, the exchange favored those who had pitted late in Stage 2 and charged to the front.

First off pit road during the fourth caution, Cindric led the field to green on Lap 89. But neither Cindric nor Allmendinger was a major player in the overtime. As a result of Reddick’s disqualification, Brandon Jones was second, followed by Hemric, Jeb Burton and Cindric. Haley, Brett Moffitt, Ryan Sieg, Jeremy Clements and Josh Berry completed the top 10.

Xfinity stalwarts Harrison Burton and Justin Allgaier were the first two drivers out of the race, Burton with and engine failure and Allgaier after contact with the Ford of Riley Herbst on Lap 98.

The track is set to host the NASCAR Cup Series Dixie Vodka 400 tomorrow (Sunday, Feb. 28, 3:30 pm ET, FOX/MRN-Sirius XM Channel 90). Denny Hamlin starts on the Busch Pole and will vie for his fourth victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway, which would be a record. He currently is tied with Greg Biffle and Tony Stewart with three wins each.

Joey Logano starts second, followed by Christopher Bell, last week’s winner on the DAYTONA Road Course, Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch. Sixth will be DAYTONA 500 Champion Michael McDowell, followed by Brad Keselowski, Ryan Preece, Martin Truex, Jr., and Cole Custer will complete the top-10. Chase Elliott, the reigning NASCAR Cup Series Champion, rolls off 11th.

Two local football stars will have prominent roles in the race, the third of the 2021 NASCAR season.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will serve as the virtual Grand Marshal for the race and utter the most famous words in motorsports, “Drivers, Start Your Engines!” Miami native and former University of Miami Hurricane and Super Bowl-winning linebacker Jonathan Vilma will kick off Sunday’s race, as he waves the green flag from high atop the start/finish line in the starter’s stand.  


Homestead-Miami Speedway will host a limited number of fans for the event. Fans attending can learn all safety protocol guidelines by visiting www.HomesteadMiamiSpeedway.com or calling 866-409-RACE (7223).

Fans can keep up with up-to-date happenings at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

About Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway has been open since 1995 following an initiative to spur economic recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew. The Speedway, which was founded by Miami businessman, racing enthusiast and philanthropist Ralph Sanchez, is a 650-acre facility that features a 1.5-mile oval and 2.21-mile road course. The Speedway hosts on-track events nearly 300 days per year and generates more than $301 million annually for the region. NASCAR crowned champions in all three of its national series at Homestead-Miami Speedway for 18 straight years (2002-19).   In 2021, the Dixie Vodka 400 moves to the third race of the NASCAR Cup season on Sunday, Feb. 28, following two weekends of action at Daytona International Speedway.

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR consists of three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour), one local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series) and three international series (NASCAR Pinty’s Series, NASCAR Peak Mexico Series, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).

Team Penske NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Report – Homestead-Miami Speedway

By
Official Release
-

Team Penske NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Report

Track: Homestead-Miami Speedway
Race: Contender Boats 250
Date: February 27, 2021

No. 22 PPG Ford Mustang – Austin Cindric
Start: 1st
Stage 1: 14th
Stage 2: 1st (Second stage win of 2021)
Finish: 5th
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 179/179
Laps Led: 63
Point Standings (ahead of second): 1st (+29)

Notes:

  • Austin Cindric led the most laps on the way to scoring a fifth-place finish in the Contender Boats 250 Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The driver of the No. 22 PPG Ford Mustang has top-10 finishes in all five starts at the 1.5-mile speedway. Cindric also won Stage 2, his second stage victory in three races this season. He owns a 29-point lead in the NASCAR Xfinity Series standings over second-place Myatt Snider
  • Cindric started from the pole position after the starting lineup was set per NASCAR rule book. He led the first 30 laps, building up a five-second advantage until a caution on lap 27 slowed the pace. Crew chief Brian Wilson elected to keep Cindric on the track during the yellow, opting to save a set of tires for later in the race. Cindric took the green flag as the leader but couldn’t overcome the disadvantage to the cars with fresher tires. He was credited with a 14th-place finished when Stage 1 ended on lap 40 and pitted during the stage caution for four tires, fuel and lined up 13th when the race went green on lap 47.
  • In Stage 2, Cindric raced his way back inside the top-10. He was sixth at the time of the third caution on lap 69. The PPG Ford Mustang lost rear grip during a long run and Wilson called his driver to pit road one lap later for four tires, fuel, and adjustments. Cindric restarted 22nd on lap 74 but quickly stormed his way through the field taking full advantage of his fresh tires. He grabbed the lead on lap 77 and easily won the segment, his second stage win of the season. Wilson made the call to pit for four tires during the stage caution and Cindric restarted second when the race went green on lap 87.
  • He grabbed the lead on the restart and led the next 13 laps before another caution set up a round of pit stops among the leaders. Cindric restarted fourth and muscled his way into the lead on lap 102. He remained the leader through the sixth caution on lap 115 but couldn’t get back to the front. Cindric was running sixth with two laps to go when a caution involving leader Noah Gragson pushed the race into NASCAR Overtime. Cindric and the other leaders pitted for tires on lap 168 and Cindric lined up fourth when the race went green on lap 172 but another spin moments after green flag waved forced another restart on lap 177. Cindric was shuffled to the sixth position during the final dash to the checkered flag. Post tech, Cindric was credited with fifth-place to capture his third consecutive top-five finish of the 2021 season.
  • The NASCAR Xfinity Series is back in action at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Saturday, March 6, for the Alsco Uniforms 300. Live coverage will begin at 4:30 p.m. ET on FS1. PRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.

Quote: “I feel like we probably deserved to finish in the top-five and maybe if we made some different decisions there on the choose (restart lineup), who knows, maybe we would have given ourselves a better shot to win the race with our PPG Ford Mustang. I think we did a pretty good job on strategy. All in all, it was an okay day. We definitely learned a lot and we tried to make a short-run car into a long-run car and we probably just hurt ourselves when the sun went down.”

Top three best PC racing apps that you need to try right now

By
SM
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It is not easy to short-list some of the best PC racing games. There are so many factors that we need to put into consideration. PC gaming is more than just the hair-raising sound design and the graphical fidelity. Of course, these two attributes can make a lot of difference, but it certainly goes beyond that.

So, what is PC gaming primarily about? It should be powerful enough to pull into the action, just as if you were on the driving seat without your eyes exhausted as the asphalt rushes past at a speed of two-hundred and forty kph.

More so, these racing games take a lot from you too. From kicking out the back-end for an exalted grip to getting better with the requisite gear shift’s timing, a quality racing game needs a lot of effort. 

So, for people who seek the best PC games to try, we have the perfect list for you. Let us get started and look at some of the best PC games that you should try right away to live and amplify the fun. 

Burnout Paradise Remastered (for PC)

Released originally in 2008 as Burnout Paradise, the game is compatible with Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and, of course, your PCs. Developed by Criterion Games, it is undoubtedly one of the best games for you to try in the category. Hence, it goes without saying that Burnout Paradise Remastered will only be a notch better. 

In addition to some flawless graphics improvement, the PC players can finally experience the Big Surf, which was previously exquisitely meant for the consoles only. So, you can finally get into the mode and experience the Burnout Paradise Remastered’s extreme havoc and stunts that you will widely cherish. Further, Paradise City’s map is also delightful through and through.

So, regardless of whether you are merely driving around or completing one of the many events, you will fall in love with the game in not more than a few minutes.

Unfortunately, some of the pain points, which existed in Burnout Paradise have still not been bettered, such as some menu quirks and its irksome crash cam. But, in all honesty, these lows are not grave enough to curtail you from trying out this immensely satisfying racing game. 

‘For me, if there is one racing app, which I have loved playing for over a decade, then it has to be the Burnout Paradise series,’ comments Stephen, an educator who offers online ‘do my java homework‘ services. 

Asphalt 9: Legends and Asphalt Xtreme

The Asphalt 9: Legends is the latest and the most intriguing addition in the Asphalt franchise. Developed by Gameloft Barcelona, the game was released in 2018, and in this while, the game has only become more popular each day.

Joseph, an online algebra tutor, says, ‘I love the Asphalt 9: Legends game because it has supreme mechanics, phenomenal graphics, and a truck-load of content for me to enjoy.’ 

Yes, when it comes to content, you really have many options, which include more than eight-hundred events, online PvP action, and many monthly and weekly events. Further, you also get around fifty cars to unlock. Additionally, there are multiple upgrades available and so much more. 

However, honestly, its freemium strategy appears to be way more aggressive than we kind of appreciate. Nonetheless, it is a great arcade racing title that gives you some of the phenomenal racing game graphics you may have possibly encountered.

Of course, if you wish to try out the more mature title, you can check out its previous version, which is the Asphalt 8: Airborne. The good news is that the game is actively updated. So, you will have new things at your disposal now and then.

More so, you can even try out the Asphalt Xtreme, which is another one of the most phenomenal arcade racing applications in the franchise, but off-road vehicles.

Project Cars 2

Project Cars 2 is the racing game, which tries to do everything – mud splattering across everyone and everything, Rallycross within Hockenheim’s infield section, Karting in the Scottish highlands, and ice racing on studded tires around Swedish snowdrifts. Further, with Indycars defying gravity at Daytona Speedway, MP1s racing through Imola, and Honda Civics trying to make it up Eau Rouge without stopping, the diversity is unprecedented. 

‘Upon playing the Slightly Mad’s sim sequel, I realize two things about Project Cars 2. One, the breadth of their content is incredible, and two, they can pull everything off phenomenally well,’ comments Freddie, an educator who offers do my assignment for me services for students. 

The gameplay is fire, and the loose surface racing, at times, will give you a feeling that you are racing on the track in the road-legal car. More so, the precision it offers when you attempt to bully a car into the apex utilizing the force feedback support is unparalleled. 

What makes it finest is also the fact that many, many drivers across several disciplines joined in as consultants while Project Cars 2 was in its development phase. This finesse is evident in every aspect of the game. A robust eSports scene is now coagulated around Project CARS 2, and this kind of stimulation is precisely what the young aspiring riders seek as a perfect substitute for their time on the real track. 

So, these are the three of the best racing applications that you need to try right away if you love the idea of racing and want to experience it up-close. Have more gaming suggestions for us? Do let us know in the comments below.

Myatt Snider claims his first Xfinity Series win at Homestead

By
Michelle Lippold
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Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Myatt Snider in his No.2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet brought his car to the Checkered Flag in first place, winning it the hard way, in double overtime, in his 39th start. For two consecutive weeks, the NASCAR Xfinity Series has had first-time winners.

Snider said, “I guess I learned my lesson on the first restart because I spun the wheels.” adding, “I saw Tyler (Reddick) spin his wheels on the next one so I kind of figured I might have a chance.” He stated, ”Shout out to all those RCR guys and these people supporting me all these years. It’s been a journey but we’re here to win and I can’t complain.”

Tyler Reddick brought his Richard Childress Racing No. 23 Chevrolet home in second but was disqualified after failing the rear height requirement in post-race inspection, relegating him to a 40th place finish.

Brandon Jones was originally credited with a third-place result in his No.19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota but moved up to earn a runner-up finish with Reddick’s disqualification.

Jones stated, “I think compared to last year this is already a better start to our year. I know we’ve had our ups and downs, but our performance is really close. All in all a pretty solid day, third (his original finish) is good and we’ll take the points and push for a win here.”

Stage 1:

Stage 1 was relatively uneventful with only one caution.

A.J. Allmendinger was up front for most of the stage and when it came down to it, he got a late-stage lead and went on to win Stage 1 of the race.

Stage 2:

Stage 2 only had one caution as well, for fluid on the track. Things didn’t go as smoothly as they had for Allmendinger in this stage but Josh Berry had a really nice run today. At the end of the stage, it would be Austin Cindric winning Stage 2.

Stage 3:

Stage 3 saw a little more trouble. Riley Herbst and Justin Allgaier tangled up with each other. The worst moment was when David Starr had tire problems and shot up the track right where race leader Noah Gragson was running. Gragson couldn’t react fast enough and hit him pretty hard. The last actual caution came out for the spinning car of Allmendinger. The race went into double overtime and it came down to Reddick and Snider, with Snider taking the win.

With Reddick disqualified, Daniel Hemric, Jeb Burton and Austin Cindric would round out the top five. Justin Haley, Brett Moffitt, Ryan Sieg, Jeremy Clements and Josh Berry finished sixth through 10, respectively.

Austin Cindric leads the Xfinity Series standings with 147 points. Myatt Snider is second with 118 points, Daniel Hemric has 117 points, Jeb Burton is in fourth with 106 points and Brandon Jones rounds out the top five with 93 points.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series goes next to Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sat. March 6.

Official Results:
  1. Myatt Snider
  2. Brandon Jones
  3. Daniel Hemric
  4. Jeb Burton
  5. Austin Cindric
  6. Justin Haley
  7. Brett Moffitt
  8. Ryan Sieg
  9. Jeremy Clements
  10. Josh Berry
  11. Riley Herbst
  12. JJ Yeley
  13. Michael Annett
  14. AJ Allmendinger
  15. Alex Labbe
  16. Timmy Hill
  17. Dexter Bean
  18. Tommy Joe Martins
  19. Landon Cassill
  20. Jade Buford
  21. David Starr
  22. Jeffrey Earnhardt
  23. Chad Finchum
  24. Ryan Vargas
  25. Kyle Weatherman
  26. Josh Williams
  27. Joe Graf Jr
  28. Gray Gaulding
  29. Matt Mills
  30. Santino Ferrucci
  31. Stefan Parsons
  32. Jesse Little
  33. Noah Gragson
  34. Brandon Brown
  35. Bayley Currey
  36. Colby Howard
  37. Ty Dillon
  38. Justin Allgaier
  39. Harrison Burton
  40. Tyler Reddick








Sammy Smith dominates Pensacola 200 en route to first ARCA victory

By
Briar Starr
-
Photo Courtesy of Morgan Givens/ARCA Racing

After qualifying on the pole, Joe Gibbs Racing driver, Sammy Smith, in his second season with the team, scored his first ARCA Menards East Series victory at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida. Smith battled with Taylor Gray and then dominated the final segment by leading most of the laps.

“I can’t thank the team enough, they did a really good job,” Smith told NBC Sports. “The first part of the race, we weren’t very good. We fought back and made some good adjustments. Can’t thank Mark McFarland (Crew Chief) and the whole Engine ice team enough for a great Toyota Camry.”

The ARCA Menards East Series headed to Pensacola, Florida for the second race of the 2021 season. A total of 13 cars took the green flag, including Smith who qualified on the pole with a time of 17.49 seconds and 102.898 mph. There were two segment breaks, one at Lap 75 and another at Lap 150.

Segment 1: Lap 1 – Lap 75

There was plenty of action in the first segment, mainly between Taylor Gray and Smith. Smith and Gray swapped the lead multiple times before Smith had the advantage. The first caution of the race was on Lap 55 when the No. 12 of Stephanie Moyer, who was making her ARCA debut for Andy Hillenburg, was stalled in Turn(s) 3 and 4.

The restart came on Lap 69, just six laps shy of the first halfway break. Gray, the Denver, North Carolina native, passed Smith for the lead and would remain the leader at the first segment break. Daniel Dye, Sammy Smith, Rajah Caruth, Mason Diaz, Parker Retzlaff, Joey Iest, Carson Kvapil, Max Gutierrez and Stephanie Moyer rounded out the Top 10.

Second Segment: Lap 78 – Lap 150

As the second segment got underway, there was a new leader in town as Daniel Dye, in the No. 43, took over the lead from Gray. Dye led for a brief while, but the lead ultimately went back to Gray. Shortly before halfway, Smith started to reel in race leader Gray and eventually passed Gray for the lead once again. Despite the back and forth between the two, Gray fought off Smith to be the leader once more at the second segment break. Smith, Dye, Caruth, Iest, Diaz, Retzlaff, Kvapil, Gutierrez and Moyer were the Top 10 when the red flag fell.

Third segment: Lap 154 – Lap 200

Just one caution slowed the final segment with 19 to go. The No. 12 of Moyer once again came to a stop in Turn 1, setting up a late-race restart with under 15 to go.

The action got a little intense upfront as the leaders were jockeying for position and both Sammy Smith and Mason Diaz were looking for their first-ever wins in ARCA competition. However, when the checkered flag flew, Sammy Smith scored the victory by .044 seconds over Diaz.

Unfortunately for Diaz, the Manassas, Virginia native, will have to wait for another race if he wants to have a shot at the victory.

“(It) was actually a good night for us,” Diaz said to NBC Sports after his runner-up finish. “We restarted there in fifth in the last segment and worked our way through. On the last restart, I actually thought we had a chance for them, but I had nothing for them. Second place, that’s a good finish for us here. So far this year, nothing but top five’s and I hope we can carry that on.”

There were four cautions for 15 laps and six lead changes among three different leaders.

Official Results following the Pensacola 200 at Five Flags Speedway
  1. Sammy Smith, led 145 laps
  2. Mason Diaz
  3. Taylor Gray, led 53 laps
  4. Rajah Caruth
  5. Joey Iest
  6. Parker Retzlaff
  7. Max Gutierrez
  8. Stephanie Moyer
  9. Daniel Dye, led two laps, OUT, Radiator
  10. Richard Garvie
  11. Carson Kvapil, OUT, Vibration
  12. Dick Doheny, OUT, Electrical
  13. Wayne Peterson, OUT, Electrical

Up Next: The ARCA Menards East Series’ next race is scheduled for Saturday, May 8 at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, live on NBC Sports Trackpass. A start time is yet to be announced for the event.

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