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Codie Rohrbaugh, CR7 Motorsports on a mission at Daytona

By
Official Release
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.: A new season is upon Codie Rohrbaugh and the CR7 Motorsports team and they are prepared to tackle the 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season with the same mentality as 2020.

And that mentality worked to the team’s benefits on several occasions including last February’s NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

Despite an innocent mid-race spin, Rohrbaugh was able to draft his No. 9 Grant County Mulch Chevrolet back through the field and earned a career-best third-place finish in his Truck Series debut at the 2.5-mile superspeedway.

In the most recent superspeedway race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway last October, Rohrbaugh, 27, flew under the radar for much of the race but during a late-race restart, the former ARCA Menards Series competitor made his move and hustled to a fifth-place result.

With two top-five finishes in his most recent superspeedway races, Rohrbaugh, a native of Petersburg, West Virginia and his Doug George-led team return to the “World Center of Racing” hoping to produce more of that same magic and kick off their 2021 season with momentum on their side.

“I’ve been ready for a while,” said Rohrbaugh. “I can’t wait to get to Daytona this week and back behind the wheel of our No. 9 Grant County Mulch Chevrolet and charge for another top-five finish – if not a win.

“I’m really proud of Doug (George, crew chief) and the rest of the CR7 Motorsports team for building such a sound and fast Chevrolet Silverado. It certainly makes my job easier. Hopefully, luck continues to be on our side, and we can leave Daytona Friday night with the same smiles we had a year ago.”

The CR7 Motorsports team will also race in honor of their general manager Mark Huff who passed away last week after a brief illness.

“There is a huge void left by the passing of Mark Huff,” added Rohrbaugh. “He wasn’t just a friend or a worker, he was family. He will be deeply missed and we will race in his honor not only at Daytona but all year.”

Planning to compete in most of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races this year, Rohrbaugh hopes to avoid the string of midseason blues and keep his Statesville, N.C.-based team on the radar for their on-track performances and determination.
“We learned a lot as a team through a pandemic and all,” added Rohrbaugh. “We had some ups, and we had some downs, but we still grew as a team and that’s the biggest positive. We strive to be better with each race we run.

“We know what we need to do to go fast at certain tracks and have work to do at others. Our team will put forth the effort, we just need everything to come together from luck to equipment and even the driver not making any mistakes. When we did that last year, we had some pretty good days.”

When it comes to the plan for Friday night’s race at Daytona, Rohrbaugh admits that their plan usually goes out the window within the first couple of laps of the race.

“You always like to have a game plan, but it just never seems to work out for us,” sounded Rohrbaugh. “It sounds good on paper and in our heads but once you throw that green flag – things change in a hurry, especially at Daytona. “We will try to stick to the plan at hand, but we also know that it can be unscripted within seconds.

“We know though – if we’re going to have a chance to contend for a good finish, we have to be around when the checkered flag is waving. That’s our goal, a repeat of 2020 – if not better.”

It’s a busy weekend at Daytona for CR7 Motorsports. In addition to Friday night’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, the organization will field an ARCA Menards Series entry for Saturday afternoon’s Lucas Oil 200 driven by General Tire with Jason Kitzmiller behind the wheel.

Rohrbaugh competed in three ARCA Menards Series races at Daytona with a best finish of seventh in the 2019 edition.

CR7 Motorsports has 28 NGOTS starts to their credit with a career-best finish of third at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (February 2020). Additionally, the team owns three other top-10 finishes at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (fifth) in October 2020, Richmond (Va.) Raceway (sixth) in September 2020 and Martinsville (Va.) Speedway (10th) in October 2019. An 11th place qualifying effort at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (Oct. 2019) is the team’s best time trials effort to date.

In 20 career ARCA starts, Rohrbaugh has a best finish of seventh twice at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway (July 2018 and Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (February 2019). He has qualified a career-best fourth on four different occasions most recently at Kansas Speedway (Oct. 2018).

Marketing partnership(s) opportunities are available for the No. 97 A.L.L. Construction | Grant County Mulch Chevrolet and No. 9 Grant County Mulch Chevrolet for the 2021 ARCA Menards Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series seasons and beyond. Interested inquiries are encouraged to contact at tonya@gcmulch.com or 304.257.8783.

The NextEra Energy Resources 250 (100 laps | 250 miles) is the first of 22 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races on the 2021 schedule. Practice begins on Thurs, Feb. 11 from 5:35 p.m. – 6:25 p.m. Qualifying is set for race day, Fri., Feb. 12 beginning at 3:10 p.m. The field will take the green flag shortly after 7:30 p.m. with live coverage on FOX Sports 1, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90.

Jason Kitzmiller upbeat for Daytona return

By
Official Release
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.: CR7 Motorsports’ Jason Kitzmiller is back and ready to build on an impressive 2020 ARCA Menards Series season beginning with Saturday afternoon’s Lucas Oil 200 driven by General Tire at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

With the guidance of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver and former ARCA competitor Codie Rohrbaugh, Kitzmiller burst onto the tour, impressing with three top-10 finishes and six top-14 finishes in seven races overall.

Kitzmiller’s ARCA debut last February at Daytona was spoiled by engine failure 11 laps into the 80-lap event leaving redemption on the table in his eighth career ARCA Menards Series start.

“Obviously, we didn’t have the finish we were hoping for last year, but that is unfortunately just part of the game,” said Kitzmiller. “

“However, I feel like as a team we have come a long way in 12 months, and I feel redemption is our friend this weekend.”

The Petersburg, WV native will make his third superspeedway start at the “World Center of Racing” and returns to Daytona after drafting to an eighth-place finish at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway last June, a career-best result.

“I learned so much last June that can be easily applied to Daytona,” added Kitzmiller. “I’ve been able to surround myself with a group of great people whether in the garage or up on top spotting and all that adds to the components of making it a successful race or even weekend.

“You may not always get the result you are hoping for, but for us, it’s about having fun with our No. 97 A.L.L. Construction | Grant County Mulch Chevrolet and that fun factor includes this weekend at Daytona.”

As much as the mojo is a light-hearted, laidback and fun atmosphere, once the headsets go on and Kitzmiller straps behind the wheel of his race car, business becomes the priority. The CR7 Motorsports showed that during open ARCA Menards Series testing last month at the 2.5-mile superspeedway.

“Our goal wasn’t about going out there and putting up a big number, it was about making sure our No. 97 A.L.L. Construction | Grant County Mulch Chevrolet was handling the best it could whether in the draft or by ourselves.

“I know talking to Codie (Rohrbaugh) and others on our team, a good handling car will equal a fast race car, so that is what we focused on. We’ll make some tweaks on Friday during practice and then just hope we put up a good lap in qualifying and let the race play out.

“We don’t necessarily have a strategy at this point, we’ll just see how the race unfolds. If we’re in a position to stay near the front, we’ll stay there. If it looks a little dicey, we might hang back a little, we just have to wait and see how it all flows.”

A goal for Saturday?

Easy.

“A top-10 would be fabulous, a top-five would be a win and a win would be a jackpot,” sounded Kitzmiller. “If we can’t do that though, as long as we had fun and learned something for the next race then we’ll chalk it up to a successful weekend and get ready for the next race.”

Kitzmiller and CR7 Motorsports will run a partial ARCA schedule in 2021 with a firm schedule announced soon.

Kitzmiller will also adorn a decal remembering CR7 Motorsports general manager Mark Huff who passed away last week after a brief illness. Huff was responsible for helping revive the ARCA Menards Series team in 2020.

“I will always Mark for his carrying of people on this CR7 Motorsports team and his enormous work ethic. He did a lot for the team and is irreplaceable. We will race to win in his honor on Saturday afternoon.”

Marketing partnership(s) opportunities are available for the No. 97 A.L.L. Construction Chevrolet and No. 9 Grant County Mulch Chevrolet for the 2021 ARCA Menards Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series seasons and beyond. Interested inquiries are encouraged to contact at tonya@gcmulch.com or 304.257.8783.

The Lucas Oil 200 driven by General Tire (80 laps | 200 miles) is the first of 20 races on the 2021 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins Fri., Feb. 12 with a one-hour session from 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Group qualifying is set for race day, Sat., Feb. 13 at 8:30 a.m. The season-opener for the 69th consecutive ARCA season is set to take the green flag shortly after 1:30 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), while ARCARacing.com will stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities.

Who Is Going To Win Daytona 500 This Sunday

By
SM
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Photo by Patrick Sue-Chan for SpeedwayMedia.com.

After a long wait for this event, which is quite easily the biggest event in the speedway circuit each year, it’s finally here and we cannot wait to watch the Daytona 500 this weekend. This race has been going on since 1959 and the annual event is where we see 200 laps of grueling racing and this Sunday shall be no different and below we look at who the favorites are to win the Dayton 500.

A big favorite going into the race to attempt to beat the other 42 drivers in the race is two-time defending champion Denny Hamlin who is currently priced at 15/2 to win Daytona 500 come Sunday. Hamlin is quite familiar with this race due to him being a four-time winner of the Daytona 500 in the past and will be looking to add to his collection and something that we certainly think is possible.

Whilst we wait for the Daytona 500 to start on Sunday, many racing punters have been migrating over to online casinos which can be found here to ensure that they are still able to produce a profit from the comfort of their home. These casinos are offering some of the best promotional deals on the internet to enhance the casino experience all tied in with the fact that your gambling will never be stopped by gamstop.

One of the biggest tests that Hamlin is going to have to overcome on Sunday if he is going to win is Chase Elliot who is the second favorite priced at 17/2 and he will certainly believe that he is in with a chance this Sunday.  Elliot is the current defending Cup Series Champions and will be looking to add the Daytona 500 to his trophy collection.

If we are looking to some outsiders for the race, then Kyle Busch might be your choice as many high-profile tipsters are saying that this might be Busch’s time to shine. Currently priced at 12/1, he is a two-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion and knows this circuit very well as he won on this track back in 2008 at the Coke Zero 400.

And finally, what about another outside punt then Kevin Harvick might be the best bet for you as he is currently priced at 11/1 and that price seems to post a lot of value having won nine times in his career and he has always been there or thereabouts – is this Harvick’s time?

Austin Dillon wins the Bluegreen Vacations Duel 2 at Daytona

By
Official Release
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NASCAR Wire Service

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – As racing resumed at Daytona International Speedway following a two-hour plus rain delay Thursday night, there was a definitive sense of urgency in the field for the Bluegreen Vacations Duel 2 at Daytona as the clock passed midnight.

While the Toyota contingent of Martin Truex Jr., Bubba Wallace and Kyle Busch pushed to the front on the restart with two laps remaining in overtime, it was Austin Dillon – with a well-timed shove from former teammate Kevin Harvick – who rallied to the front, dropped low on Wallace and then won the drag race to the checkered flag for his first career Duel victory – a mere .057-seconds over Wallace.

It is the first Daytona qualifying race Dillon has won and he did it leading the only two laps on the night, lap 33 and then the last lap (63). It was similar to what he did in winning the 2018 DAYTONA 500 in the famed Richard Childress Racing No. 3 Chevrolet when he led only the last lap – finishing a quarter-second ahead of Wallace then too.

“I was talking to spotter before the restart and he was like, ‘we’ve got the 4 (Harvick) behind us and he’s been pushing well all night’. He had the 12 [Ryan Blaney in a Ford, like Harvick] so I knew the manufacturer thing was going to be tough,” Dillon said.

“I made a decent block on the backstretch and just a heckuva push through three and four. I knew Bubba was going to try and block, but I just whipped the wheel and it worked out well.”

The race marked the debut of Wallace’s 23XI Racing team, the No. 23 Toyota co-owned by three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin and NBA legend Michael Jordan. Wallace was fourth fastest in pole qualifying and finished runner-up in the 2018 DAYTONA 500 – so this is a venue where he is particularly optimistic about delivering for the new operation.

“A lot of mistakes,” Wallace said after climbing out of his Toyota. “Good debut but nothing to be really happy about for myself. It’s okay for drivers to be hard on themselves, that’s how we motivate ourselves to go out there and be better.

“Hats off to my guys at 23XI for a great DoorDash Toyota Camry. I tried to do all I could to help [Martin] Truex there get Toyota a win. I appreciate Kyle [Busch] for cutting me a lot of breaks.

“I know I have a lot to learn here, but all in all it was a good night. I’ve got some learning to do.”

A five-car accident with four laps of regulation remaining forced the overtime period. Garrett Smithley – who needed to race his way into the Daytona 500 field – made contact with former NASCAR Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski triggering a chain-reaction accident.

Outside pole-sitter William Byron, who led a race best 35 of the 63 laps, was also caught in the melee and his Hendrick Motorsports team will have to use a back-up version of his No. 24 Chevrolet in Sunday’s Daytona 500.

Harvick, a former series champion who won a series-high nine races last year, helped push his former RCR teammate Dillon to the front. He finished third, followed by Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kyle Busch and reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott.

Veteran David Ragan finished eighth – best among the Open cars, needing to earn a position in the DAYTONA 500 field. Kaz Grala finished 14 and took the last open position in the 40-car field.

The NASCAR Cup Series will have two more practices prior to the DAYTONA 500 – a pair of sessions on Saturday. The DAYTONA 500 is set for Sunday (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Nine times previously a winner from the Duel qualifying race has gone on to win the DAYTONA 500. Denny Hamlin is trying to win a record third consecutive DAYTONA 500.

Tickets for Speedweeks Presented By AdventHealth events, excluding the DAYTONA 500, are still available as children 12 and under are FREE in the 100 level seating and $10 in all other reserved seating. Tickets start at $49 for adults for Friday’s Nextera Energy 250 and Saturday’s doubleheader featuring the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. ® 300 for the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the Lucas Oil 200 Driven by General Tire for the ARCA Menards Series.

For information and a complete schedule of all racing events as part of Speedweeks, log onto www.DAYTONA500.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP. Tickets are also available for the track’s tripleheader weekend on the DAYTONA Road course (Feb. 19-21), featuring NASCAR’s top three national series.

Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for the latest speedway news.

NASCAR Cup Series Race – Bluegreen Vacations Duel 2
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona Beach, Florida
Thursday, February 11, 2021
1. (4) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 63.
2. (2) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 63.
3. (3) Kevin Harvick, Ford, 63.
4. (8) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 63.
5. (5) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 63.
6. (9) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 63.
7. (17) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 63.
8. (6) David Ragan, Ford, 63.
9. (7) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 63.
10. (15) Chris Buescher, Ford, 63.
11. (13) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 63.
12. (14) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 63.
13. (20) Joey Gase, Ford, 63.
14. (10) Kaz Grala, Chevrolet, 63.
15. (11) Chase Briscoe #, Ford, 61.
16. (18) Garrett Smithley(i), Ford, 61.
17. (21) Derrike Cope, Chevrolet, 59.
18. (22) Noah Gragson(i), Chevrolet, Accident, 56.
19. (1) William Byron, Chevrolet, Accident, 56.
20. (12) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, Accident, 56.
21. (16) Anthony Alfredo #, Ford, Accident, 35.
22. (19) BJ McLeod(i), Ford, Accident, 35.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 158.071 mph.
Time of Race: 0 Hrs, 59 Mins, 47 Secs. Margin of Victory: .057 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 2 for 8 laps.
Lead Changes: 14 among 6 drivers.

Lap Leaders: B. Wallace 1;W. Byron 2-11;K. Harvick 12-15;B. Wallace 16-17;K. Harvick 18;W. Byron 19-32;A. Dillon 33;K. Harvick 34-37;R. Blaney 38-41;W. Byron 42-51;M. Truex Jr. 52-53;K. Harvick 54-55;M. Truex Jr. 56-62;A. Dillon 63.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): William Byron 3 times for 34 laps; Kevin Harvick 4 times for 11 laps; Martin Truex Jr. 2 times for 9 laps; Ryan Blaney 1 time for 4 laps; Bubba Wallace 2 times for 3 laps; Austin Dillon 2 times for 2 laps.

Spencer Davis Motorsports signs new sponsor for 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season

By
Official Release
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.: Spencer Davis Motorsports announced today that Candan Industries Pty Ltd., one of the biggest Australian manufacturers of lubricants has executed an agreement with their NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team promoting their INOX brand beginning with tonight’s season-opener NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

INOX Supreme Lubricants will be featured on Davis’s No. 11 Toyota Tundra for the full 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season.

INOX product range was first released in 1989 with the Original INOX MX3 Lubricant. The original MX3 product was in development stages for two years prior to release with testing and focus on creating the right product for the market.

The INOX product range continues to grow with 12 products on the market, each with its own many specialized qualities used in all different industries. All their products are tested and trialed before hitting the market to ensure the best of quality is maintained in the INOX name. INOX products are available at all major industrial, electrical, automotive, hardware, bearing and mining, marine, fishing and tackle outlets, plus many more locations.

A wholly owned Australian company Candan Industries is now exporting to over 25 countries including the United States of America, Canada, France, South Africa, New Zealand, Indonesia and Malaysia.

“Excited to have a long-time friendship turn into more for Daytona with INOX Supreme Lubricants,” said Davis. “It feels great going into 2021 with a new scheme and an awesome sponsor, can’t thank Angel and James at INOX enough for this opportunity and partnership with our small team.

“Looking forward to having them more on this year hopefully, thrilled to be a brand ambassador and represent them to the best of our ability. We use their products day to day on our race team and in our machines at our business. A quality product and amazing people helped to bring this all together.”

Davis, a native of Dawsonville, Ga. is poised to make his second NCWTS start at Daytona. He made his track debut at the “World Center of Racing” in 2018 finishing seventh in a truck fielded by Kyle Busch Motorsports.

The two-time ARCA Menards Series East winner ran a majority of the Truck Series schedule last season for his family-owned team and produced respectable results, including a season-high 12th at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway last February.

“Daytona is the glory of Motorsports and it is a very stacked field for this weekend, but I feel confident in our abilities to get the job done for INOX and all of our partners at Spencer Davis Motorsports,” added Davis.

“In 2018 it was about being smart and listening to your spotter and doing the best not to put yourself in a bad situation. I feel like we should have a lot of speed with our No. 11 INOX Supreme Lubricants Toyota Tundra and hope to showcase that on Friday night.”

Entering Daytona, Davis, 22, has 23 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts to his credit with a career-best finish of seventh at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in Feb. 2018, with additional top-10s at Texas Motor Speedway (June 2018) and Kentucky Speedway (July 2019).

For more on Spencer Davis, please like him on Facebook (Spencer Davis Racing) and follow him on Instagram (@spencerdavis_29) and Twitter (@spencerdavis_29).

Stay connected with Spencer Davis Motorsports on Instagram (@teamsdm11) and Twitter (@teamSDM11).

The NextEra Energy Resources 250 (100 laps | 250 miles) is the first of 22 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races on the 2021 schedule. Qualifying is set for race day, Fri., Feb. 12 beginning at 3:10 p.m. The field will take the green flag shortly after 7:30 p.m. with live coverage on FOX Sports 1, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90.

RCR Post Race Report – Duels

By
Official Release
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Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops / TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet Team Win Duel in Dramatic Last-Lap Fashion

Points: 1st
Start: 4th
Points: N/A

“What a way to capitalize on our Duel and show what our No. 3 Bass Pro Shops / TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE can do! I was talking to my spotter, Brandon Benesch, about having the No. 4 car behind us on the final restart since he had been pushing well all night. I knew he had another Ford behind him though, so it was going to be tough. I made a decent block down the backstretch and got a big push after that. I knew the No. 23 was going to try to block me as we came to the line but I just whipped the wheel, and it all worked out. It’s going to be a great feeling rolling off Sunday up near the front row, and I’m hopeful we can have a similar result that evening for Bass Pro Shops, Tracker Off Road, Dow, Coca-Cola, Get Biofuel, BetMGM, Breztri (budesonide/glycopyrrolate/formoterol fumarate), WorkRise, Huk, Chevrolet, and all of our partners.” -Austin Dillon

Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 Lenovo Team Secures Top-15 Finish in Duels

Points: 15th
Start: 16th
Points: N/A

“Tonight was all about giving my team and I the opportunity feel out the handling of our No. 8 Lenovo Chevrolet ZL1 1LE. We only did single-car runs during practice yesterday, so we went into our Duel tonight not knowing how the car would run in the draft. Overall, I’m happy with the handling we have for Sunday. I was a touch free on exit of both Turns 2 and 4, but other than that, the No. 8 Lenovo Chevrolet was solid. It seemed to drive a lot better than the cars around me. My team and I will have a couple final chances to dial in our car during the two practice sessions on Saturday, but I think we’ll be in good shape for the DAYTONA 500 on Sunday.” -Tyler Reddick

Floridian Aric Almirola wins the Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1 at Daytona

By
Official Release
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NASCAR Wire Service

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 11, 2021) – Florida native Aric Almirola drove to a convincing victory in the opening Bluegreen Vacations Duel at Daytona qualifying race Thursday night at Daytona International Speedway.

Almirola’s No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford led a dominating 52 of the 60 laps and held off Christopher Bell’s No 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota by a mere .041-seconds for the Tampa native’s first victory in the DAYTONA 500 field-setting race.

Ryan Newman, who was involved in a frightening last lap crash in last year’s Daytona 500, finished third, followed by Joey Logano and Ryan Preece, whose fifth place effort was important regarding the transfer positions into the 40-car Daytona 500 lineup.

Preece edged Ty Dillon by a scant .04-second at the finish line to race his way into the Daytona 500. That gave reigning NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Austin Cindric a starting bid based on qualifying speed – despite his 16th-place finish in the Duel – and sent Ty Dillon home.

Three of the four transfer position were evident after the first Duel – with Preece, Cindric, and David Ragan (who qualified on speed). Another will be determined in the second Duel.

“First of all, I get the bonehead of the race award for speeding on the last section of pit road when I nailed everything else the whole night that I didn’t know how to do,” the Team Penske driver Cindric said of receiving a speeding penalty after a mid-race pit stop.

“I’m obviously really happy to get the Verizon 5G Ford Mustang into the big show. Obviously, a lot for me left to learn, but racing on the biggest stage against the best drivers, it’s an amazing opportunity.”

The Fords – specifically Almirola – dominated Duel 1, spending most of the race bumper-to-bumper in varying order out front. Almirola and Logano, the 2015 Daytona 500 winner ran 1-2 for most of the race. There were nine lead changes among five drivers.

After the race, the Tampa, Fla. native Almirola smiled and mentioned the good run for Tampa sports – a nod to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl win last week.

“Great way to start Speedweeks,” Almirola said. “This thing is really fast and I can’t wait until Sunday. Just proud of everybody back at the shop, Doug Yates and Ford Motor Company all of our partners.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten to sit here and do an interview at the start/finish line.

And he added a message for FOX Sports race announcer, Kansas City football fan Clint Bowyer, “Things are going right for Tampa Bay, right Clint Bowyer.”

Daytona 500 pole-winner Alex Bowman played it safe early in the race, hanging toward the rear initially. He ultimately had to pit several times for his crew to look under the hood of his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. He finished 20th out of 24 cars in his race, four laps down.

Two-time defending Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, who is trying to become the first driver in history to win three consecutive versions of NASCAR’s Great American Race, finished 13th. He had to push his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota back into the pits after the race because he ran out of fuel on the final lap – after taking the white flag in fourth position.

Kyle Larson, who is making his first start in the Hendrick Motorsports No. 5, finished seventh. Daniel Suarez finished eighth in the No. 99 Chevrolet marking his Trackhouse Racing team’s debut. and Erik Jones finished 17th in his first Daytona points race with Richard Petty Motorsports.

Tickets for Speedweeks Presented By AdventHealth events, excluding the DAYTONA 500, are still available as children 12 and under are FREE in the 100 level seating and $10 in all other reserved seating. Tickets start at $49 for adults for Friday’s Nextera Energy 250 and Saturday’s doubleheader featuring the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. ® 300 for the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the Lucas Oil 200 Driven by General Tire for the ARCA Menards Series.

For information and a complete schedule of all racing events as part of Speedweeks, log onto www.DAYTONA500.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP. Tickets are also available for the track’s tripleheader weekend on the DAYTONA Road course (Feb. 19-21), featuring NASCAR’s top three national series.

Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for the latest speedway news.

NASCAR Cup Series Race – Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona Beach, Florida
Thursday, February 11, 2021
1. (2) Aric Almirola, Ford, 60.
2. (4) Christopher Bell, Toyota, 60.
3. (12) Ryan Newman, Ford, 60.
4. (11) Joey Logano, Ford, 60.
5. (5) Ryan Preece, Chevrolet, 60.
6. (17) Ty Dillon(i), Toyota, 60.
7. (8) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 60.
8. (6) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 60.
9. (14) Michael McDowell, Ford, 60.
10. (18) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 60.
11. (3) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 60.
12. (9) Matt DiBenedetto, Ford, 60.
13. (7) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 60.
14. (13) Cole Custer, Ford, 60.
15. (16) Tyler Reddick, Chevrolet, 60.
16. (10) Austin Cindric(i), Ford, 59.
17. (15) Erik Jones, Chevrolet, 59.
18. (19) Quin Houff, Chevrolet, 58.
19. (20) Timmy Hill(i), Ford, 57.
20. (1) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 56.
21. (21) Cody Ware, Chevrolet, 56.
22. (22) Josh Bilicki, Ford, Overheating, 14.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 191.966 mph.
Time of Race: 0 Hrs, 46 Mins, 53 Secs. Margin of Victory: .041 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 0 for laps.
Lead Changes: 9 among 5 drivers.

Lap Leaders: A. Bowman 0;A. Almirola 1-2;D. Suarez 3-4;C. Bell 5;A. Almirola 6;C. Bell 7-8;A. Almirola 9-33;D. Hamlin 34;T. Reddick 35-36;A. Almirola 37-60.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Aric Almirola 4 times for 52 laps; Christopher Bell 2 times for 3 laps; Tyler Reddick 1 time for 2 laps; Daniel Suarez 1 time for 2 laps; Denny Hamlin 1 time for 1 lap.

Denny Hamlin, JGR Team, Receive Traditional Gifts as 2020 DAYTONA 500 Champions

By
Official Release
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 11, 2021) – Denny Hamlin finally got the goods from capturing the 2020 DAYTONA 500.

Hamlin, along with crew chief Chris Gabehart and Coy Gibbs, who was representing his Dad, Joe Gibbs, were honored Thursday for their accomplishment a year ago for winning the Great American Race. As a result of several factors from a challenging 2020, the presentation was delayed until Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile presented the trio with traditional gifts that are annually awarded to the Champion team of the DAYTONA 500.

Each received their customary DAYTONA 500 Champion rings and black leather jackets while Gabehart was awarded the Cannonball Baker Trophy as the Champion crew chief. Hamlin, meanwhile, claimed his third Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona watch, and also posed with his concrete “squish” that features his handprints and footprint that will have a permanent place on the Champion’s Sidewalk in front of the track’s Ticket and Tours building.

“It’s great to finally come back and get these incredible gifts, all that are so important to me,” said Hamlin, who will go for a record third consecutive DAYTONA 500 triumph in Sunday’s 63rd Annual event, and fourth overall. “I have all my jackets lined up in my closet so I can see them, and my rings are in a special place also.”

While three are okay, he wants a fourth Rolex, along with another ring and leather jacket. Having another slab of concrete with his handprints as part of track property sounds good, too. The quest starts Sunday.

“I feel optimistic. I like my chances, they’re as good as anybody,” said Hamlin. “I think it’s a skill game at the speedways. Sometimes you may get unlucky and get in a wreck, but ultimately it is a skill game. It is won with the mind. I just want to be there with five to go, and then play the game.”

Tickets for Speedweeks Presented By AdventHealth events, excluding the DAYTONA 500, are still available as children 12 and under are FREE in the 100 level seating and $10 in all other reserved seating. Tickets start at $49 for adults for Friday’s Nextera Energy 250 and Saturday’s doubleheader featuring the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. ® 300 for the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the Lucas Oil 200 Driven by General Tire for the ARCA Menards Series.

For information and a complete schedule of all racing events as part of Speedweeks, log onto www.DAYTONA500.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP. Tickets are also available for the track’s tripleheader weekend on the DAYTONA Road course (Feb. 19-21), featuring NASCAR’s top three national series.

Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for the latest speedway news.

CHEVY NCS AT DAYTONA DUEL 1: Post-Race Notes and Quotes

By
Official Release
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NASCAR CUP SERIES
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
BLUEGREEN VACATIONS DUEL 1 AT DAYTONA
TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE NOTES & QUOTES
FEBRUARY 11, 2021

TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL RACE RESULTS:
POS. DRIVER
5th RYAN PREECE, NO. 37 COTTONELLE CAMARO ZL1 1LE
7th KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 NATIONS GUARD CAMARO ZL1 1LE
8th DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 IFLY CAMARO ZL1 1LE
10th JAMIE MCMURRAY, NO. 77 ADVENTHEALTH CAMARO ZL1 1LE
11th RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 KROGER/NOS ENERGY DRINK CAMARO ZL1 1LE

TOP FIVE UNOFFICIAL RACE RESULTS:
POS. DRIVER
1st Aric Almirola (Ford)
2nd Christopher Bell (Toyota)
3rd Ryan Newman (Ford)
4th Joey Logano (Ford)
5th Ryan Preece (Chevrolet)

The NASCAR Cup Series season officially kicks off this weekend at Daytona International Speedway with the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 14, at 2:30 P.M. ET. Live coverage can be found on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE NOTES AND QUOTES:
RYAN PREECE, NO. 37 COTTONELLE CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 5th
“I’m really happy with the handling of our No. 37 Cottonelle Chevrolet. We tried a lot of different things during the duel tonight knowing that we were locked into the DAYTONA 500 no matter what and used the duel tonight as good practice for Sunday. I always see myself as an underdog, and to be able to get some good racing in tonight and get a top-five finish, which leads to a nice start up front on Sunday, was really important for us tonight. I’m so proud of the preparation everyone at JTG Daugherty Racing has put in to get us a fast Cottonelle Chevrolet and race our way to the front on Sunday.”

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 NATIONSGUARD CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 7th
“There’s a lot to risk in this race and everybody was being pretty calm running single file up top. It was good to get back into a race and get comfortable, listen to my spotter and get a sense of my surroundings. I haven’t been in a big car like this in a long time.

“We saved a lot of fuel in the NationsGuard Camaro during that first run so we could have a short pit stop and was able to leave pit road as the lead Chevy. I just got a little too greedy as we caught the lead pack and I lost a lot of track position.”

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 IFLY CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 8th
“Pretty pleased with tonight’s Duel. The No. 99 iFly Chevy Camaro was pretty sporty, especially with fresh tires. I feel like I was able to get aggressive; I was able to make moves. With older tires, I was struggling a little bit with the back of the car especially. But we already have some ideas of what we have to do to be able to make that better for Sunday.”

“Just happy overall with the way the team performed. I think I have to be better; there are a couple of things that I feel like can be better. But everything is good. I think we can really, really improve from here.”

RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 KROGER/NOS ENERGY DRINK CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 11th
“It was great to be able to get in the draft and race a little bit tonight in our No. 47 Kroger/NOS Energy Drink Chevrolet. We have some speed and I know we have something we can work with on Sunday to get to the front. Our handling was a little off tonight, and we were trying a bunch of different lines and packs to work the draft. It was great to see our teammate get a solid finish and we still will have a good starting spot on Sunday to be there at the end.”

ERIK JONES, NO. 43 ARMOR ALL CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 17th
“The Duel didn’t go exactly how we wanted. It was pretty uneventful for us, but we did get a good feel for the car balance and how we wanted things to go for Sunday. We made some changes and got to run in the pack a little bit to get a good feel for the car. I made a mistake there and slid through the pit box. Hopefully got the rust shaken off now and we got some good marks for Sunday. We’re starting a little farther back, but I think we’ve got a car with good enough speed that’s going to be able to race through the pack and be up in contention at the end of the day. Excited to get to Sunday, get the race going and get down to real business.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 20th
“Definitely a bummer there. We had something going on and a big vibration with the car. We had some radio issues and couldn’t hear anyone. We have a clean racecar for Sunday and have time to diagnosis that vibration. There is definitely something going on, but it looks like the engine is good which is the important thing. The Hendrick Motorsports engine shop does a great job with our engines and that thing is totally fine. We just have something going on that is shaking the car, so we just have to figure that out.”

GREG IVES, CREW CHIEF FOR THE NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 1LE
“Obviously, we were trying to run as hard as we could there at the beginning of the race. We wanted to try to stay in the draft and understand what the handling was. He felt it handled fine and then went towards the back of the pack. Alex (Bowman) felt and heard something in the engine which turned into a vibration in the chassis. Being a non-points race and being locked in, it allowed us to do some things that would make us a few laps down. We talked through engine diagnostics and sent some guys over pit wall who don’t normally go over the wall. Our Ally Racing team was able to go through some tire sets to make sure it wasn’t that. There were a lot of things you always think you are going to be prepared for until you actually go through them. I feel like we did a good job understanding it and hopefully we are able to diagnose it and make sure everything is good.”

Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 75 countries with nearly 4 million cars and trucks sold in 2019. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found www.chevrolet.com.

Austin Dillon steals second Bluegreen Vacation Duel win over Bubba Wallace

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images.

With a strong push from Kevin Harvick and a crossover move to overtake Bubba Wallace approaching the finish line, Austin Dillon was able to steal the win in the second Bluegreen Vacations Duel at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday, February 11. With his first Duel career victory, Dillon will line up in fourth place for Sunday’s Daytona 500.

The lineup for the first duel event was based off of the Daytona 500 pole position qualifying session on Wednesday, February 10, where the even-numbered qualifiers in their respective order competed. With that, William Byron, the outside pole-sitter for the 2021 Daytona 500, started on pole position and was joined on the front row with Bubba Wallace. Joey Gase started at the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments.

When the green flag waved and the race commenced following a delay of more than two and a half hours due to rain, Byron jumped ahead with the advantage while Wallace and Kevin Harvick battled behind. Through the backstretch and in Turn 3, Wallace gained a run on Byron and overtook him to take the lead as he led the first lap. 

The following lap and with the field fanning out to two and three lanes, Byron was able to utilize the inside lane to lead the following lap over Wallace, who moved to the outside lane. 

After leading the second lap, Byron pulled ahead followed by Austin Dillon, Kevin Harvick and Chase Elliott while Wallace was shuffled back on the outside lane and in a three-wide pack. 

By the fifth lap, the top-10 competitors led by Byron were running in a single-file line on the inside. In addition, Noah Gragson, who started at the rear of the field, was in ninth place and leading the way as the highest non-chartered competitor on the field while Kaz Grala was in 14th.

Through the first 10 laps of the race, Byron was still out in front followed by Austin Dillon, Harvick, Elliott and Kurt Busch while Ryan Blaney, Wallace, Chris Buescher, Brad Keselowski and Ross Chastain were in the top 10. Garrett Smithley, meanwhile, was the highest non-chartered competitor on the field in 11th while Grala and Gragson were behind in 12th and 13th.

Two laps later, Harvick gained a run on the outside lane to emerge with the lead as Blaney drafted Harvick to the front. Shortly after, Wallace drafted and challenged Blaney for the runner-up spot on the inside lane. 

By Lap 15, Harvick, racing in his No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang, continued to lead by a narrow margin over Blaney and Wallace while Byron and Keselowski were in the top five. 

After leading the next two laps, Wallace got shuffled out of the lead pack after being stuck in the middle lane. With Wallace falling back, Harvick reassumed the top spot followed by teammates Blaney and Keselowski while Byron continued to fight back on the inside lane as he had Austin Dillon, Elliott and Kurt Busch behind him.

Through the first 20 laps of the race, Byron was back in the lead followed by Austin Dillon, Elliott, Harvick, Kurt Busch, Blaney, Keselowski, Corey LaJoie, Truex and Wallace. Gragson and Grala were in 11th and 12th while Garrett Smithley was back in 20th.

Not long after, the field settled in a long single-file lane on the outside lane as Byron continued to lead. 

When the field reached the halfway mark on Lap 30, Byron remained at the front followed by Austin Dillon, Harvick, Blaney and Keselowski with Truex in sixth. Gragson was in seventh while Grala was back in 15th.

Shortly after, Blaney gained a run on the inside lane followed by teammate Keselowski, Wallace and a number of other competitors as Blaney made a bid for the lead.

By Lap 33, Austin Dillon emerged with the lead by a nose over Byron. The following lap, Harvick, who was behind Dillon earlier, emerged with the lead. By then, Austin Dillon was behind him while Truex formed a line leading a bevy of cars on the outside wall.

Two laps later, trouble on the track ensued when rookie Chase Briscoe got loose entering Turn 1 and spun. Behind, rookie Anthony Alfredo and Kaz Grala also got sideways after both made contact against one another as both came to rest alongside Briscoe. Garrett Smithley and B.J. McLeod were also involved in the incident. Following the incident, McLeod and Alfredo retired while Grala, Briscoe and Smithley remained on the track. In the process, Grala, who sustained damage to his No. 16 HyperIce Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, lost a lap to the leaders.

Under caution, the leaders pitted and Blaney emerged with the lead after only taking fuel during his stop. Harvick exited in second place followed by Byron, Austin Dillon, Truex and Wallace.

With 20 laps remaining, the race restarted under green. At the front, Blaney pulled in front of Harvick on the inside lane and retained the lead. In Turn 1 and through the backstretch, Austin Dillon, racing in his No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, gained a run on the outside lane with drafting help from Wallace to challenge Blaney for the lead. His run, however, did not last long as Blaney retained the lead when the field returned to the tri-oval.

The following lap, Byron gained a run on the outside lane through the backstretch and back to the start/finish line to reassume the lead. Soon after, Byron and Austin Dillon battled dead even for the lead with the field fanning out to two lanes and running in a tight pack.

With the race down to the final 15 laps, Byron cleared the field with the lead followed by Austin Dillon, Wallace, Keselowski and Blaney. Behind, Smithley and Gragson were battling one another for a transfer spot to Sunday’s Daytona 500.

With 10 laps remaining, the No. 24 AXALTA Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE driven by Byron was still leading the field followed by Truex, Austin Dillon, the Busch brothers and Harvick. By then, Gragson was in 12th and in the transfer spot to the 500 while Smithley was in 15th. Meanwhile, Wallace and Blaney were shuffled out of the lead pack.

Two laps later, Truex surged his No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry to the lead on the outside lane and with drafting help from Harvick. As Truex took the lead, Harvick was locked in a battle with Byron for the runner-up spot as the field continued to battle tightly in two lanes at the front.

Another two laps later, Harvick, who received a push from Byron, challenged Truex on the inside lane to take the lead.

Down to the final five laps of the race, Harvick continued to lead while Keselowski challenged Truex for the runner-up spot. Not long after, Wallace shoved Truex to the lead as Kyle Busch also moved up into third place.

The following lap, trouble ensued behind when Smithley, who attempted to shove his way in between Keselowski and Gragson past the tri-oval, made contact with Keselowski and turned him into Gragson. The contact ignited a multi-car wreck that also collected Byron and Ross Chastain. 

The damage was enough for Byron to sacrifice his front row starting spot for the 500 with the team moving to a back-up car. In addition, Gragson was knocked out of the race as his hopes of making Sunday’s Daytona 500 and his Cup debut with Beard Motorsports disappeared. Smithley continued, though he lost two laps to the leaders. In the midst of everything, Grala received the free pass to return on the lead lap as his hopes of making the 500 were rejuvenated.

The late multi-car wreck sent the race into overtime. At the start, Truex pulled in front of Wallace to retain the lead with Kyle Busch tucked in behind both in third place. Truex was able to retain the lead as he started the final lap, though he had Wallace, Austin Dillon, Kyle Busch and Harvick closing in for one final charge.

Entering the backstretch, Wallace and Austin Dillon, both racing with momentum on the inside and outside lane, left Truex stuck in the middle with no drafting help as Wallace took the lead with drafting help from Kyle Busch’s No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry.

Through Turn 3 and entering the tri-oval, Wallace moved his No. 23 DoorDash Toyota Camry up in an attempt to block Austin Dillon, who had a run with drafting help from Harvick. Dillon, however, made a crossover move on the inside lane and was able to squeak ahead following light contact with Wallace to win by 0.057 seconds. 

With his victory, Dillon will attempt to win his second Daytona 500 title after winning his first in 2018.

“I was talking to my spotter before the restart and he was like, ‘We’ve got [Harvick] behind us and he’s been pushing well all night.’ He had [Blaney] so I knew the manufacturer thing was going to be tough,” Dillon said. “I made a decent block on the backstretch and just a heck of a push through [Turns] 3 and 4. I knew Bubba was going to try and block, but I just whipped the wheel and it worked out well.”

Wallace, in his first run with 23XI Racing, settled in a strong second-place result as he will line up in sixth place for Sunday’s 500. Despite the strong run, Wallace was anything but pleased with the result.

“Lot of mistakes,” Wallace said. “Good debut, but nothing to be really happy about on myself. It’s okay for drivers to be hard on themselves. That’s how we motivate ourselves, to get out and do better…It was a good night, but I got some learning to do.” 

Harvick crossed the line in third place followed by Kyle Busch and Elliott. Blaney, Corey LaJoie, Ragan, Kurt Busch and Buescher rounded out the top 10 on the track. Truex fell all the way back to 12th place behind Keselowski.

David Ragan, who was guaranteed a spot in the 500 based on his qualifying speed a day earlier, was able to improve his starting spot for the main event after claiming a transfer spot on the track via the duel. With that, Kaz Grala, who finished 14th, secured the final starting spot for the 500. With his accomplishment, Grala will be making his second career start in the Cup Series in Sunday’s Daytona 500 as Kaulig Racing will be making its second consecutive Daytona 500 appearance.

“It’s great,” Grala said. “Obviously, we knew coming into it, this was going to be a really hard year to make the race — excellent competition, great teams, great drivers trying to make this race without charters. So we knew it was a tall order, but I will say now, being able to breathe a sigh of relief that we are in, it makes it that much sweeter knowing that we beat some real incredible teams and drivers to get into this race.”

Garrett Smithley and Gragson, both of whom finished 16th and 18th, failed to qualify for the 500, joining Ty Dillon and Timmy Hill.

There were 14 lead changes for six different leaders. The race featured two cautions for eight laps.

Results.

1. Austin Dillon, two laps led

2. Bubba Wallace, three laps led

3. Kevin Harvick, 11 laps led

4. Kyle Busch

5. Chase Elliott

6. Ryan Blaney, four laps led

7. Corey LaJoie

8. David Ragan

9. Kurt Busch

10. Chris Buescher

11. Brad Keselowski

12. Martin Truex Jr., nine laps led

13. Joey Gase

14. Kaz Grala

15. Chase Briscoe, two laps down

16. Garrett Smithley, two laps down

17. Derrike Cope, four laps down

18. Noah Gragson – OUT, Accident

19. William Byron – OUT, Accident, 34 laps led

20. Ross Chastain – OUT, Accident

21. Anthony Alfredo – OUT, Accident

22. B.J. McLeod – OUT, Accident

With the 2021 Daytona 500 starting grid officially set, the main event will occur on Sunday, February 14, with coverage on FOX at 2:30 p.m. ET.

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