Lap by Lap: Budweiser Duel Race No. 1 won by Kevin Harvick
Kevin Harvick would take the lead on lap 38 and hold serve through the pit stops to win the first Gatorade Duel. It gives Harvick his second win in a row after winning the Sprint Unlimited last Saturday night.
Lap 1 Danica leads…….Bayne to the front with a push from Hamlin. Bayne to the lead with Patrick and Hamlin side-by-side for second
Lap 3 Bayne leads Hamlin and Mears ahead of Patrick and Truex
Lap 4 Hamlin dropped down to the bottom in front of Patrick, side by side with Bayne for the lead.
Lap 5 Bayne leads with Mears in toe while Hamlin and Truex are side-by-side for third
Lap 6 Bayne Mears Truex Keselowski Logano Biffle Waltrip single file on the outside.
Lap 15 the top 19 run single file
Lap 23 Top 10 are now only single file as the field is two-by-two behind them.
Lap 24 Top 13 are single file
Lap 34 top four single-file while Logano and Harvick are side-by-side for fifth
Lap 38 leaders came up on the lap car of Brian Keselowski – able to make it through. Harvick to the lead as pit stops begin. Nemechek and Reuitmann pit. Harvick Bayne Mears Truex Biffle lead the field.
22 to go Bobby Labonte pits
21 to go David Gilliland pits. Harvick Bayne Mears Truex Biffle Johnson single-file ahead of the field
20 to go Keselowski Logano Speed Smith and Montoya pit.
19 to go Rest of the field pits, including the top six.
18 to go Harvick leads Biffle Truex Johnson and Mears. Brian Keseloski pits
L43 — Kevin Harvick leads, then 16 56 48 13 99 78 14 26 11 21 88 22 51 47 2 42 10 83 87 95 38 / 52.
10 to go Harvick leads Biffle as top four are single-file. Gilliland goes a lap down.
9 to go Harvick leads Biffle Truex Johnson single-file ahead of the field. Mears leads the second pack ahead of Waltrip and Edwards.
Caution 8 to go Hamlin, Regan Smith Edwards and Bayne wreck. Hamlin got sideways and came down into Edwards, triggering the wreck.
Restart lap 57 of 60…..Biffle and Harvick side by side for the lead. Harvick gets the upperhand on the outside with Johnson and Biffle side by side for second
2 to go Harvick and Biffle pulling away from the field as it’s three wide behind them
Harvick wins the Budweiser Duel ahead of Greg Biffle. Montoya. Johnson. Kurt Busch. Truex. Stewart. Keselowski. Mears. Earnhardt Jr. Michael Waltrip edges Scott Speed for the last spot to qualify for the 500.
Truex got the black flag on the last lap due to no side window so he does not finish top 10. The drivers that race their way in through the Duel are now 29 16 42 48 78 14 2 13 88 22 47 38 87 26 95. Daytona 500 Pole sitter Danica Patrick finished 17th.
Charlotte Motor Speedway Bans Smoking at The Track
Charlotte, NC – In a statement released yesterday, February 20th, 2013, Charlotte Motor Speedway announced that it has made the move to a smoke-free facility, or at least in the grandstands and most public areas. Along with CMS, zMax Dragway and the Dirt Track at Charlotte are also going to be smoke-free.
Along with the move to ban smoking in the stands, CMS has added plans to have several “smokers lounges” complete with couches, high top tables and flat screen televisions so the fans that use them can still keep track of what is happening in the track.
Charlotte Motor Speedway Communications Manager, Jonathan Coleman, said in an email this morning that, “..smoking will still be permitted in open-air campgrounds, parking lots, hospitality and souvenir display areas. “ Mr. Coleman also noted that the policy change is “..a result of extensive fan feedback over the last several years.”
Officials felt said they felt that this was a better option than banning smoking entirely as has happened in some other sport venues and that the move will hopefully allow all race fans to have a more enjoyable experience on race weekends at CMS.
Do you think this was a good move on the part of the track or are they taking away from your ability to enjoy the sport?
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