Kevin Harvick wins first Budweiser Duel in Daytona
When the field came up on Brian Keselowski to put him a lap down on lap 38, Kevin Harvick used it to his advantage as he made the pass on Greg Biffle to take the lead. Harvick would then hold the lead through pit stops and on the final restart with three to go to take the victory in the first Budweiser Duel at Daytona International Speedway.
It marks the second straight win for Harvick after winning the Sprint Unlimited on Saturday night.
“I think the way it worked out is that you were free and I was definately free on the bottom,” Harvick said. “That’s why I think the top was the way to go. You had to be careful when you made moves or you’d be put to the back pretty quick.”
A pre-race superstition has also built for Harvick as he has put son Keelan in the seat before the start of both races.
“We’re just having a good time,” Harvick said. “Having Delana and Keelan here is relaxing. Keeps me balanced.”
Greg Biffle would finish second, just like in the Sprint Unlimited, as teams work at continuing to learn how the new Gen 6 car will handle in the draft.
“It seemed like the top lane was fast, and then four of us made the bottom work,” Biffle said. “I don’t know if anybody knows yet.”
Juan Pablo Montoya would come through the field late in the race to finish third, followed by Jimmie Johnson and Regan Smith. Tony Stewart finished fifth, followed by Brad Keselowski, Casey Mears and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Joey Logano finished 11th, followed by Bobby Labonte, David Gilliland, Joe Nemechek, Michael Waltrip and Scott Speed.
“I think we have a really good car,” Speed said. “We were really good in the race, blew the pit stop and then in the back had nobody to work with.”
“The choice was obviously made by a bunch of us to run around in circles and just make laps,” Waltrip said.
Martin Truex Jr. crossed the line in ninth, however was blackflagged the last lap due to no side window.
There’d be one caution during the event with eight to go when Denny Hamlin would get loose, getting into Carl Edwards. Trevor Bayne and Regan Smith were also collected in the wreck.
“We were coming up on the pack and the 99 (Edwards) and 13 (Casey Mears) were trying to keep us back there,” Hamlin said. “He came up a bit, I came down and right when I came down to his right rear, I got sideways and was in trouble. Our car was handling good so goes to show you what happen depending what position you put yourself in aero wise.”
We had a really good car,” Bayne said. “You saw Carl get sideways there and get into us. It’s unfortunate. Look at before – we qualified third and then crashed the car so maybe we’ll do that again.”
“I was driving along minding my own business and thought I’d go up there and get a draft and Denny just got sideways behind me,” Edwards said. “This is the fourth car we’ve wrecked while we were down there. Got to thank my guys for wrecking so hard.”
Daytona 500 pole sitter Danica Patrick ran a pretty conservative race, finishing 17th.
“I learned some,” she said. “I feel like what I really need to do is go down to Harvick’s bus and figure out what he is doing cause he has it going on. the top was the way to go. I was easy on the gas at the beginning , to try and not get freight trained. “
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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