Lap by Lap: Sprint Unlimited won by Kevin Harvick
With a thrilling block on the last lap, Kevin Harvick would take the victory in the Sprint Unlimited as he heads into his final season with Richard Childress Racing.
Lap 1 Kasey Kahne and Greg Biffle side-by-side for the lead. Biffle gets the shot and leads ahead of Kahne and Hamlin.
Lap 2 Biffle leads Kahne Hamlin Truex Gordon Almirola. Truex trying to make a run on the outside with help from Almirola.
Lap 3 Truex passes Biffle for the lead
Lap 4 Truex leads Almirola Ambrose Biffle Kenseth. Terry Labonte to pit road.
Lap 5 Truex leads as Almirola and Ambrose run side-by-side for second. Tuex leads Kenseth Ambrose Earnhardt Jr Biffle……Kenseth to the lead as the field splits through turn two. Almirola back to 17th
Lap 6 Kenseth leads Ambrose Biffle Truex Hamlin
Lap 7 Kenseth leads Ambrose Biffle Earnhardt Jr. Hamlin…..Edwards and Kahne pass Hamlin for fifth.
Lap 8 Top three single file while Earnhardt Jr. and Edwards are side-by-side for fourth
Lap 14 Kenseth leads Ambrose Biffle Stewart Kurt Busch
Caution lap 15 Stewart gets sideways trying to get under Kenseth, everybody reacts behind – Hamlin gets into Johnson and the wreck is on. Collected include Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch. Stewart takes full apology for incident on radio.
Restart lap 20 Kenseth leads Stewart and Biffle
Lap 23 Biffle takes the lead for a moment, before Kenseth goes back by with help from Harvick
Lap 26 Kenseth leads Harvick Truex Stewart Kahne Edwards
Lap 28 Kenseth leads Harvick Stewart Edwards Truex
Lap 29 Stewart passes Harvick for second
Lap 30 Stewart passes Kenseth for the lead with help from Harvick.
Stewart leads segment 1 ahead of Kenseth Harvick
Restart – Stewart and Harvick start side-by-side……Stewart leads Kahne while Kenseth and Harvick side-by-side for third
Lap 32 Stewart Kahne Harvick Kenseth Truex……Kenseth by Harvick for third…….Stewart lead as Kahne and Harvick side-by-side for second.
Lap 34 Stewart Harvick Kahne Kenseth Biffle……Harvick by Stewart with help from Biffle
Lap 35 Harvick leads as Biffle and Stewart run side-by-side for second……Harvick Biffle Logano Earnhardt Jr. Stewart
Lap 41 Harvick leads Biffle Stewart Truex Logano…..Harvick leads as Biffle and Stewart side-by-side for second
Lap 42 Harvick and Stewart side-by-side for the lead
Lap 43 Stewart leads Harvick Truex Biffle Kenseth
Lap 50 Harvick leads Biffle Logano Ambrose Truex
Lap 53 Stewart and Earnhardt Jr. make contact…Earnhardt Jr. drops back to rear with possible issue.
Lap 55 Harvick Biffle Logano Truex Kenseth Ambrose – ends of segment
Start of Segment 3: 29-16-22-14-56-20-9-5-42-43-99-88
Restart lap 56 Harvick with the edge due to help from Stewart, Kenseth third, Biffle fourth…….Kenseth by Stewart for second……Kenseth beside Stewart for first
Lap 56 Harvick leads as Kenseth and Stewart run side-by-side for second…….
Lap 57 Harvick Stewart KEnseth Logano Kahne……Harvick and Kenseth side-by-side for the lead
Lap 59 Harvick leads as Kenseth and Stewart side-by-side for second at line
Lap 60 Harvick Kenseth Stewart Logano Kahne
Lap 61 Harvick Stewart single-file at the front while Kenseth side-by-side with Logano
Lap 62 Kenseth to the front of the field
Lap 63 Harvick back to the lead ahead of Stewart Logano Kenseth Biffle
Lap 64 Harvick Stewart Kenseth Biffle Truex
Lap 65 Harvick Stewart single-file while Almirola and Kenseth are side-by-side for third
10 laps to go .. Harvick Stewart Biffle Kenseth Almirola Truex Edwards Kahne DaleJr Logano Montoya Ambrose.
Lap 66 Kenseth slides back to seventh so its Harvick Stewart Biffle Almirola Edwards Logano Kenseth
Lap 69 Harvick leads Stewart Biffle Almirola Edwards Logano and Kahne single-file
6 to go Harvick leads Stewart Biffle Almirola Edwards Logano and Kahne ….Kenseth Truex Earnhardt Jr single-file
5 to go Earnhardt Jr. passes Truex
3 to go Kenseth makes a move, trying to pass Kahne……Kahne, Kenseth, Earnhardt Jr. and Truex losing the draft.
2 to go Harvick, Stewart, Biffle, Almirola, Edwards and Logano make up the lead draft…..blackflag No. 99 for rightside window
White flag Logano to the bottom, beginning to pass Almirola and Edwards…….Logano and Kenseth begin to make a move, Stewart blocks, Harvick blocks…..Harvick goes up and blocks Biffle.
Kevin Harvick wins the Sprint Unlimited. Greg Biffle. Joey Logano. Tony Stewart. Matt Kenseth. Aric Almirola. Kasey Kahne. Carl Edwards. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Martin Truex Jr.
Blake Koch Keeping Faith Into Daytona
Blake Koch, Nationwide driver for SR² Motorsports, has all the faith in the world as he returns to his team and heads into the season opener at Daytona.
“I’m really excited to be teaming with SR² Motorsports for the 2013 season,” Koch said. “Our team chemistry is solid.”
“In the races we completed last season, we worked well together and developed a good understanding for how our race cars need to be set up,” Koch continued. “We have great note packages to build on from last year, which have laid a good foundation for this year.”
“We grew leaps and bounds last season and I’m optimistic that we’ll continue that this year.”
Koch’s team owner Jason Sciavicco also has great faith in his 26 year old driver.
“Everyone at SR² Motorsports is very excited to have Blake Koch return in 2013,” Sciavicco said. “What he believes in as a person really fits our team model and where we’re heading.”
“We also believe he has the talents behind the wheel to deliver the results we are expecting.”
With the confidence of his owner in hand, Koch also has his own faith in his ability to not only get back into the race car but to take it straight to victory lane.
“I made my first Nationwide start in 2009 and then I ran full-time in 2011 and started with SR² Motorsports last year,” Koch said. “My goals over the last couple of years have been different because I’ve been points racing.”
“But me, my team and my owner, we’re going to Daytona to win the race,” Koch continued. “We know it’s possible.”
“We’ll have a great Toyota and our speedway program is probably our best program right now,” Koch said. “We’re definitely going there to win.”
Koch, like many of his fellow racers, believes that the Nationwide Series will indeed be one of the most competitive in the sport. And he is definitely planning to be right in the mix of the intense competition.
“I haven’t been in the Nationwide Series as long as others but since I’ve been in, this will be by far the most competitive season there has been,” Koch said. “You have guys that win Cup races on a regular basis, like Brian Vickers, Trevor Bayne, and Regan Smith.”
“So, the smaller teams have our work cut out for us,” Koch continued. “But at a place like Daytona, anything can happen.”
“You just have to make friends on the race track, get drafting partners and be there at the end and just go for it,” Koch said. “The season is going to be great.”
“I’m just excited and blessed to be a part of it for another year.”
Koch also has faith that the new manufacturer identity and branding will continue to build the sport and increase the popularity of NASCAR even further.
“Everybody likes a cool, sporty looking car,” Koch said. “So if the car you’re watching winning a race on Saturday in the Nationwide Series looks like the one you are driving everyday on the road, you’re going to have a tighter connection.”
“You’re going to feel really cool and proud to drive that brand,” Koch continued. “I think it’s cool that our cars look like the street cars.”
“A lot of fans don’t know a lot about our cars so it’s great for all of the brands.”
While Koch acknowledges that the Nationwide season may be some of the best racing around in 2013, he also believes that his season will be positive thanks to his own faith, which is shared with many in his fan base.
“I have a separate and different fan base than other drivers,” Koch said. “A lot of my fans come from the faith-based area.”
“I do a lot of speaking at churches and I’ve been on Christian television shows,” Koch continued. “So, a lot of fans are following me because they like what I stand for.”
“And now they are watching NASCAR and becoming fans of the sport,” Koch said. “So, I think that bringing that to the table is cool.”
“That’s just helping build the sport and build NASCAR.”
In addition to his strong faith, one of the biggest motivators in Koch’s life is his belief in helping others. Koch had the opportunity to demonstrate this belief by visiting Tripp Halstead, who injured when a tree limb struck his head, and also participating in a golf tournament to raise funds to help the youngster before heading to Daytona.
“The golf tournament went awesome,” Koch said. “We had a great time and it was awesome to see all the people there support Tripp and his family.”
“There were 60 plus teams so it’s cool to see people step up for someone in need.”
“I met Tripp through my team owner, who told me before we went to Homestead for the championship race that we were going to have Team Boom on the car to raise awareness for Tripp and his family,” Koch said. “I’m really glad to be a part of a team with that kind of heart.”
“Tripp’s signature thing is to run into people and say ‘Boom’, Koch said. “He’s a big Lightning McQueen fan from the movie Cars and a big racing fan.”
“I met Tripp for the first time on Friday and we saw him and his mother in the hospital,” Koch continued. “It’s tough to see but the family has such a great attitude.”
“People have been so supportive,” Koch said. “Even Owen Wilson from the movie Cars called and talked to Tripp.”
“Little things like that have really been inspiring to the family to see how much people care.”
Koch also has a strong commitment to living out his faith by helping others, especially since he himself is a new dad to his son, born August 5th.
“I have a new respect for Tripp’s parents now that I’m a new father,” Koch said. “I can’t really imagine what they are going through to have their son in the hospital for so long.”
“I definitely have a burden in my heart for this and I want to do anything I can to help,” Koch continued. “It’s a love that you have for your child that is unexplainable.”
“That is why it touches me to see what Tripp and his family are going through.”
So, will Koch have even added faith and motivation headed into Daytona with Team Boom on his car? And will his faith see him through even though his own future is uncertain?
“I would say for sure I’m motivated,” Koch said. “I’m a very motivated race car driver so I really don’t need added motivation but I do want to do as well as I can for Tripp.”
“I want to do the best I can every week,” Koch continued. “We’re going to go to Daytona, unload in qualifying trim and then go right to drafting.”
“We want to make sure our car sucks good and that we can push and be pushed in the pack,” Koch said. “I’m not going there to points race because I don’t know what the rest of the season looks like.”
“I don’t know anything else besides Daytona,” Koch continued. “I’m not going to worry about tomorrow.”
“I’m going to concentrate on today,” Koch said. “I’m going to try to win the race and Lord willing, I hope that happens.”
Rating the Race – ARCA at Daytona
Why I watched…
ARCA’s offering promised to showcase 19-year old Darrell Wallace Jr, who has a lot of folks gushing but I had yet to lay eyes on him. Seemed a good enough reason as any to watch some stock cars at the big track to open the new season. Other tidbits included a 78-year old James Hylton beginning his 50th and final season, Bobby Gerhart was seeking his 9th win in this race, while Frank Kimmel sought his 77th career win but his first at Daytona. Still, the very fact they were running stock cars at Daytona to break the two month hiatus seemed a good enough reason to me.
The race…
Daytona is one of those tracks that just lends itself to stimulating visuals, with those high banks and close formation racing. Even when it lacks drama, it still is cool to watch.
We had the unexpected in the late going. It appeared Bobby Gerhart was cruising to a win comfortably up front, but that changed with six laps to go. Earlier, from the broadcast booth, Kyle Busch observed that Gerhart might have bolted from pit row before getting a full tank and he proved prophetic when the 8-time race winner coughed and sputtered with six laps remaining to wind up parked and 28th.
We had some drama, when we saw Darrell Wallace Jr race for all of 19 laps. Too bad about the folks checking in front of him, which caused him to bump Justin Boston. When Boston’s car swerved right back to return the favor, Wallace was out of the race. At least he gets to return to run in the NASCAR truck series on Friday.
Frenchman Julien Jousse was blowing water from the start, did not get it cooled on the track and did not pit so it came as no surprise to see him blow up after ten laps. If the goal was to blow engine parts everywhere and go up in flames, they succeeded brilliantly.
On the downside, those two early cautions brought us lots of caution laps, some delay in getting the field back in order, and a lot of commercials to watch. As I watch the race between 30 minutes and an hour behind live time so I can analyze the race as I go, the PVR is my friend. If you were watching it live, it had to be painful.
Of note, the first lap was led by a woman. Milka Duno was there on the first lap, but the 40-year old Venezuelan filtered back as things progressed to wind up 29th at the end of 80 laps.
Frank Kimmel led the second pack, well behind the leaders, to finish fourth. James Hylton, who began his career as a mechanic for Rex White when he won the Cup title back in 1960, was 25th.
In the end, it came down to 23-year old Georgian John Wes Townley trying to stave off 20-year old Nationwide rookie Kyle Larson for the win. Thanks to a trio of lapped cars on the final lap we did not get to see any last moment drama at the finish line.
Rating this race (7/10)
The fact I did not feel compelled to fast forward through the action must mean something. It might have been the main thing, but also the unexpected element that kept Gerhart from walking away with the win in the end rewarded me for watching.
Patrick among the fastest ahead of Daytona 500 qualifying
Two practice sessions into her first full-season in the Sprint Cup Series, it’s been all success for high profile rookie Danica Patrick.
Saturday at the Daytona International Speedway it was Patrick atop the board in qualifying practice, second behind Joey Logano in the first session before leading the second session later in the day.
“It feels good, it does. There is a lot of year left and we are going to have a lot of challenging weekends,” said Patrick afterwards about coming out of the gate fast. “I have no doubt about it. But, we need to enjoy the good ones. So far this has been a good one.
“There is no better place to have a good race than the very first one of the year. It sets the tone and gives the guys confidence and after we go away a good memory, which is nice to have too. So far so good for us, however, all the stuff that counts is what’s next. Hopefully, that keeps going in the way that is has already.”
The newest addition to the NSCS and Stewart-Haas Racing brings plenty of attention with her, even more so the faster she is on track. So far, so good in the speed department as Patrick has been one to watch and she believes crew chief Tony Gibson is the reason why.
He’s dead serious, she said, about winning poles and giving her the fastest car he can, along with a team who has the confidence to go out and become just the fourth rookie team – first since Jimmie Johnson in 2002 – to start the Daytona 500 on the pole.
Qualifying for the 55th annual Daytona 500 takes place on Sunday afternoon. Patrick will be the eighth of 45 drivers to take time. In order to secure her spot for the year’s biggest race, she needs to qualify either on the front row or finish well enough in her Budweiser Duel race on Thursday.
“Everything that we do is to make sure that we do whatever we can to be on the pole tomorrow,” Patrick noted.
“That is what we are shooting for. Tomorrow is a whole other day. You’ve got to hope that the weather stays very consistent or perhaps better at the beginning when I’m going to go than at the end. All those things play into it.”
While she’s eligible to run for Rookie of the Year this season, and will do so against two-time Nationwide Series champion and boyfriend Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Patrick is no rookie to the 500. Last season in her debut she started 29th but finished 38th after being caught up in the big wreck on lap two.
Her outlook on not only the season, but Speedweeks this year around are much different. Feeling much more prepared and having things going smoothly, Patrick’s mentality is about more than just surviving and logging laps, pole contention is within reach.
“It would be really nice. It is a very big pole of all of them in the year for attention,” she said on Saturday. “Especially for GoDaddy who is on the car, people like that, that is who that helps the most. There are other races throughout the year that as a driver you feel maybe more pleased or proud of yourself to get.
“This one is a whole team effort. I know I don’t give much credit to myself about driving and turning left. And that is true; it’s very much about the car and the engine. It is a team effort I understand that, the driver can make tiny little differences out there, be smooth, and nail your shifts and being smooth with the wheel.
“The pole at Daytona is very much a team pole.”
John Wes Townley wins ARCA Lucas Oil 150 Giving Venturini First Daytona Victory
For 30 years, Venturini Motorsports has been a fixture in the ARCA Racing Series. However, one thing has alluded them – winning at Daytona International Speedway. That all changed in their 31st year at Daytona as John Wes Townley took the victory in the Lucas Oil 150.
“This is just a great day for Venturini Motorsports,” Townley said. “This is priceless. I almost wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. It’s a real honor.”
It also marks the first career victory for Townley.
“I’m exastic,” Townley said in victory lane. “I have no words to say.I just got to thank Zaxby’s and Venturini Motorsports for this opportunity. It’s one thing to win your first race in ARCA, it’s another to win at Daytona.”
Townley was in second place with seven laps to go while Bobby Gerhart led. However, as the field came off turn four, Gerhart slowed immediately, moving to the inside which allowed Townley to get by.
“I don’t know what happened,” Townley said of Gerhart. “At some point, he got out of the throttle.”
Gerhart would stall on the inside of the track a lap later, out of gas. There’d be no caution due to his Chevrolet being out of the way. Townley then held off rookie Kyle Larson to take the checkered flag.
“Well, as far as I know, we just had luck on our side,” Townley said. “At a place like this, that’s just what you need. You just need to bide your time and not do anything stupid.”
Townley had taken a break from racing due to having a season of multiple wrecks in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, however returned to tackle the ARCA schedule this year with Venturini Motorsports.
“Realized at some point, when you quit something you never get any better,” he said. “So I decided to come back out here.”
Venturini Motorsports car owner Billy Venturini says the win is the most meaningful in his family’s entire racing career.
“This is the first time I cried in victory lane,” he said. “This was definitely the highlight of our entire racing career. I think we’ve won at just about every other track we go to except here.”
Meanwhile, young Kyle Larson would finish the race second on the road to getting ready to run the Nationwide Series opener next weekend.
“It wasn’t a bad race,” Larson said. “I had a good time and I’m really looking forward to the NASCAR Nationwide Series race next weekend.”
Larson had tried planning a move with other drivers, but it just wasn’t there.
“The race went pretty smooth,” he said. “But, I couldn’t really make any moves. I was wide open. We’ll take second.”
Coulter Motorsports driver Ricky Ehrgott finished third, followed by Frank Kimmel and Sean Corr. Brennan Newberry finished sixth, followed by Mason Mingus, Mark Thompson, Matt Kurzejewski and Chad Boat.
The 150 mile race saw three cautions, including a big wreck involving eight drivers. On lap 20, Darrell Wallace Jr. would get into the back of of his Venturini Motorsports teammate Justin Boston, causing to go sideways, collecting Steve Kemp, Brett Hudson, Drew Charlson, Mason Mitchell, Caleb Armstrong and Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell.
“I don’t know what to say,” Wallace Jr. said. “I just ran into the back of him. Just disappointing.”
“It’s definitely a tough deal to come down and race and end up with a torn racecar,” Boston said. “It sucks that we have two torn up cars. It’s just disappointing.”
The first caution came out on lap 10 for Julien Jousse blowing a motor while the third caution came out on lap 27 for debris after Will Kimmel blew a motor.
Milka Duno, who started second in her Venturini Motorsports Toyota, led the race early on till the first pit stop at lap 18. She would have transmission problems on lap 27, causing her to go behind the wall for five laps.
Another driver with bad luck was Chris Buescher as he went behind the wall for six laps due to electrical issues.
Race Results
| 2013 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards Event #1 | ||||||
| Daytona Int’l Speedway, Daytona Beach Florida, 2-16-13 | ||||||
| Lucas Oil 200 presented by MAVTV American Real | ||||||
| Final Results | ||||||
| FIN | STR | NO | DRIVER/HOMETOWN | TEAM & CAR | LAPS | STATUS |
| 1 | 1 | 15 | John Wes Townley/Watkinsville GA | Zaxby’s Toyota | 80 | Running |
| 2 | 11 | 4 | Kyle Larson/Elk Grove CA | Cessna Chevrolet | 80 | Running |
| 3 | 7 | 16 | Ricky Ehrgott/New York NY | Sandvik Coromant-Rev1 Power Services Chevrolet | 80 | Running |
| 4 | 19 | 44 | Frank Kimmel/Clarksville IN | Ansell-Menards Toyota | 80 | Running |
| 5 | 18 | 82 | Sean Corr/Goshen NY | Warriors In The Workplace-RoushYates Ford | 80 | Running |
| 6 | 15 | 92 | Brennan Newberry/Bakersfield CA | Fight For Life Chevrolet | 80 | Running |
| 7 | 9 | 32 | Mason Mingus/Brentwood TN | 811 Call Before You Dig-Diamond Equipment Toyota | 80 | Running |
| 8 | 16 | 62 | Mark Thompson/Cartersville GA | Phoenix Air Chevrolet | 80 | Running |
| 9 | 29 | 54 | Matt Kurzejewski/Mansfield PA | Costy’s Energy Services-Lexington Daytona Dodge | 80 | Running |
| 10 | 12 | 52 | Chad Boat/Phoenix AZ | Curb Records Chevrolet | 80 | Running |
| 11 | 14 | 22 | Michel Disdier/Nice France | auto-us.com Dodge | 80 | Running |
| 12 | 10 | 77 | Tom Hessert/Cherry Hill NJ | Barbera’s Autoland-Cunningham Motorsports Dodge | 80 | Running |
| 13 | 23 | 99 | Mason Mitchell/W. Des Moines IA | Roulo Brothers Racing Ford | 80 | Running |
| 14 | 24 | 08 | Clay Campbell/Martinsville VA | Mountain Dew Ford | 80 | Running |
| 15 | 30 | 02 | Josh Williams/Port Charlotte FL | Southwest Florida Cable Construction Ford | 80 | Running |
| 16 | 22 | 42 | Bo Lemastus/Louisville KY | Crosley Radio Dodge | 80 | Running |
| 17 | 40 | 88 | Buster Graham/Lafayette LA | Don Mashburn Inc Ford | 79 | Running |
| 18 | 26 | 19 | Donnie Neuenberger/Edgewater MD | Eagle Convenience Stores Chevrolet | 79 | Running |
| 19 | 28 | 75 | Benny Chastain/Tallahassee FL | Bob Schacht Motorsports Chevrolet | 79 | Running |
| 20 | 39 | 06 | Dexter Stacy/Kahnawake Quebec | Maddie’s Place Chevrolet | 79 | Running |
| 21 | 32 | 23 | Spencer Gallagher/Las Vegas NV | Allegiant Air Chevrolet | 79 | Running |
| 22 | 34 | 2 | Thomas Praytor/Mobile AL | ARCA Mobile 200-RoushYates Ford | 78 | Running |
| 23 | 37 | 34 | Rick Clifton/Circleville OH | BASF Chevrolet | 78 | Running |
| 24 | 25 | 30 | Terry Jones/Amherstburg Ontario | J-ARR Excavating Dodge | 78 | Running |
| 25 | 36 | 10 | Ed Pompa/Ballston Spa NY | Milton Cat-Double H Ranch Chevrolet | 77 | Running |
| 26 | 38 | 48 | James Hylton/Inman SC | Radon.com Ford | 77 | Running |
| 27 | 31 | 97 | Roger Carter/Sunfield MI | RoadRunnerTheMovie.com/I-96 Speedway Dodge | 76 | Running |
| 28 | 2 | 35 | Milka Duno/Caracas Venezuela | CANTV-Milka Way Toyota | 76 | Running |
| 29 | 3 | 5 | Bobby Gerhart/Lebanon PA | MAVTV TV American Real Chevrolet | 75 | Fuel Pump |
| 30 | 8 | 17 | Chris Buescher/Prosper TX | Roulo Brothers Racing Ford | 74 | Running |
| 31 | 13 | 25 | Justin Boston/Baltimore MD | ZLOOP Computer & Electronics Recycling Centers Toyota | 41 | Accident |
| 32 | 35 | 40 | Galen Hassler/Columbia MO | CheapGasPromo.com Dodge | 39 | Engine |
| 33 | 20 | 68 | Will Kimmel/Sellersburg IN | Gary Yeomans-Clarksville Schwinn Ford | 26 | Accident |
| 34 | 21 | 6 | Caleb Armstrong/New Castle IN | Eddie Sharp Racing Chevrolet | 20 | Accident |
| 35 | 4 | 55 | Darrell Wallace/Mobile AL | Toyota Manufacturing Toyota | 19 | Accident |
| 36 | 27 | 11 | Brett Hudson/Owensboro KY | Hudson Performance Drivelines-Warrick Tubing Dodge | 19 | Accident |
| 37 | 33 | 69 | Steve Kemp/Justin TX | AntlerHuntRanch.com Ford | 19 | Accident |
| 38 | 17 | 3 | Drew Charlson/New Bremen OH | Aluma Aluminum Trailers Chevrolet | 19 | Accident |
| 39 | 6 | 09 | Grant Enfinger/Fairhope AL | Motor Honey-Casite.com Ford | 12 | Rear End |
| 40 | 5 | 94 | Julien Jousse/St. Tropez France | Dave Leiner Racing-Barbarac.fr Toyota | 9 | Engine |
| Menards Pole Award Presented by Ansell: John Wes Townley 49.638 (181.313 mph) | ||||||
| Margin of Victory: 0.173 seconds | Cautions: 3 for 19 laps | |||||
| Time of Race: 1:29:18 | Average Speed: 135.900 mph | |||||
| Lap Leaders: Duno 1-11 (11); Townley 12, 73-80 (9); Kurzejewski 13-14 (2); Williams 15-17 (3); Gerhart 18-72 (55) | ||||||
ARCA Lap by Lap: Lucas Oil 200 won by John Wes Townley
In a dramatic change of events late in the race, pole sitter John Wes Townley would grab the lead in the Lucas Oil 200, taking the victory at Daytona International Speedway. It marked the first win for Townley in ARCA and the first win for Venturini Motorsports in their 31 years of racing at Daytona.
Lap 1 – Milka Duno leads John Wes Townley
Lap 2 – Tom Hessert has problems
Lap 3 – Duno leads Townley
Lap 5 – Duno leads Townley, Bobby Gerhart, Julien Jousse, Ricky Ehrgott
Lap 7 – Ehrgott passes Jousse for fourth as Jousse moves up to get air into the front grill.
Caution Lap 10 Julien Jousse blows the motor up……Leaders pit. Bobby Gerhart first off pit road ahead of John Wes Townley. Some cars stayed out. Chris Buescher stalled on track – no fire, no spark. Serious electrical issues.Grant Enfinger broke a yoke off the driveshaft.
Restart lap 18 as Josh Williams has the lead after not pitting.
Lap 19 Williams and Gerhart side-by-side for the lead.
Lap 20 Wreck – Darrell Wallace Jr., Steve Kemp, Justin Boston, Brett Hudson, Drew Charlson, Wallace Jr., Mason Mitchell, Caleb Armstrong, Clay Campbell got into the back of Boston, turning sideways and starting the wreck. Wallace made contact with Boston as the field began to accordion. Chris Buescher back on track after changing the ignition box.
“I don’t know what to say. I just ran into the back of him. Just disappointing.” Bubba Wallace
“It’s definitely a tough deal to come down and race and end up with a torn racecar. It sucks that we have two torn up cars. It’s just disappointing.” Boston
Restart Lap 26 as Bobby Gerhart leads John Wes Townley. Milka Duno has problems. Will Kimmell just blew a tire.
Caution lap 27 for debris. Milka Duno to the garage. The tranny linkage got stuck. She got back on track, five laps down.
Restart lap 31 Gerhart leads Townley, Praytor. Buescher, who is many laps down, to help Gerhart.
Lap 33 Gerhart leads Praytor, Townely, Boat, Ehrgott. Townley passes Praytor with help.
Lap 37 Ehrgott passes Boat for fourth, Larson is in sixth.
Lap 38 Gerhart leads Townley, Praytor, Ehrgott and Larson as Boat falls through the field.
Halfway
27 to go Through lap traffic, Ehrgott and Larson get by Praytor.
26 to go Gerhart leads Townley, Prayor, Ehrgott, Larson and Praytor
7 to go Buescher slid up track, Gerhart down pit road full speed after possible contact from behind, Townley to the lead ahead of Larson, Ehrgott.
John Wes Townley wins. Larson. Gerhart. Kimmel. Corr. Newberry. Mingus. Thompson. Kurzejewski. Boat.
