Noah Gragson | Todd Gilliland | Zane Smith
Daytona 500 Race Report
Daytona 500 Overview
Date: February 16th, 2025
Event: Race 2 of 38
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Daytona International Speedway (2.5-miles)
Length of Race: 201 Laps over 3 hours, 53 minutes, and 26 seconds.

FRM Finish:

● Noah Gragson (Started 32nd, Finished 28th / Running, completed 198 of 201 laps)
● Todd Gilliland (Started 14th, Finished 27th / Running, completed 199 of 201laps)
● Zane Smith: (Started 37th, Finished 36th / DNF, completed 108 of 201 laps)

Noah Gragson Key Takeaways

Noah Gragson made his first visit to the Daytona International Speedway for Front Row Motorsports (FRM) in the No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse on Sunday night.

Gragson qualified 32nd for the event. Gragson finished 29th in Stage One and 21st in Stage Two.

Through pit strategy and drafting with other Fords, Gragson made his way to the front on the pack and controlling the race from within the top-10. With 15 laps remaining, Gragson was collected in an on-track incident which resulted in damage to his No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse. Crew chief Drew Blickensderfer and the team made the necessary repairs to finish the race.

“We had a really fast car until we got caught up in the wreck,” said Gragson. “The guys did what they could to get me back out there. We’re going to take what we learned in Daytona and keep building and fine tuning the little things as we head to Atlanta.”

Todd Gilliland Key Takeaways

Todd Gilliland made his fourth appearance in the Daytona 500, qualifying 14th for the event, marking his sixth top-15 qualifying result on superspeedways.

Gilliland finished 15th in Stage One and 5th in Stage two, earning valuable stage points in Stage Two.

Drafting with other Fords and strategy calls made by interim crew chief Kevyn Rebolledo, Gilliland showed off his plate racing skills throughout the event, competing heavily with in the top-10 and top five. With 15 laps remaining in the race, Gilliland was collected in an on-track incident resulting in a broken right rear suspension.

“It’s always disappointing when we have finishes like this, but sometimes that’s just how these superspeedway races go,” said Gilliland. “The team brought a really fast No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang Dark Horse and we were in contention, but we just got caught up in a wreck and weren’t able to get our laps back. Regardless, I’m looking forward to Atlanta next week, the speed is there for sure and I think we will be able to contend.”

Zane Smith Key Takeaways

After cutting his right front tire and suffering damage in his Daytona Duel, Zane Smith qualified 37th for the Daytona 500.

Smith didn’t let the qualifying effort hinder him from making his way to the front, getting as high as P2 and competing within the top-20.

With three laps remaining in Stage One, Smith was involved in an accident, suffering damage to his No. 38 Speedy Cash Ford Mustang Dark Horse. The team made the necessary repairs to get back on track but ultimately retired from the race.

“Definitely not how we wanted our race to go, but I am really proud of this 38 group,” said Smith. “From cutting a tire in our Duel to getting in a wreck in the race, we had almost everything go wrong for us this weekend and Ryan (Bergenty) and the team never gave up. I have a good team supporting me, and I am really looking forward to what we accomplish.”

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Craftsman Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 Craftsman Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 34 and No. 38 Craftsman Truck Series teams from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

The 67th running of the Daytona 500 got off to a memorable start for the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team as the Wood Brothers team owners served as Honorary Starters with Eddie Wood waving the green flag to start the race. However, the rest of the race was disappointing as Josh Berry was swept up in a multi-car crash on Lap 63 and wound up finishing 37th.

Berry, who had a fast Mustang Dark Horse throughout the preliminary events at Daytona, started 29th and was running 28th when rain halted the race after 11 laps. After a lengthy delay, drivers returned to the track and ran 11 laps under the caution before a brief shower led to another stoppage. Finally, the skies cleared and the race got under way for good.

With three laps remaining in the first Stage, a wreck unfolded just ahead of Berry and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang. He initially avoided the spinning cars, until one of them slid up the track in front of him and made contact. There was substantial damage to the left front of the Motorcraft Mustang, and Berry headed to pit road for repairs to the cooling system, suspension, front splitter and fender. Berry returned to the track, met minimum speed and got back on the lead lap, but his mechanical problems weren’t over and he went to the garage for repairs. Berry returned to the track 39 laps in arrears, but returned to the garage for good after completing 105 laps.

Eddie Wood said that despite the disappointing outcome of the race, he and his family will long remember the reaction to their selection as Honorary Starters for the 500.

“We all were humbled by the respect shown to us by the fans, the people from NASCAR and the Hall of Fame and by [track president] Frank Kelleher and his staff,” Wood said. “And it was a great honor for me to get to throw the green flag, especially knowing some of the people, including my dad, who had done it before me. Despite our bad luck in the race, there were a lot of positive aspects of this trip to Daytona, and we’re leaving here optimistic about the rest of the season.”

Berry and the Wood Brothers team now head to Atlanta Motor Speedway for next Sunday’s Ambetter Health 400.

About Motorcraft®
Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to under hood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers, independent distributors and automotive-parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty* of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.

About Quick Lane® Tire & Auto Center
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine maintenance, serving all vehicle makes and models. Quick Lane provides a full menu of automotive services, including tires, oil change and maintenance, brakes, batteries, alternator and electrical system, air conditioning system, cooling system, transmission service, suspension and steering, wheel alignment, belts and hoses, lamps and bulbs and wiper blades plus a thorough vehicle checkup report. Service is performed by expert technicians while you wait at any of nearly 800 locations in the U.S., with evening and weekend hours available and no appointment necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.”

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services. The company does that through three customer-centered business segments: Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough EVs along with embedded software that defines exceptional digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs. Additionally, Ford is pursuing mobility solutions through Ford Next, and provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 177,000 people worldwide. More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com.

About Ford Performance
Ford Performance is based in Dearborn, Mich. It is responsible for Ford’s performance vehicle development and major racing operations globally, including NASCAR, IMSA, SRO British GT, FIA World Rally Championship, Supercars Championship, World of Outlaws, Ultra4, SCORE-International, FIA Rally-Raid, Formula Drift, NHRA, Rebelle Rally, Thailand Super Series and our latest commitment in Formula 1 with RedBull Ford Powertrains. Ford Performance also maintains a constantly evolving fleet of electric performance demonstrators to showcase the limits of electrification technology. In addition, the organization also oversees the development of Ford’s racing engines, as well as the outreach programs with all Ford Clubs and Ford enthusiasts. For more information regarding Ford racing’s activities, please visit Performance.Ford.com or follow @FordPerformance on Facebook, Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube.

About Wood Brothers Racing
Founded in 1950 by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood in Stuart, Virginia, Wood Brothers Racing holds a special place in NASCAR history as the sport’s longest-running team. Over eight decades, the team has earned 100 victories in the NASCAR Cup Series, along with 120 poles, and remains proud of its longstanding relationship with Ford Motor Company, fielding only Ford products since its inception. Glenn’s brother, Leonard Wood, played a key role in shaping modern racing by developing the techniques behind today’s pit stops. With a rich legacy rooted in innovation and tradition, Wood Brothers Racing continues to honor its heritage while adapting for the future as it competes in NASCAR’s premier series with Josh Berry.

Buescher: 10th, Keselowski: 26th, Preece 32nd in Daytona 500.”

Daytona Beach, FL (February 16, 2025) – After an interrupted start to Sunday’s Daytona 500 due to intermittent rain showers, Chris Buescher thundered his way to a strong top-10 finish for Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing. Teammate Ryan Preece, in his official debut for RFK, unleashed impressive speed, leading twice for 6 laps. Brad Keselowski displayed early promise, charging from the tail of the field to finish second in the race’s first stage before suffering damage late in the race.

6 Brad Keselowski – RECAP

Blistering early speed and pure determination defined Brad Keselowski’s race in Daytona, but misfortune ultimately hindered his efforts, leaving the No. 6 Cottonelle Ford with a 26th-place finish.

Determined to overcome a series of challenges, Brad Keselowski turned in a gutsy effort in Sunday’s race. Driving a backup car, which had entered the Daytona 500 with the fastest time in final practice, Keselowski fought his way from the rear to nearly win the race’s first stage, finishing second.

As the race wore on, the intensity increased. While navigating traffic, Keselowski narrowly avoided an early incident where several drivers crashed. However, that luck did not hold throughout the race as he sustained damage during two late-race incidents. The No. 6 team made repairs on pit road, and Keselowski was able to complete the race.

17 Chris Buescher – RECAP

Chris Buescher skillfully worked the draft, avoided multiple incidents, and secured a strong top-10 finish in the No. 17 Fastenal Ford at the Daytona 500.

Showing great patience and teamwork, Buescher sought out his RFK teammates on multiple occasions Sunday, helping push them in the draft. Most notably, he helped Ryan Preece capture the lead at lap 80. The Fastenal Ford could work the middle and top grooves with ease but needed more help to work the bottom lane.

As the laps wound down, Buescher navigated through spinning cars, avoiding multiple crashes. He recorded a solid 10th-place finish but wasn’t satisfied.

“It was just a race that didn’t play out like we needed it to. We practiced a lot of things as a group and got really efficient at it in practice,” said Buescher. “We had a ton of potential in this race if it would have started at the right time and had played out a little bit differently.”

60 Ryan Preece – RECAP

Ryan Preece’s No. 60 BuildSubmarines.com Ford was among the fastest cars in this year’s Daytona 500. The Berlin, Connecticut driver led the field twice Sunday for a combined 6 laps before ultimately having his day ended when Christopher Bell’s spinning race car collided with Preece, sending him airborne. Preece was taken to the care center and released without injury after the spectacular crash.

Preece started the day with a patient approach, studying the draft and biding his time. By lap 75, though, he had hooked up with teammate Chris Buescher in the draft and found himself leading the pack by lap 80 and again on lap 98.

Preece, however, would not get the finish he deserved after his car received a direct hit from Bell’s damaged machine. Preece’s crash ended what was a very promising day with a 32nd-place finish.

“I was in line, pushing, and when you get down to the end of these races, we are all just really aggressive because you have to be aggressive. It’s just the position we’re in. We had a really fast BuildSubmarines.com Ford Mustang, and it’s just frustrating when you can’t do anything with it,” said Preece.

Up Next
The Atlanta Motor Speedway: Sunday, February 23, 2025 @ 3:00pm FOX Sports

About RFK Racing
RFK Racing, in its 38th season in 2025, features an ownership lineup pairing one of the sport’s most iconic names, Jack Roush, with NASCAR Champion Brad Keselowski and Fenway Sports Group owner John Henry. Roush initially founded the team in 1988, and it has since become one of the most successful racing operations in the world, propelling him to be the first NASCAR owner to amass 300 wins and capture eight championships, including back-to-back NASCAR Cup titles in 2003 and 2004. Keselowski, a former owner in the NASCAR Truck Series, is the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series Champion. In 2007, Roush partnered with Henry, who also owns Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox, English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C., and the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, to form Roush Fenway Racing. Off the track, RFK is a leader and proven winner in NASCAR marketing solutions, having produced multiple award-winning social media, digital content, and experiential marketing campaigns. Visit rfkracing.com and follow the team on all social platforms @rfkracing.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 16, 2025) – The 67th running of the DAYTONA 500 took place on Sunday, Feb. 16 in front of a sell-out crowd. LEGACY MOTOR CLUB had a strong showing during the week at Daytona with Erik Jones finishing second in his Duel qualifier and John Hunter Nemechek clocking the fastest practice time for Toyota on Friday. The race panned out even better with all three cars in the top-12, where Jimmie Johnson finished third, Nemechek scored a career-best finish of fifth place, and Jones finished 12th.

After multiple rain showers, the DAYTONA 500 finally went green after a more than three-hour delay. William Byron claimed the victory in the end.

Below is a look at how the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB entries fared:

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK NO. 42 DOLLAR TREE TOYOTA CAMRY XSE DAYTONA 500 RECAP:

The No. 42 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE rolled off the grid in the 18th position to start the DAYTONA 500. With the skies threatening rain, Nemechek made the most of the opening laps and made a move to the topside of the track to claim the 10th spot before the rains came and put the 67th running of the DAYTONA 500 into delay with just 11 laps on the board. Once a three-plus hour rain delay was lifted, the field once again got rolling. The No. 42 Dollar Tree team played conservatively to stay out of the hornet’s nest and to save fuel for the remaining portion of the stage, coming home with a 36th-place finish in Stage 1.

As the second stage got underway, it was just a couple of laps later, Lap 71, that the race saw its first “Big One”, collecting several cars, including Nemechek. However, the North Carolina driver did a masterful job in keeping his Camry straight and on the track — minimizing the damage to the No. 42 Dollar Tree machine. He came down to the attention of his crew to look over the car; the team didn’t find much damage and bolted on new tires and sent him on his way. While running in 22nd, Nemechek radioed to the crew, “car feels good” — a bullet dodged early in the DAYTONA 500. Putting that incident behind them, Nemechek powered to the top 10 in the running order and was one of the largest movers in the race. With the field running three-by-three throughout the field, the leaderboard was consistently changing. Nemechek eventually finished the middle stage in 17th.

Before the final stage got underway, crew chief, Travis Mack radioed into his driver, “Stage 3 is all about track position, be aggressive, let’s go win the DAYTONA 500.” The race made it to Lap 161 before a yellow came out to set up the fuel window to finish the race and cars quickly ducked down pit road for fuel for the run to the finish. The fuel-only pit stop by the Dollar Tree team vaulted Nemechek up 11 spots to restart in eighth. The 27-year-old was running the highest he had all day and found himself controlling a lane.

Another great piece of driving by Nemechek saw him slip by another “Big One” which included the No. 60, who flipped in Turn 3. By avoiding that accident, Nemechek moved up to the third position for the second-to-last restart. The 2025 DAYTONA 500 would eventually be settled by a NASCAR Overtime and Nemechek survived a wild last lap to score a career-best fifth-place finish.

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK QUOTABLE:

“Well, Daytona really won’t make your season – unless you win it – but I feel like coming out of Daytona wrecked and in a hole, isn’t very good either, so that definitely sucks, when you are deep in a hole like that and you have to crawl your way out of a points deal, but having a solid run like we did, coming home fifth was a really solid day, a really solid effort, really solid Speedweeks from the whole LEGACY MOTOR CLUB group. Excited to see where 2025 goes – we already know we are better than 2024, just how much is the question. We hired a lot of good people in the offseason, so looking forward to seeing what all of the hard work, processes, procedures, personnel, everything that went into the offseason – see what it does for us in 2025.”

ERIK JONES NO. 43 ADVENTHEALTH TOYOTA CAMRY XSE DAYTONA 500 RECAP:

The No. 43 AdventHealth Toyota Camry XSE started from the second row for the Daytona 500. After only 11 laps, there was a red flag due to rain. When it was clear to race, the No. 43 made the restart from the 19th position. The circuit of cars quickly formed three lanes, and the Michigan native chose to ride on the bottom for the majority of Stage 1. The team pitted for a fuel-only stop, no tires, and completed Stage 1 in the ninth position – earning playoff points.

When Stage 2 began, the No. 43 AdventHealth Toyota Camry XSE was prepped in the 13th position, on the inside lane. The crew had an opportunity to pit for fuel due to a caution and moved up six spots as a result. The No. 43 made a move right before the start/finish line of the last lap of the stage to go three wide and earned a seventh-place stage result.

To begin Stage 3, the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB entry restarted 9th, on the bottom lane. The crew pitted once for fuel but only got six and a half gallons in the Toyota rather than the eight needed, so the AdventHealth car took another trip to the pit stall to finish the fuel load. It was then that crew chief Ben Beshore told the driver “we’re pretty good on gas here, hammer down.” The team advanced 20 spots from 30th on Lap 176 and stayed riding the inside lane as the AdventHealth team decided that line had been moving better. A caution flag flew when the No. 60 spun and flipped, causing some fender damage to the No. 43. The crew came down pit road to add four tires and work on the damage – they were on the DVP clock, but sent Jones out before the pace car came back around. The team restarted in the 25th position and steadily made moves to inch closer to the front. The race went into overtime and within the last two laps, another wreck occurred, but the green flag waved, and the No. 43 AdventHealth Toyota Camry XSE finished the DAYTONA 500 with a 13th place finish.

ERIK JONES QUOTABLE:

“We were good, and the AdventHealth Toyota Camry had speed, it was fast. Disappointing of course to run towards the front and have a fast car and not get the result you hope for and expect, but to come out at the start of the season with a top 15, it’s hopeful and shows what’s to hopefully come this season from LEGACY MOTOR CLUB.”

JIMMIE JOHNSON NO. 84 CARVANA TOYOTA CAMRY XSE DAYTONA 500 RECAP:

Jimmie Johnson started the DAYTONA 500 from the 40th position. Johnson and crew chief Chad Johnston had a strategy heading into the event that centered around fuel strategy and racing a clean race.

Stage 1 was eventful for Johnson. He was involved in a multi-car wreck midway through the stage, but after accessing the damage, the No. 84 was fairly unscathed. Johnson finished Stage 1 in 37th.

Stage 2 was more of the same. Johnson maintained track position in 34th for the majority of the Stage and Johnston made a call to bring Johnson into the pits with just two laps to go in the stage. Johnson then pitted for fuel only at the stage break after finishing 34th. He would restart the race from the sixth position as the gas-only stage break stop for the No. 84 gave them great track position.

Stage 3 began strong as Johnson gained 28 positions with the strategy call restarting sixth. He had officially entered the three-wide racing portion of the evening. Throughout the stage, Johnston reminded Johnson to save fuel. A caution flew with 38 to go and the team opted to pit for four seconds of fuel. Johnson rolled down pit lane from sixth but got blocked in the pits by the No. 47 causing Johnson to lose 23 spots. He restarted with 36 to go in 29th. With five laps remaining a red flag flew due to an accident again with the leaders. Johnson was 23rd at the time of the accident.

In a green-white-checkered finish, Johnson went from 13th to third to finish the race for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB and his first top-5 since his final full-time season in 2020.

JIMMIE JOHNSON QUOTABLE:

How were you able to get up to the front?
“What an experience. We tried to play it smart. Chad (Johnston, crew chief) had a great strategy for the third segment. Unfortunately, on one of the pit stops we got blocked in and lost our track position. Still had a good car and a straight car and there at the end I was able to make my way through the crash in the back. I was in a good position and here we are. This is great.”

What does it mean to get two LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Camrys in the top five?
“Yeah, two in the top five. I hate it that Erik (Jones) had some trouble. Shaq, I hope you’re listening. We got your car on the podium. Just an incredible experience. Thank you to Carvana, Toyota, Dollar Tree, AdventHealth. There are so many partners part of this program that are helping us grow as an organization and I thought we had a good night.”

How good does this one feel for you?
“This feels incredible. I have emotions that I didn’t expect to have. I’ve never been in this position as an owner, and it’s really opened up a different set of emotions, and the pride that I have in this result and the pride that I have in this company, now that we’re trying to achieve and the journey we’re on – I am so satisfied, so happy right now. Excited that we have two cars in the top five. I hope Shaq is watching. Thank you, buddy. We got your car in the top-three. A big thanks to Carvana and their continued support, Mobil 1, AdventHealth, Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, It’s been an interesting couple of years, and to have our cars come out and be this strong, this Toyota was rocket ship fast. I’m just smiling inside and out.”

UP NEXT: The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway for the Ambetter Health 400 on Sunday, Feb. 23. The race will take place at 3:00 p.m. ET and broadcast on FOX, PRN Radio, and SIRIUS XM NASCAR Radio, CH. 90.

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: (LEGACY MC) is a premier auto racing organization co-owned by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2024 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, Jimmie Johnson. Drawing from a rich tradition of success, LEGACY MC is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of motorsport and setting new standards of excellence. The CLUB competes under the Toyota Gazoo Racing banner in the NASCAR Cup Series with the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE piloted by Erik Jones and the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE driven by John Hunter Nemechek. Johnson also races on a limited basis in the No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE. With NASCAR legend and Hall of Famer Richard Petty, “The King”, serving as CLUB Ambassador, LEGACY MC blends timeless racing traditions with a new forward-thinking vision. As an inclusive community for motorsport enthusiasts, LEGACY MC honors both its storied past and the promising future of its members, always striving for victory and championship glory at the pinnacle of NASCAR competition.

DAYTONA 500 – Daytona International Speedway
Daytona Beach, Fla. – February 16, 2025

AUSTIN CINDRIC No. 2 DISCOUNT TIRE FORD MUSTANG

START: 2ND STAGE 1: 24TH STAGE 2: 2ND FINISH: 8TH POINTS: 3RD

RACE RUNDOWN: Austin Cindric’s bid for a second DAYTONA 500 victory ended with an eighth-place finish after a dramatic final-lap shakeup took him out of contention for the win. Cindric was a force throughout Speedweeks in the Discount Tire Ford Mustang, securing a front-row starting spot for his fifth run in the Great American Race and winning Duel 2. After just 11 laps, inclement weather brought out a red flag that lasted more than three hours. Just as the field prepared to go back green, another round of rain arrived, delaying the action for an additional 20 minutes. Once racing resumed, Cindric restarted third but found himself shuffled back in the draft, ending Stage 1 in 24th. The second segment saw the 26-year-old climb back into contention, taking the lead outright on Lap 106 with teammate Ryan Blaney close behind. The Team Penske duo controlled the front of the pack in a single-file formation until Blaney edged ahead just before the Stage break, leaving Cindric to finish second in Stage 2. Content with the balance of his car, he lined up third for the start of the final segment. A caution for debris on Lap 161 prompted pit stops, and efficient work by the No. 2 crew sent Cindric back on track as the race leader. Over the final 10 laps, he remained in the thick of the battle, jockeying for control of the field as the intensity ramped up. In a chaotic final-lap shuffle, Cindric was forced out of the lead and ultimately crossed the line in eighth place—a strong result, but one that didn’t reflect the winning potential he displayed throughout the night. He led a total of 59 laps.

CINDRIC’S THOUGHTS: “I’m clearly disappointed. I mean, you take the white and you’re in the lead. I wish we had a better chance to bring that home for everyone at Discount Tire and Team Penske and Ford Performance. It was just an exceptional effort all the way through Speedweeks. There’s definitely a lot to review there, trying to figure out when I need to actually be leading, so just frustrating to be that close.”

RYAN BLANEY No. 12 MENARDS/PEAK FORD MUSTANG

START: 16TH STAGE 1: 3RD STAGE 2: 1ST FINISH: 7TH POINTS: 1ST

RACE RUNDOWN: Ryan Blaney wheeled the No. 12 Menards/Peak Ford Mustang to a seventh-place finish in Sunday’s 67th running of the DAYTONA 500 and led 23 laps in the top-10 effort. Following a three-plus hour rain delay just 11 laps into the afternoon, Blaney worked his way through the pack over the course of the first stage before finding success in the top lane to come away with a third-place finish in the opening segment. Blaney powered his way to the front of the field during the opening run of Stage 2 as the field battled three-wide behind him before ultimately clearing himself off of turn four to narrowly pick up the stage win over teammate Austin Cindric. After winning the race off pit road, Blaney continued to control the race out front as the field took the green with 62 laps to go. With 15 laps to go and the intensity of the three-wide battles heightening, Blaney was collected in a multi-car incident on the backstretch that resulted in damage to the nose and right rear, but after multiple trips to pit road under caution for repairs, the No. 12 team was able to keep Blaney on the lead lap for the final run of the night. After restarting at the tail of the field, Blaney made his way through a pair of incidents in the closing laps to work back into the top-10 and salvage the night with a seventh-place result.

BLANEY’S THOUGHTS: “I thought Austin [Cindric] and I were in a good position. We had control of the race for a while. The middle kind of came a little bit but I felt like we were still going to have a shot. It was just people pushing hard at the end of this thing and sometimes it just doesn’t work. Unfortunately, we were part of the wreck, but fortunate that we didn’t have night-ending damage. Austin and I did a good job. I thought we timed the strategy perfect of he and I being out front together the last run of the race and just lost a couple of us there.”

JOEY LOGANO No. 22 SHELL-PENNZOIL FORD MUSTANG

START: 10TH STAGE 1: 1ST STAGE 2: 8TH FINISH: 35TH POINTS: 17TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Joey Logano and the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil team had their share of ups and downs during Sunday’s 67th running of the DAYTONA 500 as a late-race incident resulted in a 35th-place finish despite Logano leading 43 laps on the day. Following a rain delay that lasted just over three hours after completing the first 11 laps, Logano charged his way to the front and led 38 of the 65 laps in the opening segment to pick up the first stage win of the season. After taking the green flag from the outside of row one for Stage 2, Logano experienced a mechanical issue that required him to come down pit road under caution as the No. 22 team went under the hood to assess. Logano went down a lap in the process and was noticeably off the pace when returning on track, but another caution allowed the team to continue work on pit road while receiving the free pass to rejoin the lead lap. Once Logano was back up to speed, he charged his way back through the field to post an eighth-place finish in Stage 2. The 22 crew went under the hood one final time during the stage caution – relegating Logano to the tail end of the field for the ensuing restart – but once again found himself back in contention with under 20 laps remaining. Logano’s battle to the front of the field was halted with 15 to go as contact with the No. 47 on the backstretch set off a multi-car incident that ultimately brought an end to the 22 team’s night in a 35th-place finish.

LOGANO’S THOUGHTS: “From my perspective, I felt like to win the race I had to get to the second row in my line there. I was in third and needed to get to second. I saw the opportunity to drop down and get underneath [Ricky Stenhouse Jr.] and have [Noah Gragson], another Ford, behind me. Then [Stenhouse Jr.] threw a late block there. I checked up for it and it looked like he was going to go back up and grab the top lane so I went back in to try and close the gap again but he kept coming down. I am checking up but at that point the checkup has already happened behind me and everybody is all over each other. I can’t get out of it and then we made contact. It is unfortunate. We had a good Shell-Pennzoil Mustang. We had a good car but just couldn’t get it done.”

The NASCAR Cup Series will make its way to Atlanta Motor Speedway next with on-track action kicking off Saturday, February 22 at 11:30 a.m. ET on Prime Video. The race broadcast will be live on Sunday, February 23 at 3 p.m. ET on FOX.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Chevrolet Team Show Speed at Daytona International Speedway

Finish: 23rd
Start: 15th
Points: 25th

“We had a fast No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Chevrolet today. Our Richard Childress Racing team built a good car, and it showed. Early on, we raced hard in the draft to see how the car would maneuver. We got shuffled back mid-race, and I didn’t want to make any unnecessary moves to get caught up in someone else’s mess. Once we made our final pit stop though, it was time to push hard towards the front. We pushed the No. 8 car as much as we could and raced inside the top five for the final 50 laps. I barely made it through the wreck that got Kyle (Busch). On the green-white-checkered, we knew the pushes were going to intensify, and we needed to make the best moves to win the race. I jumped to the third lane on the white flag lap and tried to make that lane go to the front. It wasn’t the right move, and we fell back and got in a crash coming to the checkered. I feel bad for our team who’s worked so hard in the offseason to bring a fast car here to Daytona. We had a shot to win, and it didn’t go our way. Thanks to RCR and ECR Engines for building a fast race car. It hurts to not get the results we feel like we should have.” -Austin Dillon

Kyle Busch and the No. 8 zone Chevrolet Team Contended for Victory Before Late-Race Accident at Daytona International Speedway

Finish: 34th
Start: 21st
Points: 35th

“Our zone Chevrolet was fast once again here at Daytona. The balance started good and stayed good for a long time. When I was tucked up tight behind someone, the car itself was tight, but we had ourselves in a position to win the race in the closing laps. It sucks to have our race end the way it did. When we got collected in the wreck at the end, all four tires were flat. We were towed back to the work area in the garage, where the guys looked over the car and didn’t see anything massively wrong. All the wheels were pointed in the right direction, so we changed tires and went back out to see what the next step would be. Unfortunately, when we came back into the work area in the garage, we got parked and told that our race was done.” -Kyle Busch