The 59th running of the Daytona 500, with first-time winner, Kurt Busch, included eight cautions for 40 laps and saw only 15 drivers complete all 200 laps. Was this typical restrictor-plate racing or a result of the new race format that NASCAR implemented this season?
On Sunday, 16 cars retired from the Daytona 500 due to an accident. On Saturday, 23 cars retired from the XFINITY Series race due to an accident. On Friday night, 11 trucks retired from the Camping World Truck Series race due to an accident. And those numbers don't include the vehicles that also received damage as a result of these wrecks.
Kurt Busch now adds a Harley J Earl Trophy to his collection and résumé, alongside his 2004 championship, after winning the 59th running of the Daytona 500.
Each season, the manufacturer reps and original engine manufacturers (OEM's) meet with the NASCAR media corp in the deadline room at Daytona International Speedway to discuss the expectations for the upcoming season. The biggest takeaway from the Ford availability, however, is that retiring as a NASCAR driver hasn't changed the fact that Tony Stewart is still the same Tony Stewart that most people love.
A few hours after earning his first pole in NASCAR, Kaz Grala was in the right place on the final lap to drive through a field of wrecking trucks to win the season-opening NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway.
Corey LaJoie made the most of his Monster Energy NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut at Daytona International Speedway, securing a spot in the Daytona 500 in his No. 83 BK Racing Toyota.
Sorry, but this column is arriving a day later than my usual Thursday date. Of course, it has something to do with the race that gives me the data to mess around with did not take place until Thursday. It is not my fault.
Sunday, Feb. 26 will mark the 59th running of the Daytona 500 but did you know that it has been the season-opener only since 1982? The first “Great American Race” was held in 1959 and won by Lee Petty in his first appearance at the event in his No. 42 Oldsmobile Super 88. He led 38 laps and won by two feet in a photo finish battle with Johnny Beauchamp and Joe Weatherly.
The 2017 season officially begins this weekend as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series travel to Daytona International Speedway for the first points races of the year. Please check below for the complete schedule of events.
