DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The latest news about the Daytona 500 (always local):
12:35 PM
Brad Keselowski does not regret the way he drove the last lap of the Daytona 500.
Keselowski had a huge run on Team Penkse teammate and race leader Joey Logano about a mile from the finish line. Keselowski tried to pass Logano on the low side, but Logano blocked him and both crashed.
Kyle Busch slammed into the side of Keselowski’s No. 2 Ford, spinning it and hitting the wall again. Austin Cindric plowed into both, causing a brief explosion and fire. Each driver escaped unharmed.
“Had a big run on the backstretch, wanted to make the pass to win the Daytona 500 and it got really bad,” said Keselowski. ‘I don’t feel like I made a mistake, but I can’t drive everyone’s car. Frustrating …
“We were in position. It’s exactly where I wanted to be – second on Daytona’s last lap with this package. Had the run, made the switch and it didn’t work.”
Michael McDowell drove past both to take the win, starting his first in the 358 Cup Series. It was a stunning surprise at NASCAR’s signature event.
12:15 pm
Michael McDowell won the Daytona 500 after Penske Racing teammates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski broke down on the last lap.
It was McDowell’s first win in the 358 Cup Series starts, a stunning shock in NASCAR’s signature event. McDowell only led one lap – all that mattered.
McDowell was third when Keselowski had a massive attack on Logano. Keselowski tried to pass Logano on the low side, but Logano tried to block him and both crashed.
Chase Elliott came in second, followed by Austin Dillon, Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin.
Hamlin sought to become the first in NASCAR history to win three consecutive Daytona 500s.
11:14 PM
Denny Hamlin won the second leg of the Daytona 500, proving that he is the man to beat in “The Great American Race”.
Hamlin also won the opening stage. The last leg, 70 laps, will determine the winner. Hamlin is aiming to become the first to win three consecutive Daytona 500s.
He briefly lost the lead to fellow Toyota teammate Bubba Wallace for the final lap, but Hamlin rallied in the last two corners to come back forward and then cross Harvick at the finish line. Wallace came in third, followed by defending champions Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon and Joey Logano. Michael McDowell, Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski completed the top 10.
Wallace became the black driver to lead a lap in the Daytona 500.
Kaz Grala had the most interesting stage in the 65 lap stage. His car caught fire twice due to a broken rear wheel bearing, causing sparks and flames to come out of the back of his No. 16 Chevrolet. The damage ended his night, but not after workers put out the fire once and he drove back onto the track to catch fire again, losing his brakes for good.
10:09 PM
Denny Hamlin won the opening stage of the Daytona 500, proving that he has a car that is good enough to be the first to win “The Great American Race” three years in a row.
Hamlin moved forward shortly after the race restarted after a weather delay that lasted nearly six hours. Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch stayed in line behind him until he was shaken again on the last lap of the stage, which took over seven hours.
Ryan Preece came in second, followed by Austin Dillon, Kyle Larson and Austin Cindric. Christopher Bell finished sixth while Bubba Wallace, Joey Logano, Ross Chastain and Cole Custer completed the top 10.
The race resumed after a delay of nearly six hours caused by lightning and then heavy rain.
Only 28 of the 40 cars remain on the track, of which 23 are still on the front lap.
9:08 PM
The Daytona 500 has resumed after a weather delay that lasted more than five hours and prompted several drivers to take fast-food runs off the track.
Kevin Harvick was up front when the race cautiously restarted with 185 laps to go.
NASCAR’s signature event was halted after 15 laps due to lightning and then heavy rain. Just one lap before the break, sixteen cars were involved in a massive crash.
While the radar showed a long delay, at least three drivers took to the road to eat something.
Drivers Chase Briscoe, Ross Chastain and Tyler Reddick used the red flag to refuel, giving fast food new meaning. The drivers left the track and made quick trips across the street to grab some food.
Briscoe posted a photo to social media of him wearing his firesuit in the drive-thru at Panda Express. Chastain posted a photo of him in the drive-thru at McDonald’s, a sponsor. Reddick sat down at Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, also a sponsor, and ate some chicken pie.
6:15 pm
Chase Briscoe, Ross Chastain and Tyler Reddick redefined fast food during a rain delay at Daytona International Speedway.
The drivers left the famous track during a long red flag during the Daytona 500 and made quick trips across the street to grab some food.
Briscoe’s wife, Marissa, tweeted a photo of Chase wearing his firesuit in the drive-thru at Panda Express.
Ross Chastain followed suit a while late, posting a photo of him in the drive-thru at McDonald’s, a sponsor. He noted that these are “rain delays in ’21.”
Reddick sat down at Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, also a sponsor, and ate some chicken pie and said “some much needed comfort food.”
NASCAR’s season opener was halted after 15 laps due to lightning and then heavy rain. The 2 1/2 mile track takes hours to dry. Sixteen cars, including those from Reddick, were involved in a massive crash 14 laps after the race.
Lightning in the area a few minutes later prompted officials to empty the motorsport stadium and send fans at a social distance to a crowded space. Drivers got out of their cars and as soon as the rain hit, they hit the road.
4:15 pm
Pitbull’s Daytona 500 party ended well before the final call.
The platinum-selling rapper bought Trackhouse Racing, bringing driver Daniel Suarez into the field. Suarez drives the No. 99 Chevrolet and was one of the drivers gathered early in a stack of 16 cars. He was forced out after 13 rounds.
“Mr. Worldwide” also instructed drivers to start their engines.
Pitbull says he’s all in as one of NASCAR’s newest team owners.
“With no more touring, I will be at almost every race,” said Pitbull. “There’s a higher calling for this.”
Pitbull joined NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan as celebrities entering NASCAR this year. Trackhouse was launched late last year by former driver Justin Marks and he watched the race with Pitbull from a suite.
‘There is no hidden agenda. We’re here to win, ”said Pitbull.
3:50 PM
The Big One hit 14 laps in the Daytona 500, triggered when Aric Almirola became pole winner Alex Bowman and started a 16-car pileup.
Minutes later, the race was stopped by lightning and fans who were socially distant in the stands were forced to seek shelter in the crowded hall. Heavy rain followed, halting “The Great American Race” for what will be a long delay.
Christopher Bell started the fight when he pushed Almirola too hard to the front of the field, forcing the Stewart-Haas Racing driver to bulge while trying to avoid a slide. Almirola eventually turned right into Bowman. Their contact causes others to collide, spinning and skidding through grass and mud. Martin Truex Jr., Erik Jones, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch were among those involved.
“We were just pushed too hard too soon,” said Almirola. “It’s a long, long race.” Man we were in a great position, we were just sitting there, riding around in the top two, three and (Bell) came on a big run and hit me really hard in a bad spot and it turned right and ripped our race car apart and our Daytona 500 finished way too early, ”said Almirola.
Hendrick Motorsports had put Bowman and Byron on the front row.
Newman nearly died in a horrific accident in the final lap of last year’s Daytona 500. Newman walked away safely on Sunday, even checking Busch while in his Chevy.
3:25 PM
Derrike Cope was eliminated after just three laps, a disgraceful end for the 62-year-old driver who won the Daytona 500 in 1990.
Cope made his first Daytona 500 start since 2004 and 15th overall. Cope turned out to have a cut tire on the No. 15 Chevrolet he drove for Rick Ware Racing.
Cope was forced to the garage in the third round when fans and crews greeted the late Dale Earnhardt by raising three fingers in honor of the 20th anniversary of his death. Cope rushed past Earnhardt, who blew a tire with a mile to go, to win the 1990 Daytona 500.
Cope had two wins in 428 Career Cup starts.
Rick Ware Racing also finished last in the 2020 Indianapolis 500. James Davison drove just four laps in that race.
3:10 PM
Fans and crews greeted the late Dale Earnhardt by raising three fingers in Round 3 during the Daytona 500, in honor of the 20th anniversary of his death, which took place in the final round of NASCAR’s signature event. Earnhardt drove the famous No. 3 for Richard Childress Racing.
The death of the seven-time Cup Series champion forced NASCAR to make significant safety improvements, changes that have saved many lives over the past 20 years. Ryan Newman survived a harrowing crash on the last lap of last year’s opening game when he walked out of the hospital two days after everyone feared the worst.
14.00 hours
Bubba Wallace’s car passed inspection twice for the Daytona 500 and will have to start at the back of the field.
The car chief for 23XI Racing was sent off as punishment. The No. 23 Toyota passed the inspection for the third time.
Wallace rides a new entry owned by NBA top Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin. He planned to start “The Great American Race” in the third row. Instead, Wallace will be one of 10 drivers to drop to the back of the pack during tempo laps.
Nine others have already lost their starting place due to changes made after NASCAR’s 150-mile double qualifying races Thursday. Former Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski and front row qualifier William Byron switched to backup cars due to wrecks. The same goes for Chase Briscoe, Kaz Grala, Anthony Alfredo, Cole Custer and Ross Chastain.
Martin Truex Jr.’s team had to replace a radiator and oil cooler. Erik Jones’s team has replaced an engine.
Alex Bowman is scheduled to lead the 40-car field to the green flag at 3:05 p.m. EST.
More AP NASCAR: https://apnews.com/NASCAR