Chris Buescher gets another NASCAR Cup Series win in a thriller at Daytona International Speedway in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 on Saturday.
The NASCAR Cup Series fired its engines one final time during the regular season at Daytona International Speedway. One last chance for someone to clinch their spot in the 2023 playoffs. A spot held by Bubba Wallace but was up for grabs by anyone without a race win this season. A superspeedway wild card race serves as the great equalizer for anyone needing that win.
The Pole Sitter Chase Briscoe Leads the Field to the Green Flag
Chase Briscoe was the new man up top leading the field to the green flag. Briscoe and the rest of his Ford colleagues held the pace for the first 19 laps. Denny Hamlin controlled the outside line, just waiting for a push to make it upfront.
That push came on lap 23 with Hamlin surging into the lead. Hamlin led up to the final lap of the first stage but on the backstretch, he had his hands full. While trying to block two lanes at once, Martin Truex Jr. slipped by on the bottom to win the first stage of the Coke Zero Sugar 400.
Multiple Lead Changes Feature The Second Stage
Joey Logano cycled into the lead to begin stage two. The lead was changed multiple times with Chase Elliott, AJ Allmendinger, Ty Gibbs, and Ross Chastain all taking a turn with the lead.
The field began cycling down pit road as the second segment came to a close. Ryan Blaney cycled into the lead right as the largest wreck of the evening occurred. Ty Gibbs could not control a push from Christopher Bell and spun into Ryan Blaney. This wreck collected ten other drivers.
Brad Keselowski squeezed through, finding himself in the lead. The second stage ended under caution with Keselowski claiming the win.
Drivers Settle Down in the Third Stage Until Ryam Preece Goes Airborne
The third stage saw drivers settling down some as Chase Briscoe retook the race lead. Forty laps into the final segment began the last pitting cycle of the night. Kevin Harvick found himself up front with 15 laps remaining.
With seven laps remaining, a terrifying wreck occurred as Ryan Preece could not handle a push from Erik Jones. Preece’s car flipped viciously multiple times but miraculously he walked away from the wreck.
Chris Buescher Gets Another NASCAR Cup Series Win in a Thriller at Daytona
The race entered overtime with two laps remaining. Kevin Harvick lined up alongside Chris Buescher as they took the green flag. Buescher edged off Harvick on the restart and took the white flag in the lead. He cleanly navigated the last lap being pushed by his teammate and RFK Racing co-owner, Brad Keselowski. Chris Buescher wins his third race in five weeks at Daytona International Speedway.
The Coke Zero Sugar 400 Results
The NASCAR Cup Series Point Standings
Chris Buescher wins another race in what seems to be one of the best finishes to a regular season. Buescher won three of the last five races with solid finishes in the two races he did not win.
His win Saturday night also saved Bubba Wallace’s playoff bid as Wallace made it in on points.
The playoff field is set with NASCAR veterans Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, and Aric Almirola finding themselves knocked out of contention. The opening race takes place next Sunday night at Darlington Raceway in a historic 500-mile race under the lights.