Fan4Racing

Tony Stewart wins first Gatorade Duel

The Gatorade Duel Qualifying race for the Daytona 500 had some fireworks. Tony Stewart was victorious in the race followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Marcos Ambrose, Jeff Burton, and Carl Edwards. Michael McDowell and Robby Gordon earn starting spots in the Daytona 500. 


The first incident of the day occurred in between turn 1 and 2 when David Gilliland came up across the track after being tapped in the rear left corner by Michael McDowell. When Gilliland came up across the track he collected Paul Menard and Juan Pablo Montoya. Brad Keselowski also had minor damage. Gilliland, Montoya, Menard will have to start from rear of the Daytona 500 due to having to go to back up cars. 


After a long stretch of a green flag run, we started to see green flag pit stops. When Denny Hamlin and Marcos Ambrose pitted for stops together so they could have each other to draft with once they got back out onto the track. 
For the first time in a few years, the pack overtook the two car tandem and Ambrose and Hamlin both went a lap down. 


After Michael Waltrip took a pit stop he came back onto the track and with no help at the beginning of the backstretch got loose and turned up head first into the wall and ruined his chances of racing in this year’s Daytona 500. 


On the final restart with 4 laps to go. Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick were out front. On the final lap on the backstretch, Jamie McMurray got into Aric Almirola which sent Almirola’s car into Danica Patrick’s car spinning head on into the inside wall on the backstretch causing some of the barrier to give and her car was totaled. Danica was fine after the wreck. In an interview with SPEED Danica described the wreck; she said it “Happened really quick.” At the end of the interview she says (laughing) “maybe the back-up car will be faster.” 


When the caution came out, the race went to yellow and Tony Stewart won. After the race Stewart commented on Michael Waltrip missing the 500, Tony said “Michael Waltrip eats, sleeps and breathes Daytona and Talladega. It’ll be a shame if he misses (the 500).”  


Trevor Bayne, who is already locked into 500, failed to finish in top 2 Go-or-Go homers spots which means in Duel 2 Kenny Wallace will have to race his way into the Daytona 500. After a crazy first duel we’ll see what the second one brings.


Duel 1 Results

Matt Kenseth wins Duel 2 at Daytona

A very cautious and quiet duel 2 ended up with Matt Kenseth winning the race. Dave Blaney and Joe Nemechek raced their way into the Daytona 500. Most of the race had little action, teams were very cautious not to wreck their Daytona 500 cars. 


Kenny Wallace’s car lost the draft halfway through the race and never re-grouped and he will miss the Daytona 500. 


The most action occurred at the last 2 laps. Going to the white flag Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson got a run drafting each other and when Greg Biffle tried to move up in front of them he slid up the track and Kenseth and Johnson moved lower down the track and continued on. At the end of the backstretch on the final lap, Regan Smith and Jimmie Johnson made contact which allowed Matt Kenseth to pull ahead and win the race. 


Finishing 2^nd was Regan Smith and 3^rd was Jimmie Johnson. The 2^nd race had much more of a qualifying race feel to it. Expect the Daytona 500 to be more like the first Gatorade Duel.


Duel 2 Results

Daytona 500 Line up

One of the most exciting races in many years ends with an unbelievable finish. Kyle Busch wins on a classic turn 4 pass on 2011 champ Tony Stewart.


In segment one we had the first of three big wrecks of the night. The first wreck in between turn 1 and 2 was when David Ragan in the No.34 got into the left rear of Menard’s car and turned him into traffic. Also involved in the wreck were Kasey Kahne, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jeff Burton, Michael Waltrip, and Jeff Gordon. 


Jamie McMurray led after segment one followed by Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick. The ten minute break allowed drivers and there teams regroup for the final 50 lap shootout. 


Just ten laps into the 2^ND segment, we had Clint Bowyer spinning through the infield by teammate Martin Truex Jr. Bowyer didn’t hit anything and continued to race. About halfway through segment 2, Kyle Busch was tapped from behind by Jimmie Johnson but made an incredible save and kept on racing. On twitter Samantha Busch wife of Kyle tweeted “it’s times like that I really just have to say, “Damn my husband is a bad ass!” 

2nd multi-car wreck of 2012 Shootout

With 20 laps to go we had our 2^nd multi-car pileup. Involved were many of the fastest cars up front including Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Matt Kenseth, Martin Truex Jr, Marcos Ambrose. Most of the wrecks occurred in the turns which were caused by two cars hooking up and making contact with each other in the rear left corners causing the front car to turn up track. 


The ARCA series race prevented wrecks like this by prohibiting drafting in the corners. NASCAR tried that a few years ago but many fans hated it and so NASCAR lifted the warning to drivers. With a week until the Daytona 500 don’t be surprised if NASCAR puts the rule back in action to prevent wrecks. 


Late in the 2^nd segment, in turn 4 Kyle Busch was spun out by Jeff Gordon which caused Gordon to spin up in front of the pack and cause another multi-car wreck. When Gordon’s teammate Jimmie Johnson got into the bottom of Gordon’s car, it resulted in Gordon’s car flipping over and barrel roll on the paved section of the infield before pit road. That was Gordon’s first flip in a stock car. After the race Jeff Gordon was alright and grinning while explaining the wreck. 




Also involved in the wreck were Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, and Jeff Burton. In the first attempt of the Green-White-Checkered flag restart, they made it to the white flag. Kyle Busch made his move in the short-stretch from turn 4 to the tri-oval. Kyle got up high of Tony Stewart and beat him to the line in the closest finish in Bud Shootout history at .013 second difference. Finishing third was Marcos Ambrose.


Later in Victory Lane Kyle said “First race back in the M&M’s car and we’re back in Victory Lane.” Needless to say that was an incredible race and kick-off to the 2012 season. If that race has anything to say about this season we’ll have our best season yet.