LAS VEGAS, NV – FEBRUARY 22: The crew of NASCAR Cup Series driver Erik Jones (20) Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) Toyota Camry wait in the rain to get their race car through tech inspection Saturday, February 22, 2020, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, NV. Photo by Will Lester/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
LAS VEGAS – A persistent drizzle at Las Vegas Motor Speedway forced the cancellation of Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series qualifying session for Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 (3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Accordingly, the starting field has been set according to the rule book, with the cars set to line up according to the final 2019 owner points. That puts Kyle Busch on the pole, with Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr. on the outside of the front row.
Because of inspection issues, however, Busch will drop to the rear for the start of the race. Racing to the front could be a huge issue for the reigning series champion, given handling issues that plagued the No. 18 Toyota during Friday’s practice sessions.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 21: Kyle Busch, driver of the #51 Cessna Toyota, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Strat 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on February 21, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo – Matt Sullivan/Getty Images
LAS VEGAS – It’s easy to spot a trend where Kyle Busch is concerned.
Put Busch in one of his own Kyle Busch Motorsports trucks, and he’s all but certain to win. That’s been the case for seven straight starts in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, counting Friday night’s victory in the Strat 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, his home track.
Busch led seven times for 108 of the 134 laps in the 200-mile race. About the only difficulty he had was clearing Sheldon Creed on consecutive restarts in the final stage of the race. But five laps into a run, Busch was gone.
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 17: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Discount Tire Ford, leads a pack of cars during the NASCAR Cup Series 62nd Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 17, 2020,in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)
With 17 laps left in Monday’s rain-delayed Daytona 500, Brad Keselowski was running at the front of the field, a contender to win the Great American Race for the first time.
Barely more than half a lap later, Keselowski’s No. 2 Team Penske Ford was wrecked beyond repair, the victim of a 19-car accident. The chain-reaction incident started when Joey Logano bump-drafted Aric Almirola’s Ford into Keselowski’s car, knocking it sideways near the front of the field.
Keselowski was eliminated from the race in 36th place.
“It was just one of those racing deals,” Keselowski said after leaving the infield care center. “We had a really good Discount Tire Ford. My team did an incredible job today to put ourselves in position to lead a lot of laps and run upfront. I am proud of the way we started with some fast race cars. Unfortunately, it didn’t come together there at the end.
I probably made a little bit of a bad move not blocking the 6 (Ryan Newman) and 95 (Christopher Bell). I didn’t know the 95 was that darn fast. He pushed the 6 like a rocket and I didn’t think they would come with that big of a run and when they did, I didn’t cover it. I put myself into a position where when they did wreck, I couldn’t make it through.”
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 17: William Byron, driver of the #24 Axalta ‘Color of the Year’ Chevrolet, races during the NASCAR Cup Series 62nd Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 17, 2020, in Daytona Beach, Florida.Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images
William Byron tasted victory for the first time in the NASCAR Cup Series in the Bluegreen Vacations Duel 150-mile qualifying races on Thursday night.
In Monday’s rain-delayed Daytona 500, Byron experienced the sting of an early exit from NASCAR’s most prestigious race.
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 17: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Express Toyota, poses with the trophy in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series 62nd Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 17, 2020, in Daytona Beach, Florida. Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Ryan Newman hospitalized after wreck
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – With the car of Ryan Newman sliding upside-down trailing sparks behind him, Denny Hamlin joined elite company on Monday night in the second-closest finish in Daytona 500 history.
Hamlin beat Ryan Blaney to the finish line at Daytona International Speedway by 0.014 seconds, and while the driver of the No. 11 celebrated with a burnout on the infield grass, the emergency crew worked to extricate Newman from his No. 6 Ford, which came to rest on its roof at the end of the tri-oval.
