DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Less than a month after Denny Hamlin celebrated his Daytona 500 crown in the sport’s most famous victory lane, Daytona International Speedway has announced major adjustments to the traditional 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season-opening race week – changing up the course of the popular Busch Clash race and condensing the schedule of Daytona Speedweeks.
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Speedweeks has officially kicked off for the NASCAR Cup Series with the 2020 Daytona 500 qualifying, and the Busch Clash. 18 drivers made up the field by either winning a pole in the previous season, making the playoffs in the previous season, or winning the Daytona 500 at some point in their career. All three Team Penske drivers, all four Hendrick Motorsports drivers, and all four Joe Gibbs Racing drivers were part of the field and heavily favorited.
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After a six-car wreck on lap 66 eliminated him from Sunday’s Busch Clash at Daytona International Speedway, Brad Keselowski took aim at Joey Logano, his Team Penske teammate.
Logano had taken the lead on lap 59 and was attempting to block a run from Kyle Busch seven laps later. As Logano moved down the track, the nose of Busch’s car tapped the left side of Logano’s rear bumper, turning Logano.
With his lane blocked at the top of the track, Keselowski drove into the wreck. Ultimately, Keselowski climbed from his mangled No. 2 Ford and slapped the side of a waiting ambulance in disgust before climbing in for his mandatory ride to the care center.
After his release from the medical facility, Keselowski minced no words in placing blame for the incident. Was it Logano’s fault?
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Daniel Suarez is living proof that the best-laid plans can sometimes go awry.
After losing his ride at Stewart-Haas Racing, Suarez signed on with Gaunt Brothers Racing for the 2020 season. The Mexican driver opted to forego the spot he had earned in Sunday’s Busch Clash at Daytona to concentrate on his Daytona 500 effort.
The strategy didn’t work. Suarez was 36th among 43 drivers and failed to secure one of two spots available to non-chartered cars on speed. Those positions went to Justin Haley and Brendan Gaughan who were 31st and 33rd fastest, respectively.
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Denny Hamlin couldn’t win the Busch Clash at Daytona for himself, but he made sure his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate did.
For nearly the entire final lap in the third attempt at overtime, Hamlin pushed the mangled Toyota of Erik Jones all the way to finish line in a race that saw only six of 18 cars running at the finish.
With the nose of his car caved in and held together with tape, Jones led only the final lap—the 88th of the race and the 13th of overtime—in collecting his first victory in the season-opening NASCAR Cup Series exhibition race.
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