Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Monster Energy/Haas Automation Ford, speaks with the media prior to practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Folds of Honor QuickTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 3, 2017 in Hampton, Georgia. Photo – Jared C Tilton/Getty Images
The club comprised of drivers who have won both the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500 currently has two members – Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt.
Kurt Busch, who won the Daytona 500 last Sunday, may have his sights set on joining that exclusive clique.
Three of the of the congratulatory texts Busch received after the Daytona win came from the Andretti clan – Mario, Michael and Marco. It was Michael, you’ll recall, who fielded the Andretti Autosport entry Busch drove to a sixth-place finish in the 2014 Indianapolis 500 in his only IndyCar start. Continue reading →
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Fan4Racing Radio guest Kaz Grala at 8:40 pm ET on Monday, February 27, 2017 Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images
Fan4Racing Radio guest Clint King at 9 pm ET on Monday, February 27, 2017
Photo – McLeod Motorsports
In our Fan4Racing Radio Winner’s Circle is NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver, Kaz Gralawith GMS Racing as he became the youngest driver to ever win at Daytona International Speedway this weekend.
Then our guest include NASCAR XFINITY Series driver, Clint Kingwith BJ McLeod Motorsports talking about racing at Daytona this weekend.
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We’re talking all the latest news in racing including Monster Energy NASCAR Cup, XFINITY, Camping World Truck, K&N Pro, ARCA Racing Series and more. So buckle up and stay tuned in to Fan4Racing Radio throughout the 2017 season.
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Our 2017 season continues at 8:30 pm ET on Monday, February 27, 2017
Ryan Blaney, driver of the #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford, prepares to practice for the 59th Annual DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 24, 2017 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Photo – Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images
Given his running position with two laps left in Sunday’s Daytona 500, Ryan Blaney was pleasantly surprised with his runner-up finish in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series’ most prestigious race.
On the other hand, there was a tinge of disappointment at coming so close to a victory and falling 0.228 seconds short.
“We all got single-file with 15 (laps) to go, something like that,” Blaney said. “I tried to make a move with 10 to go to see what would happen. No one really went with me. The 22 (Joey Logano) tried too. It really wasn’t happening. I was kind of worried it was just going to end that way.
“Luckily, I got Joey behind me there down the frontstretch, and we were able to lay back to him and get a huge run into (turn) one. At the same moment, the 41 (race winner Kurt Busch) went to go pass the 42 (Kyle Larson), and it kept my run going, all the way up to second.”
But second was also where the run stopped.
“It was a good way to start off the year,” Blaney said. “Stinks to be so close. But I think that’s good momentum for our team, to be good at the beginning of the day, get some damage and be able to rally for a good finish.”
Michael Waltrip, driver of the #15 Aaron’s Toyota, walks on the grid during qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 59th Annual DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 19, 2017 in Daytona Beach, Florida.Photo – Cliff Hawkins/Getty Image
Michael Waltrip didn’t have the fastest car in Sunday’s Daytona 500, but he managed to avoid the prolific multicar wrecks that peppered the first 150 laps of the race.
And when he took the checkered flag, Waltrip was eighth in his 30th and final trip around Daytona International Speedway in NASCAR’s most important race.
“Yeah, it’s going to be a great memory to have a top-ten,” Waltrip said. “I had so many times I was in the middle of a crash and just missed it. So you do a good job, and you get lucky—both. At the end, I just lost the draft, and that’s unfortunate, because I was able to weave my way past people.
“I had a really, really good handling car. I’m thankful that I survived, and I’m thankful for being able to run up front, and I’m happy about the finish. I’m ready for it to be my last one, so it’s going to be a good one to remember it by.”