Multiple drivers were eliminated from contention in a multi-car crash exiting Turn 4 coming to the end of Stage 2 during Saturday night’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway.
The ‘Big One’ sparked at the front of the field as Ty Gibbs lost control of his No. 54 Toyota in the outside lane at Lap 95 of the Coke Zero Sugar 400 (NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Peacock, NBC Sports App). His car darted left and struck leader Ryan Blaney in the right-rear quarter panel, sending the No. 12 Team Penske Ford head-on into the outside SAFER barrier. Behind them, several cars spun and crashed into the wall.
“I’m alright,” Blaney said. “I don’t know. I guess it kind of seems like the 54 got turned into me. The 20 shoved him and it was kind of just a weird spot I guess and I got right-reared, so not in a fun spot.”
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According to NBC Sports, at least 16 cars were collected in the pile-up, including Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, Austin Dillon, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ross Chastain, Denny Hamlin, Harrison Burton, Riley Herbst, AJ Allmendinger, Brennan Poole, Austin Cindric and others.
“Yeah, I am (OK),” Gibbs said. “I felt like I was getting a great push. I feel like all of our teammates were working really well together tonight. I may have got a push in a bad spot, but we were going for the stage win. I want to thank Christopher (Bell) for all of the pushes he gave me, I really do.”
Brad Keselowski held on to win the stage in NASCAR’s regular-season finale, while teammate Chris Buescher later claimed the victory. Keselowski finished runner-up.
Bubba Wallace claimed the final spot in the NASCAR Playoffs, finishing 12th after avoiding the melee. The postseason berth is the first of Wallace’s career.