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Daytona 500 winner kicks off busy day with champion’s breakfast
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RELATED: Logano wins Daytona 500 | Drivers react to Logano’s victory
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — He looked no worse for wear and tear, this year’s Daytona 500 winner, as he arrived for the celebratory champion’s breakfast at Daytona International Speedway.
Joey Logano is no party animal. But he’s a racer through and through, as Sunday’s victory in the 57th running of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season-opener proved.
"I didn’t sleep much, that’s for sure," the 24-year-old Team Penske driver said of his late-night revelry. "We had a good time.
"I shut off the TV but my mind just kept thinking about the whole race and how it all played out and I just kept reliving the moment over and over again. It is amazing. It is the Daytona 500."
The victory was Logano’s ninth overall in the series, and his seventh since joining Team Penske at the beginning of 2013.
The breakfast was just the beginning of a busy two days for the champ. Satellite media tour tasks and various call-in duties were to follow Monday morning’s fete. Later, appearances on the "Late Show with David Letterman" and Joy Mohr Sports are on the schedule.
And that’s just Monday’s calendar.
For team owner Roger Penske, his Sprint Cup Series house is in order. Teammate Brad Keselowski, the 2012 series champion, suffered a rare engine failure 161 laps into Sunday’s race, but the expectation is that the No. 2 team will bounce back quickly.
RELATED: Blown engine ends Keselowski’s day
Penske has put some of the series’ top drivers in his seats through the years, but rarely has the talent run so deep throughout.
There was a time when teams within multi-car organizations operated independently of one another — and for some that system still exists. It wasn’t until Penske merged his Sprint Cup and IndyCar operations that a change in the group’s culture began to take place. With it came success.
"The sport was about crew chiefs having their own car over in the corner," Penske said, "and we decided to build the cars exactly the same. We have a process. The only time you know what your car is is when they paint it. …
"It is a seven-iron, a seven-iron and a seven-iron. The way you hold it might be different … the way Todd (Gordon, Logano’s crew chief) or Paul Wolfe (Keselowski’s crew chief) will set that car up will make a difference."
But at the track, he said, "we see a car that is consistent."
Logano and Keselowski split just two wins in ’13, their first season as teammates. But last year Keselowski won six times while Logano won five and battled for the title in the series’ final event at Homestead Miami Speedway.
If similar results are in store for ’15, few will be surprised. Logano’s certainly off to a strong enough start.
MORE: Penske offers up what is the biggest part of Daytona win
The one-team approach "has made the difference," Penske said, and low turnover inside the organization is also a contributing factor.
His two drivers "respect each other on the race track."
"They are different in many ways, but on the other hand they are the same because they want to win and I think they like the cars (set up) pretty much the same," he said. "That gives us an advantage when we go to the track."
After Logano’s win Sunday, Penske, 78, said he received "about 200 texts and I don’t know how many emails" from various people inside and outside the industry.
"A lot from people that work for us, obviously sponsors," he said.
Steve Wynn, chairman of the board and CEO of Wynn Resorts, "gave me a phone call right after the race. Marvin Odum (of primary sponsor Shell) … it’s amazing how many people watch this great race.
"And of course that’s the reward I get — when you see those people look up to a team and the accomplishments that you have."
And where were Logano’s parents, Tom and Debbie, when their son won his first Daytona 500?
"Up top," said Tom Logano. "Some people asked me if I was nervous (during the final laps). I said, ‘I’m human.’ "
Debbie Logano was hidden away in the family motorhome in the infield, anxiously watching the race play out.
"The door was locked," she said. "Nobody comes in or goes out near the end of the race like that; it’s bad luck."
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A stats-based look ahead to the second race of the Sprint Cup season
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RELATED: Chase Grid standings after Daytona 500
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. –Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia going into the Folds Of Honor QuikTrip 500 on March
ATLANTA-SPECIFIC STATISTICS
Greg Biffle (No. 16 Ortho Ford)
· Three top fives, 10 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 15.7
· Average Running Position of 13.9, 12th-best
· Driver Rating of 90.8, 11th-best
· 237 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
· 1,031 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most
· 3,466 Laps in the Top 15 (66.2%), sixth-most
· 539 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), seventh-most
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Kelly Blue Book Chevrolet)
· One win, eight top fives, 12 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 12.3
· Average Running Position of 13.0, 10th-best
· Driver Rating of 92.7, ninth-best
· 227 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most
· 1,119 Green Flag Passes, third-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.203 mph, eighth-fastest
· 3,382 Laps in the Top 15 (64.6%), seventh-most
· 535 Quality Passes, eighth-most
Carl Edwards (No. 19 ARRIS Toyota)
· Three wins, nine top fives, 11 top 10s
· Average finish of 14.6
· Average Running Position of 12.4, eighth-best
· Driver Rating of 100.1, third-best
· Series-high 371 Fastest Laps Run
· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.499 mph, second-fastest
· 4,038 Laps in the Top 15 (77.1%), third-most
· 552 Quality Passes, fifth-most
Jeff Gordon (No. 24 3M Chevrolet)
· Five wins, 16 top fives, 26 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 11.9
· Average Running Position of 10.2, second-best
· Series-best Driver Rating of 106.0
· 296 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.453 mph, fourth-fastest
· 4,161 Laps in the Top 15 (79.5%), second-most
· Series-high 612 Quality Passes
Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota)
· One win, three top fives, six top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 16.8
· Average Running Position of 12.1, fifth-best
· Driver Rating of 97.4, sixth-best
· 263 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.463 mph, third-fastest
· 3,312 Laps in the Top 15 (67.4%), ninth-most
Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Jimmy John’s/ Budweiser Chevrolet)
· One win, five top fives, nine top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 18.8
· Driver Rating of 90.4, 12th-best
· 280 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
· 949 Green Flag Passes, ninth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.232 mph, seventh-fastest
· 3,045 Laps in the Top 15 (58.1%), 12th-most
· 470 Quality Passes, 11th-most
Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
· Three wins, 12 top fives, 14 top 10s
· Average finish of 11.5
· Series-best Average Running Position of 9.1
· Driver Rating of 104.9, second-best
· 280 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 171.523 mph
· Series-high 4,381 Laps in the Top 15 (83.7%)
· 582 Quality Passes, third-most
Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Dollar General Toyota)
· Nine top fives, 15 top 10s
· Average finish of 12.3
· Average Running Position of 12.2, sixth-best
· Driver Rating of 97.9, fifth-best
· 201 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most
· 1,034 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.339 mph, fifth-fastest
· 3,749 Laps in the Top 15 (71.6%), fourth-most
· 544 Quality Passes, sixth-most
Kyle Larson (No. 42 ENERGIZER Chevrolet)
· One top 10
· Average finish of 8.0
· Average Running Position of 11.3, third-best
· Driver Rating of 91.1, 10th-best
Tony Stewart (No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet)
· Three wins, 10 top fives, 15 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 12.7
· Average Running Position of 12.3, seventh-best
· Driver Rating of 98.1, fourth-best
· 233 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.191 mph, ninth-fastest
· 3,353 Laps in the Top 15 (68.3%), eighth-most
· 509 Quality Passes, 10th-most
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2015 Top 16 at Atlanta Motor Speedway
|
Rank |
Driver |
Races |
Poles |
Wins |
Top Fives |
Top 10s |
DNFs |
Average Finish |
Driver Rating |
|
|
1 |
Joey Logano |
8 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
21.5 |
71.9 |
|
|
2 |
Kevin Harvick |
24 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
9 |
4 |
18.8 |
90.4 |
|
|
3 |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
27 |
2 |
1 |
8 |
12 |
2 |
12.3 |
92.7 |
|
|
4 |
Denny Hamlin |
15 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
6 |
2 |
16.8 |
97.4 |
|
|
5 |
Jimmie Johnson |
23 |
0 |
3 |
12 |
14 |
2 |
11.5 |
104.9 |
|
|
6 |
Casey Mears |
19 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
22.5 |
59.1 |
|
|
7 |
Clint Bowyer |
14 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
2 |
21.1 |
83 |
|
|
8 |
Martin Truex Jr. |
16 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
4 |
20.4 |
90.1 |
|
|
9 |
Kasey Kahne |
18 |
2 |
3 |
7 |
9 |
3 |
18.6 |
87.2 |
|
|
10 |
Greg Biffle |
20 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
10 |
2 |
15.7 |
90.8 |
|
|
11 |
David Gilliland |
13 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
26.8 |
56.6 |
|
|
12 |
Sam Hornish Jr. |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
27.1 |
57.9 |
|
|
13 |
Michael Annett |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
21 |
59.2 |
|
|
14 |
Austin Dillon |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
21.5 |
65.1 |
|
|
15 |
Aric Almirola |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
20.5 |
65.8 |
|
|
16 |
David Ragan |
12 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
26.5 |
57.3 |
* – Based on last 16 races at Atlanta Motor Speedway (2005 – 2014).
|
Atlanta Motor Speedway Data Season Race #: 2 of 36 (03-01-14) Track Size: 1.54-miles Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 24 degrees Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 24 degrees Banking/Frontstretch: 5 degrees Banking/Backstretch: 5 degrees Frontstretch Length: 2,332 feet Backstretch Length: 1,800 feet Race Length: 325 laps / 500.5 miles Top Driver Ratings at Atlanta Jeff Gordon………………………… 106.0 Jimmie Johnson…………………… 104.9 Carl Edwards………………………. 100.1 Tony Stewart…………………………. 98.1 Matt Kenseth………………………… 97.9 Denny Hamlin……………………….. 97.4 Dale Earnhardt Jr.………………….. 92.7 Kyle Larson.…………………………. 91.1 Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2014 races (16 total) among active drivers at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Qualifying/Race Data 2014 pole winner: Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet 190.398 mph, 29.118 secs. 08-29-14
2014 race winner: Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet 131.514 mph, (03:55:22), 08-31-14
Track qualifying record: Geoffrey Bodine, Ford 197.478 mph, 28.074 secs. 11-15-97
Track race record: Bobby Labonte, Pontiac 159.904 mph, (03:07:48), 11-16-97
|
Statistical Advance
Atlanta Motor Speedway:
History
· Originally called Atlanta International Raceway, the track was then a 1.5-mile paved speedway.
· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Atlanta was on July 31, 1960, won by Fireball Roberts from the pole.
· The track was re-measured to 1.522 miles in the spring of 1970.
· It was renamed Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1990.
· The track layout was reversed and the track was re-configured to 1.54 miles between the two races in 1997.
Notebook
· There have been 107 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Atlanta Motor Speedway since the first race there in 1960. Until 2010 there have been two races per year except 1961, which had three. This year marks the fourth season with only one event.
· 552 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway; 367 in more than one.
· Richard Petty leads the series in starts at Atlanta with 65. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 41 starts, followed by Joe Nemechek with 38.
· Fireball Roberts won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Atlanta in 1960 with a speed of 133.870 mph.
· 48 drivers have Coors Light poles at Atlanta, led by Buddy Baker and Ryan Newman with seven each.
· Winning consecutive Coors Light poles has happened eight times at Atlanta, among six drivers.
· Ryan Newman holds the record for most consecutive poles at Atlanta with six; spring of 2003 through 2005.
· Youngest Atlanta pole winner: Terry Labonte (03/15/1981 – 24 years, 3 months, 27 days).
· Oldest Atlanta pole winner: Harry Gant (11/14/1993 – 53 years, 10 months, 4 days).
· 43 different NSCS drivers have won at Atlanta Motor Speedway, led by NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt with nine wins. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with five.
· 11 drivers have posted consecutive wins at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Marvin Panch (1965 sweep), Bobby Allison (1972 sweep), David Pearson (1973 sweep), Richard Petty (1974 fall, 1975 spring), Cale Yarborough (1980 fall, 1981 spring), Bill Elliott (1985 sweep; 1992 sweep), Dale Earnhardt (1989 fall, 1990 spring; 1995 fall, 1996 spring), Bobby Labonte (1997 fall, 1998 spring), Jeff Gordon (1998 fall, 1999 spring), Carl Edwards (2005 sweep), Jimmie Johnson (2007 sweep)
· Youngest Atlanta winner: Kyle Busch (03/09/2008 – 22 years, 10 months, 7 days).
· Oldest Atlanta winner: Morgan Shepherd (03/20/1993 – 51 years, 5 months, 8 days).
· The Wood Brothers and Hendrick Motorsports have the most wins at Atlanta in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 12 each:
o Wood Brothers: Cale Yarborough (three), David Pearson (three), Marvin Panch (two), Neil Bonnett (two) A.J. Foyt (one) and Morgan Shepherd (one).
o Hendrick Motorsports: Jeff Gordon (five),Jimmie Johnson (three), Darrell Waltrip (one), Jerry Nadeau (one), Kasey Kahne (one) and Ken Schrader (one).
o Joe Gibbs Racing has the third most wins at Atlanta with 11.
· Nine different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Atlanta; led by Chevrolet with 38 victories; followed by Ford (29), Pontiac (11), Dodge (nine), Mercury (eight), Buick (four), Plymouth (four), Toyota (three) and Oldsmobile (one).
· 14 of the 107 (13.1%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Atlanta have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Kasey Kahne in 2006.
· The fifth starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (15) than any other starting position at Atlanta Motor Speedway; the most recent was Jeff Gordon in 2011.
· 26 of the 107 (24.2%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Atlanta have been won from the front row: 14 from the pole and 12 from second-place.
· 60 of the 107 (56.1%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Atlanta have been won from a top-five starting position.
· 85 of the 107 (79.4%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Atlanta have been won from a top-10 starting position.
· Seven of the 107 (6.5%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Atlanta have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.
· The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Atlanta is 39th, by Bobby Labonte in the fall of 2001.
· No driver has swept the weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway across all three NASCAR national series. Two drivers have won in multiple NASCAR national series in the same weekend at Atlanta: Carl Edwards (2005, NSCS/NNS); (fall 2008, NSCS/NNS) and Kyle Busch (spring 2008, NSCS/NCWTS)
· Dale Earnhardt and David Pearson lead the series in runner-up finishes at Atlanta with seven each; Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with five.
· Dale Earnhardt leads the series in top-five finishes at Atlanta with 26; Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 16.
· Richard Petty leads the series in top-10 finishes at Atlanta with 33; Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 26.
· Ryan Newman leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Atlanta with a 7.409.
· Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at 11.522.
· Nine of the 10 active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners at Atlanta Motor Speedway participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Kevin Harvick won at Atlanta in his first appearance (2001). Carl Edwards won in his second appearance (2005).
· Denny Hamlin competed at Atlanta Motor Speedway 12 times before winning in the spring of 2012; the longest span of any the 10 active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners.
· Among the 10 active NSCS Atlanta winners Denny Hamlin (12) is the only driver to have made 10 or more attempts before his first win.
· Joe Nemechek leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Atlanta without visiting Victory Lane at 38; followed by Matt Kenseth with 26.
· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway was the March 11, 2001 race won by Kevin Harvick over Jeff Gordon with a MOV of 0.006 second.
· There have been four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races resulting with a green-white-checkered finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): fall of 2007 (325/329); spring of 2010 (325/341), fall of 2012 (325/327) and 2014 (325/335).
· Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway five times; most recently the fall of 2010.
· One active driver has posted his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light pole at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (9/01/2013).
· Two active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers have posted their first career start at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Jeff Gordon (11/15/1992) and Martin Truex Jr. (10/31/2004).
· Two active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers have posted their first career win at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Kevin Harvick (3/11/2001) and Carl Edwards (3/20/2005).
· Cale Yarborough leads all drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Atlanta with 3,283 laps led in 47 starts. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in laps led at Atlanta with 1,297.
· Three female drivers have competed at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Janet Guthrie, Shawna Robinson and Danica Patrick.
|
Driver |
Starting Position |
Finishing Position |
Date |
|
Janet Guthrie |
34 |
30 |
3/20/1977 |
|
Janet Guthrie |
19 |
16 |
11/6/1977 |
|
Janet Guthrie |
23 |
10 |
3/19/1978 |
|
Shawna Robinson |
31 |
34 |
3/10/2002 |
|
Danica Patrick |
23 |
29 |
9/2/2012 |
|
Danica Patrick |
21 |
21 |
9/1/2013 |
|
Danica Patrick |
27 |
6 |
8/31/2014 |
NASCAR in Georgia
· There have been 166 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races among 12 different tracks in Georgia.
|
Track Name |
City |
NSCS |
|
Atlanta Motor Speedway |
Hampton |
107 |
|
Augusta International Speedway |
Augusta |
12 |
|
Lakewood Speedway |
Atlanta |
11 |
|
Savannah Speedway |
Savannah |
10 |
|
Middle Georgia Raceway |
Macon |
9 |
|
Central City Speedway |
Macon |
7 |
|
Valdosta 75 Speedway |
Valdosta |
3 |
|
Jeffco Speedway |
Jefferson |
2 |
|
Oglethorpe Speedway |
Savannah |
2 |
|
Augusta International Raceway |
Augusta |
1 |
|
Columbus Speedway |
Columbus |
1 |
|
Hayloft Speedway |
Augusta |
1 |
· 180 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Georgia; 15 have won at least once in one of NASCAR’s national series.
· 11 of the 178 have posted at least one victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
· Bill Elliott (five wins) is the only Georgia native to have won at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
MORE:
|
Driver |
NSCS |
NXS |
NCWTS |
|
Bill Elliott |
44 |
1 |
0 |
|
Tim Flock |
39 |
0 |
0 |
|
Jack Smith |
21 |
0 |
0 |
|
Fonty Flock |
19 |
0 |
0 |
|
Bob Flock |
4 |
0 |
0 |
|
Frank Mundy |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
David Ragan |
2 |
2 |
0 |
|
Gober Sosebee |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
Harold Kite |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Sam McQuagg |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Jody Ridley |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Reed Sorenson |
0 |
4 |
0 |
|
Chase Elliott |
0 |
3 |
1 |
|
Buckshot Jones |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
Ronald Cooper |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
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First victory in the Great American Race for Team Penske driver
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — No one seemed more surprised than Joey Logano as he stood atop his No. 22 Penske Racing Ford in Daytona International Speedway Victory Lane celebrating his first-ever Daytona 500 victory on Sunday.
Logano — who in 2009 at the age of 19 became the youngest winner in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series history — emerged from a tight pack of pre-race favorites on a green-white-checkered overtime restart and held off reigning Cup champion Kevin Harvick as the caution and checkered flag flew to win at Daytona and clinch a berth in the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup in the process.
"I can’t believe it," said Logano, whose previous best finish in this race was ninth in 2012. "That is really amazing. The Daytona 500. Oh my God. Are you kidding me?
"I was so nervous pretty much the whole race. We worked so hard in the offseason and this is my weakest race track, the superspeedways, and we worked so hard at them. I couldn’t be more proud.
"Unbelievable."
Defending Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished third, frustrated after having what he thought was a race-winning car. Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson rounded out the top five.
Jeff Gordon, who started on the pole for the race and led six times for a race-best 87 laps, was collected in a last-lap wreck on the backstretch. But he drove his dinged-up No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet around the track to take his final Daytona 500 checkered flag in 33rd place.
"For some reason I’m still smiling and enjoyed every moment of it," said the four-time Cup champ, who is stepping away from full-time NASCAR competition after this season. "I obviously enjoyed the first half (of the race) more than the second half. … This is an amazing week and an amazing day. I’m just in this different place that is so foreign yet so incredible, just soaking it all in.
"I’m more upset I didn’t have a chance at winning it. … I’m not going to miss those final laps. That was just crazy."
The final restart came after a 6-minute red-flag period caused by a Justin Allgaier wreck on the frontstretch and created the kind of frantic finish fans are accustomed to in NASCAR’s biggest race.
But for the most part, Sunday’s show on a Chamber of Commerce day with sunny skies and temperatures in the high 70s was tame by restrictor-plate racing standards.
The final lap eight-car mid-pack melee was the sole "Big One" that most have come to expect on the superspeedways.
Mostly, the day was characterized by exciting three-wide racing with familiar faces leading the way.
Overshadowed amid other dramatic storylines that have dominated the 2015 Daytona Speedweeks, six-time Sprint Cup Series champion Johnson quietly and doggedly went about his business Sunday and looked to be in good position to hoist his third Daytona 500 trophy, and second in the past three years.
Rallying from a mid-race pit road penalty that dropped him to 40th place, Johnson strategically maneuvered his No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet in the waning laps to be in position for the win, but lamented the fact his line of drafting cars just didn’t have the get-up-and-go when they needed to be gone.
"With 10 to go, I thought we were going to win the Daytona 500, but with plate racing you have no clue what’s going to happen really," Johnson said.
Earnhardt echoed the disappointment.
"I made a real bad decision on that restart with 19 to go, made a poor choice and got shuffled back and lost a ton of spots," Earnhardt said. "I’m real disappointed because the guys gave me the best car and we should have run the race."
It was a touch-and-go day for several race favorites — their strategy complicated after receiving pit road penalties in the season debut of NASCAR’s new high-tech camera monitoring system on pit road.
Johnson was called for a pit road violation when his crew was ruled to have jumped over the pit wall too soon on a mid-race stop. Carl Edwards and Martin Truex Jr. — who like Johnson were running among the top five much of the race — were called for speeding penalties.
And Sprint Cup Series sophomore Kyle Larson was caught speeding and then later for his team "throwing equipment over the wall" on consecutive stops forcing him into a day of catch-up. He was running top 15 in the final 10 laps but also got collected on the last-lap crash and finished 34th.
Fan favorite Tony Stewart continued his dismal Daytona 500 fortune. While running among the top 10 cars 41 laps into the race, his No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevy suffered from a tight condition and slid up into the outside wall, nicking rookie Ryan Blaney’s Ford. The Toyotas of Matt Kenseth and Michael Waltrip also suffered minor damage in the incident but continued.
"I’ll take the blame for that one, 100 percent my fault," said Stewart, the three-time Cup champion who is now 0-for-17 in the Great American Race. His 42nd-place effort Sunday is his third finish of 40th or worse in the last four years here.
Former Daytona 500 winners Jamie McMurray and Ryan Newman also struggled on Sunday — with McMurray’s No. 1 Cessna/McDonald’s Chevy sustaining body damage in an early race dust-up and Newman — the 2014 Sprint Cup championship runner-up — hitting the wall after getting caught in the aftermath of Blaney’s blown engine with less than 25 laps remaining.
Substitute drivers Regan Smith and Matt Crafton finished 16th and 18th, respectively. Smith drove the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevy for Kurt Busch, who has been suspended indefinitely by NASCAR following off-track legal troubles.
Crafton filled in for Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kyle Busch, who is recovering from broken right leg and broken left foot suffered in Saturday’s XFINITY Series season-opener at Daytona.
Logano’s triumph was the second Daytona 500 win for legendary team owner Roger Penske and made the 24-year-old Logano the second youngest driver to win the race.
"We knew what we had to do and had a really fast car and just need to make sure I didn’t get snookered on the restarts," Logano explained. "I can’t explain how cool this is. … It feels just like the way you dream it. This is better than Disney World in here."
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No. 88 driver takes blame, maintains he ‘had one of the best cars’ at Daytona
SHOP: Buy Daytona 500 gear
RELATED: Get full race results | Series standings
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — You win some, you lose some.
For Dale Earnhardt Jr., the "some" in question just happen to be Daytona 500s.
The 2014 defending winner of The Great American Race finished third in the 57th annual running at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, leading 32 of the event’s 200 laps with what he deemed earlier in the week as the fastest car in the field.
Unfortunately for the driver of the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Earnhardt made the wrong decision on a restart with 19 laps remaining that in the end proved too costly to overcome.
"Jimmie (Johnson) was on the quarter panel; he was in a great spot on the guy in front of me," Earnhardt said. "I thought if I could get in behind him, he was going to shoot past to the lead, I could tuck on the quarter panel a little bit as soon as I got on that right rear quarter panel.
"You know, just one of them moves. You made some good ones, you make some bad ones. I made a bad one too late. … Just got too cute there. … Should have won the race."
While Earnhardt was particularly hard on himself for the restart snafu, the No. 88 was still in a strong position on the final green-white-checkered sequence. The 12-time NMPA Most Popular Driver winner was in eighth when the final green flag dropped, but "the outside line got going really good" and he was able to advance, though there were "not enough laps to form anything" to send the 88 to Daytona’s Victory Lane for the second consecutive February.
If there had been enough laps, however — or, who knows, if the yellow flag hadn’t frozen the field on the final lap — Earnhardt’s car was clearly fast enough to almost move up through the field at will.
It makes the third-place finish all that more bittersweet.
"You don’t get cars that good too often" Earnhardt said. "I had one of the best cars out there and that gave me a ton of confidence to keep digging. We were able to get back up to third place. It’s really disappointing because the Nationwide team gave me the best car and we should have won the race. I’m just really disappointed that I didn’t do everything I needed to do.
"Good cars like that don’t come every week and you like to take advantage of those and when you’re put in a car like that you’ve got to deliver and we fell a little short today."
While Earnhardt won’t be able to carry the momentum that comes along with being the Daytona 500 champion that clearly propelled his best season in a decade a year ago — not to mention the peace of mind that comes with locking a Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup berth after the first of 26 races — Sunday’s race was still about as good as the 88 team could’ve hoped for, given the changes it has undergone.
With a new crew chief in Greg Ives sitting atop the pit box, along with some new over-the-wall pit crew members, engineers and car chief — the speed and near-flawlessness that Earnhardt exhibited during Speedweeks was extremely encouraging.
The driver addressed the first race with these new faces on Twitter after he left the Daytona media center.
The whole team is n great form. Good communication. No issues today. Smooth. That’s impressive 2 me out of the gate. Something 2 build on.
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) February 22, 2015
We have some new over the wall guys, a few new engineers, a new car chief, a new crew chief. Everyone of them were prepared for Daytona.
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) February 22, 2015
They’ll get another go in a week from now at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the Folds of Honor QuikTrips 500 (March 1, 1 p.m., FOX)
"We are ready to go to Atlanta," Earnhardt said. "It’s going to be a fun year.”
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Lap 41 damage derails three-time champion’s bid for first Daytona 500 win
Play: NASCAR Fantasy Live
RELATED: Get full race results | Series standings
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — 0-for-17.
Tony Stewart’s career-long quest to win the Daytona 500 will have to wait another year. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver, with a fast car throughout Speedweeks, was involved in a Lap 41 wreck that eventually put his No. 14 Chevrolet behind the wall for good Sunday at Daytona International Speedway.
The three-time premier series champion took the blame for the wreck after he drifted up the track and made contact with Ryan Blaney, the result of which sent him hard into the outside wall and brought out the second caution flag of the day.
Matt Kenseth, who was also fast this week and won the Sprint Unlimited on Feb. 14, was among the other cars involved to take heavy damage.
"My fault, I let it get away from me," Stewart said after exiting his SHR entry and heading back to his hauler. "We were fine as long as we were two-wide, then when it got three-wide that particular lap it got away from me. I got out of the gas and couldn’t get the front end caught up when I got out of the gas.
"I just got tight. I was a little bit tight before that. We took two tires on the stop before that. I needed to get to that next pit stop to get it fixed."
Stewart — who does have four wins at Daytona, all coming in the summer race — returned to the track on Lap 110, 64 laps down. On Lap 141, he brought his car back to the garage and called it a day.
"It was fast enough to stay with the pack there," Stewart said. "I actually just stayed with Mike Wallace to try to help my buddy out there, but we ran as many laps as we could to get us to where we couldn’t run any more laps and gain anything."
Apart from points, another reason Stewart decided to pull himself out was because of the nature of the race itself.
Superspeedway racing inherently lends itself to big wrecks. Kyle Busch was injured during Saturday’s XFINITY Series season-opening Alert Today Florida 300 after a wreck, and Stewart thought there was no reason to take the chance for himself or his competitors.
"The biggest race of the year; the last thing we want to do is stay out there and have something else happen and get in the middle of something else," he said. "That’s just letting those guys have their day now."
The 42nd-place finish was the third straight finish of 35th or worse for the veteran in the Daytona 500.
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Thanks fans for support, says husband Kyle is in good spirits
RELATED: Joe Gibbs gives update on Kyle Busch
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Following a crash in Saturday’s Alert Today Florida 300 XFINITY Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kyle Busch underwent surgery to repair a compound fracture in his right leg. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver also sustained a left mid-foot fracture in the wreck.
The NASCAR community quickly took to social media to wish the talented driver well. The outpouring of support wasn’t lost on Busch’s wife Samantha.
Following Busch’s surgery, she gave a quick update on Twitter to let his fans know surgery went well and to thank everyone for the support and prayers.
In the recovery room with Kyle he’s alert n chatting. Surgery went well. We thank you all for the support, prayers and love during this time
— Samantha Busch (@SamanthaBusch) February 22, 2015
Samantha gave a more extensive update on Busch and his condition via Facebook on Sunday morning, hours before substitute driver and friend Matt Crafton will get behind the wheel of the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota Camry.
"Kyle and I wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank everyone for your prayers and kind words during this difficult time," said Samantha, who is pregnant with the couple’s first child. "The response from all of you was so overwhelming and uplifting words cannot describe how much we appreciate it.
"Kyle just finished up some breakfast and is resting comfortably. Although his injuries are serious, we thank God he is alive and that he is in the best spirits you can expect for a time like this. I love this man so much that even through all his injuries and pain the first thing he asked when he saw me was how our little boy was doing.
"He melts my heart at what an amazing father he will be! The staff also nicely checked little man’s heartbeat last night to put us at ease and it was strong! Kyle and I would like to wish the entire 18 team much success today and thank Matt Crafton for stepping in. We also pray for safety for all the drivers out on the track and thank the entire NASCAR community for their outpouring of concern and support. I will keep you posted on his progress and we continue to ask for prayers for a speedy recovery."
Getting ready to watch the Daytona 500! Cheering on our 18 boys! �� pic.twitter.com/3dJnsYICa8
— Samantha Busch (@SamanthaBusch) February 22, 2015
Would rather b driving than watching the #Daytona500 but pulling 4 @Matt_Crafton and the No. 18 @mmschocolate team.
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) February 22, 2015
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Fans can gear up! Official Daytona 500 champion merchandise available
Play: NASCAR Fantasy Live
The checkered flag has waved on "The Great American Race" and the 2015 Daytona 500 Champion has been crowned, with an Official Daytona 500 Champion hat made by New Era.
For the first time ever, fans in attendance at the Daytona 500 were able to purchase the 2015 Official Daytona 500 Champion hat on-site, right after the race concluded. Thanks to New Era’s heat seal technology, the brand was able to produce custom champion hats on-site, at a clip of four hats per minute. Hats are available now for fans to purchase online at NASCAR.com Superstore.
New Era jumped into the licensed merchandise world of NASCAR after its Victory Lane "debut" with Dale Earnhardt Jr. following his historic second Daytona 500 win last year. The cap’s popularity was instant, as fans immediately expressed their interest after Earnhardt Jr. posted his first ever tweet with a picture of himself wearing his New Era hat.
Tonight seemed like as good a night as any to join Twitter. How is everyone doin? #2XDaytona500Champ pic.twitter.com/4k4JVA7fG9
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) February 24, 2014
If you were wondering how to join the celebration, visit the NASCAR.com Superstore for an extensive selection of 2015 Official Daytona 500 Champion’s gear, including official and licensed gear from all your favorite drivers and teams.
Click here to buy Joey Logano Daytona 500 Champion merchandise.
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Get the on-track times for everything at Atlanta Motor Speedway
Play: NASCAR Fantasy Live
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series head to Atlanta Motor Speedway for a tripleheader of NASCAR action, including a unique doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 28. Check out the full schedule below.
Note: All times are ET.
SUNDAY, MARCH 1:
RACE-DAY RUNDOWN
11 a.m.: NSCS Driver/Crew Chief Meeting (Media Center)
11:15 a.m.: Cole Swindell Concert
12:24 p.m.: AMS Presentation to Aaron’s by: Ed Clark AMS President & GM
12:30 p.m.: NSCS Drivers Introductions w/ NASCAR Special Awards (Awards will be read earlier in pre-race)
12:30 p.m.: FOX Live on AIR
12:55 p.m.: Team FasTrax Skydiving Team
12:58 p.m.: God Bless America: Rick Schroeder, United States Air Force Veteran
1 p.m.: Taps by: James Brannon, Dobbins Base Honor Guard
1:00:30 p.m.: Presentation of Colors by: Riverside Military Academy- Gainesville, GA
1:00:50 p.m.: Invocation by: Billy Mauldin- President & CEO of MRO
1:01:30 p.m.: National Anthem by: Brent Whitaker, Air National Guard "Band of the South" – McGhee Tyson ANGB, TN
1:03 p.m.: TOT Fly-by: 2 T-38’s Talons from the 301st Fighter Squadron Tyndall AFB, FL (Turn 4 to Turn 1)
1:08 p.m.: "Drivers, Start Your Engines" by: Maj. Dan Rooney, CEO and Founder of Folds of Honor Foundation
1:16 p.m.: Start of the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 (325 Laps, 500.5 Miles)
ON TRACK
–1 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, FOX (325 laps, 500.5 miles) (Get results)
PRESS CONFERENCES (Watch live)
— Post-NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race
THURSDAY, FEB. 26:
ON TRACK
— 1 p.m.-2:25 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team test
— 3 p.m.-4:55 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team test
*Test will have one car and one driver from any organization
PRESS CONFERENCES (Watch live)
— 2:30 p.m.: Kyle Larson
— 2:40 p.m.: Carl Edwards
— 5 p.m.: Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR Senior VP, Innovation and Racing Development
— 5:15: David Ragan
FRIDAY, FEB. 27:
ON TRACK
— 10-10:55 a.m..: NASCAR XFINITY Series practice, FOX Sports 1 (Get results)
— 11:30 a.m.-12:55 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series final practice, FOX Sports 1 (Get results)
— 1-2:25 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice, FOX Sports 1 (Get results)
— 2:30-5:25 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice, FOX Sports 1 (Get results)
— 5:45 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, FOX Sports 1 (Get results)
PRESS CONFERENCES (Watch live)
— 9 a.m.: Joey Gase
— 11 a.m.: Danica Patrick
— 11:15 a.m.: Tyler Reddick
— 12:15 p.m.: Kasey Kahne
— 3:15 p.m.: Jeff Gordon
— 4:30 p.m.: Motor Racing Outreach announcement with Matt Kenseth
— Post-NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying
GARAGECAM (Watch live)
— 9:30 a.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series
— 2 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
SATURDAY, FEB. 28:
ON TRACK
— 9:10 a.m..: NASCAR XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, FOX Sports 1 (Get results)
— 10:40 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying, FOX Sports 1 (Get results)
— noon-1:20 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series final practice, FOX Sports 1 (Get results)
— 2 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series Hisense 250, FOX Sports 1 (163 laps, 251.02 miles) (Get results)
— 5:30 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Hyundai Construction Equipment 200, FOX Sports 1 (130 laps, 200.2 miles) (Get results)
PRESS CONFERENCES (Watch live)
— 10 a.m.: CMS and JGR announcement with Marcus Smith, Denny Hamlin
— Post-NASCAR XFINITY Series race
— Post-NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race
GARAGECAM (Watch live)
— 11:30 a.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
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Get full lineup of NASCAR programming for the week
RELATED: See the full Speedweeks schedule
All times ET
Monday, February 23
10 a.m., DAYTONA 500 (re-air), FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
7 p.m., NASCAR Gridiron Challenge (re-air), NBC Sports Network
7 p.m., NASCAR Gridiron Challenge (re-air), NBC Sports Network
7 p.m., 1979 DAYTONA 500 (re-air), FOX Sports 2
8 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
9 p.m., DAYTONA 500 (re-air), FOX Sports 1
Tuesday, February 24
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
7 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
Wednesday, February 25
6 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series NextEra Energy Resources 250 (re-air), FOX Sports 2
8 a.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series Alert Today Florida 300 (re-air), FOX Sports 2
10:30 a.m., DAYTONA 500 (re-air), FOX Sports 2
1:30 p.m., NASCAR Victory Lane (re-air), FOX Sports 2
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
7 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
Thursday, February 26
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
6:30 p.m., The List: Dale Earnhardt Sr. (re-air), NBC Sports Network
11:30 p.m., NASCAR Gridiron Challenge (re-air), NBC Sports Network
12:30 a.m., NASCAR America: Celebrate the States 1 (re-air), NBC Sports Network
1 a.m., The List: Greatest Finishes (re-air), NBC Sports Network
1:30 a.m., NASCAR America: Celebrate the States 2 (re-air), NBC Sports Network
2 a.m., NASCAR America: Celebrate the States 3 (re-air), NBC Sports Network
2:30 a.m., NASCAR America: Celebrate the States 4 (re-air), NBC Sports Network
Friday, February 27
10 a.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series practice, FOX Sports 1
11 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Weekend Edition, FOX Sports 1
11:30 a.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series final practice, FOX Sports 1
1 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice, FOX Sports 1
2:30 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice, FOX Sports 1
5:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, FOX Sports 1
7 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
Saturday, February 28
3:30 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying (re-air), FOX Sports 1
5 a.m., The Perfect Storm: DAYTONA 500 (re-air), FOX Sports 1
9 a.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, FOX Sports 1
10:30 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying, FOX Sports 1
Noon, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series final practice, FOX Sports 1
1:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Day: XFINITY, FOX Sports 1
2 p.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series Hisense 250, FOX Sports 1
4:30 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Set Up, FOX Sports 1
5:30 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, FOX Sports 1
10 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race (re-air), FOX Sports 1
Midnight, NASCAR XFINITY Series Hisense 250 (re-air), FOX Sports 1
Sunday, March 1
11 a.m., NASCAR Race Day: Atlanta, FOX Sports 1
12:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Day: Atlanta, FOX
1 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, FOX
1 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, FOX Deportes
6 p.m., NASCAR Victory Lane, FOX Sports 1
2:30 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 (re-air), FOX Sports 1
5:30 a.m., NASCAR Victory Lane (re-air), FOX Sports 1
3 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 (re-air), FOX Sports 1
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