DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — A new era for Kyle Busch began painfully familiar — wrecking out of the Daytona 500, still unable to check the only empty box on his tremendous list of crown-jewel wins.
The two-time Cup Series champion has won about everything a driver could strive for in his 18 prior seasons — Darlington’s Southern 500, Charlotte’s Coca-Cola 600, the Brickyard 400 at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Yet the win column sits goose-egged in the “Great American Race” after 18 tries, a streak that only continued in his first regular-season race with Richard Childress Racing.
Mike Ehrmann | Getty Images
The final overtime saw Rowdy take the white flag fifth, second in the outside lane giving a hard charge to the rear bumper of Joey Logano to charge to the lead in Turn 1. But Turn 2 saw the field fly apart. Before Busch could make a move to try and win the race, he was clipped in the left-rear quarter panel and sent spinning driver-side first into the outside SAFER barrier.
The No. 8 Chevrolet paced the field for six laps Sunday night — all of them when it seemed they would matter most. Busch led Laps 197-202 in a race that was scheduled to end at Lap 200. The 65th annual season opener became the longest yet, concluding at Lap 212 thanks to two overtime finishes.
“I think this is the first time I led Lap 200,” Busch lamented. “I wish it was 1998 rules.”
In 1998, another famed black hat of the sport ended what was a 20-year pursuit of the Harley J. Earl Trophy when Dale Earnhardt Sr. wheeled Richard Childress’ No. 3 car into Victory Lane.
Twenty-five years later, the KFB fairytale nearly became reality. The nightmare continued instead.
If only it was ‘98… Really thought we had that one. Bummed but proud of our 8 group for sticking w it this wknd n giving us a real good backup car. Good things to come this yr. 👊🏻 pic.twitter.com/IJEFRyvCFt
“It’s just par for the course,” Busch said. “Just used to it, and come down here every year to just find out when and where I’m going to crash and what lap I come out of the care center.”
The first overtime restart saw Busch control the restart alongside teammate Austin Dillon. Busch ducked from high to low in an effort to link the Nos. 8 and 3 with William Byron’s No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.
“It looked like it was kind of working,” Busch said, “but we got too much separation off of two, and I tried to back up to get to them. And when they hit me, it got me really squirrely, and then Austin checked up and then it just — the accordion happens, and everybody gets running over everybody.”
That triggered the wreck that led to a second overtime.
After another missed opportunity in NASCAR’s biggest spectacle, Busch was simply left soured at the infield care center.
“Who won? I don’t even know who lucked into it,” he said.
The answer: Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who snagged his third career Cup victory, first Daytona 500 and first triumph since winning the 400-miler at Daytona in July 2017.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Joey Logano came close to adding more history to his hearth once again in Sunday’s Daytona 500.
After winning the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series championship – not to mention the 2015 edition of the “Great American Race” – Logano almost added another crown jewel to his growing Hall of Fame resume in the 65th running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. However, his late-hour push toward the front wasn’t quite enough to seal the deal in overtime, and a last-lap caution turned the outcome into a career-defining victory for Ricky Stenhouse Jr. instead, leaving Logano as the runner-up.
“Pissed off, that’s where I’m at right now, with a little bit of a smile at least,” Logano said after a quick pit-road debrief with his No. 22 Team Penske Ford group. “We finished it, which is all right, but gosh, I hate finishing second in the 500. You’re so close to winning the biggest race of the year. … What do you do? It’s over now, you move on, but we were so close to winning this thing. So proud of our team and what we’ve done from coming off the championship and carrying momentum into the season, but finishing second in the 500 in an extremely solid race is just, argh! It stings. It hurts right now.”
Logano led six times for 12 laps in a bid for his second 500 crown, and he was lined up in fourth place for the final restart, sitting behind Stenhouse on the outside lane. Three-quarters of the way through the next-to-last lap, Stenhouse gained a bit of a margin and shifted lanes, leaving Logano to lead the top side with Kyle Busch’s No. 8 Richard Childress Racing entry behind him.
Even as the only Mustang driver among the top nine — the “lone horse,” he said — Logano actually inched ahead after the white flag when Stenhouse’s No. 47 JTG-Daugherty Racing Chevrolet was forced three-wide with Kyle Larson in the middle. When Larson’s car faded heavily and spun sideways, the ensuing multi-car tangle behind the front-runners prompted a race-ending yellow flag.
“Second is the worst, man,” Logano said. “You’re so close. Leading the white-flag lap there, I was up front. Kyle (Busch) gave me a good push, and, yeah, you’re watching in the mirror, and you’re three-wide across there. I felt like the three-wide was going to hurt a lane; looked like Kyle (Larson) was getting pushed ahead, and then Ricky started getting pushed ahead.
“I knew if I went to the bottom, my car didn’t handle good enough. I already got pushed off the bottom once, and I thought, if I go down there, I’m probably going to get wrecked, and I don’t know if I can get down there in time to throw the block and so I didn’t want to wreck my car either.”
Logano came through with his No. 22 Ford largely unscathed in an eventful race where many of his fellow competitors were not as fortunate. The Sunday performance also backed up a rock-solid showing in the days leading up to the 500 – fifth-fastest in time trials, a victory in a Duel qualifying race and a third-place starting spot for the main event.
“We had the performance the whole week we’ve been down here,” No. 22 crew chief Paul Wolfe told NASCAR.com. “The Fords were fast, that was encouraging. Proud of our pit crew. We executed really well and that put us in position there at the end really to get the lead. Gosh, it’s just so hard to get through one of these races clean and to be that dang close. It just stings right now. Typically, second’s a good run but it just doesn’t feel like it right now for everything it took to get ourselves here.”
While the result was bittersweet, Logano made it a priority to give credit where credit was due and offer his congratulations in his televised interview, saying from experience, “There’s nothing like winning the Daytona 500.”
Even with the video review of the finish indicating a clear victory for Stenhouse, Logano mostly kept his foot on the gas on his way back to the start-finish line for the final time. He actually edged ahead of Stenhouse’s No. 47 to take the checkered flag and yellow flag first – an action that briefly and incorrectly put his No. 22 atop the scoring pylon before the accurate finishing order was listed.
“I was in denial,” Logano said with a laugh. “I still am.”
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — In the longest Daytona 500 in NASCAR history, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. got help from an unexpected source and won the sport’s most prestigious race when a wild wreck froze the field in the second overtime.
Stenhouse and reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano were battling for the lead on Lap 212 when contact from Aric Almirola’s Ford started Travis Pastrana’s Toyota spinning in Turn 2. Pastrana’s Camry clipped the Chevrolet of Kyle Larson and set it rocketing into the outside wall.
Tires screamed, sparks flew and smoke billowed as the cars of defending race winner Austin Cindric, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, AJ Allmendinger, Denny Hamlin, Bubba Wallace and Ryan Blaney were all collected in the chaotic wreck.
But when NASCAR hit the button to illuminate the caution lights, Stenhouse’s No. 47 JTG Daugherty Chevrolet edged ahead of Logano’s Ford, thanks to a timely shove from the third-place finishing Toyota of Christopher Bell, who, like Stenhouse, arrived at the pinnacle of pavement racing from a dirt-track background.
NASCAR declared Stenhouse the winner of the 65th running of the event, a perfect christening of the renewed relationship between the driver and crew chief Mike Kelley, with whom Stenhouse won his two NASCAR Xfinity Series championships more than a decade earlier. It also gave manufacturer Chevrolet its 25th win in the Great American Race.
“Yeah, I think this whole offseason Mike just preached how much we all believed in each other,” Stenhouse said after climbing from his car. “They left me a note in the car that said they believe in me and to go get the job done tonight. I made a few mistakes. We were able to battle back.
“This Kroger Continental team worked really, really hard in offseason, great pit stops, Hendrick engines. Glad a Chevy won.
“Man, this is unbelievable. This was the site of my last win back in 2017. We’ve worked really hard. We had a couple shots last year to get a win and fell short. It was a tough season, but, man, we got it done. Daytona 500!”
It was a remarkable victory and a perfect highlight for the 75th anniversary of NASCAR racing. Stenhouse is the first driver from a single-car team to win the Great American Race since Trevor Bayne shocked the racing world with Wood Brothers Racing in 2011.
The win was Stenhouse’s third in the Cup Series and first since he took the checkered flag in the Daytona summer race in 2017, snapping a streak of 199 races without a victory. JTG Daugherty hadn’t found Victory Lane since Allmendinger triumphed at Watkins Glen in 2014, a drought of 266 races.
With a push from Kyle Larson after the second overtime restart, Logano held the lead with one lap left.
“Second is the worst, man,” Logano lamented. “You’re so close. Leading the white flag lap there, I was up front. Kyle gave me a good push and, yeah, you’re watching in the mirror, and you’re three-wide across there. I felt like the three-wide was going a hurt a lane; looked like Kyle was getting pushed ahead, and then Ricky started getting pushed ahead.
“I knew if I went to the bottom my car didn’t handle good enough. I already got pushed off the bottom once and I thought, if I go down there, I’m probably going to get wrecked, and I don’t know if I can get down there in time to throw the block (on Stenhouse) and so I didn’t want to wreck my car either.”
At 212 laps (530 miles), this Daytona 500 was three laps and 7.5 miles longer than the 2020 race, which held the previous record.
Chris Buescher finished fourth after leading 32 laps, second most to Keselowski’s 42. Pole winner Alex Bowman was fifth, followed by Allmendinger, Daniel Suarez, Ryan Blaney, Ross Chastain and race rookie Riley Herbst.
Blaney made a remarkable recovery after sustaining serious damage in the first wreck of the afternoon.
Until then, the calm of the first 295 miles of racing gave no indication of the chaos to come.
The race ran without incident until Lap 118 when contact from Kevin Harvick’s Ford turned Tyler Reddick’s Toyota sideways in Turn 4. After bouncing off the outside wall, Reddick’s crippled No. 45 Camry came to rest at the entrance to pit road and was towed to the garage.
The No. 43 Chevrolet of Erik Jones and the No. 9 Camaro of 2020 series champion Chase Elliott also sustained terminal damage in what became a nine-car incident.
Blaney lost a lap on pit road under repair, while others involved—Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, Daniel Suarez and Martin Truex Jr.—remained on the lead lap.
“It looked like some guys got tangled up, up front,” Elliott said. “Those of us in the back were just scattering to kind of miss it. It looked like the No. 5 (Larson) and the No. 43 (Jones) kind of went to the apron.
“By the time we got slowed up, they were coming back across the track, and I was the lucky winner to get there first. It’s a bummer—long ways to go. Hate to end the day, but it is what it is.”
Note: Post-race inspection in the NASCAR Cup Series garage is complete with no issues. The Nos. 17 and 48 will be taken back to the NASCAR R&D center for further inspection.
Friday, Feb. 24 Noon, NASCAR Pace Lap, MAVTV
3 p.m., NASCAR Pace Lap (re-air), MAVTV
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
Saturday, Feb. 25 Noon, NASCAR Xfinity Series practice and qualifying at Auto Club Speedway, CANCELED
1:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub Weekend Edition: Fontana, FS1
2 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying at Auto Club Speedway, CANCELED
4 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay: NXS Auto Club Speedway, FS1
5 p.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series: Production Alliance Group 300 at Auto Club Speedway, FS1, POSTPONED
On MRN: 2 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying at Auto Club Speedway, CANCELED
4:30 p.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series: Production Alliance Group 300 at Auto Club Speedway, POSTPONED
Sunday, Feb. 26
Noon, NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying at Auto Club Speedway (re-air), FS1
2 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay: Auto Club Speedway, FS1
2:30 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay: Auto Club Speedway, FOX
3:30 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series: Pala Casino 400 at Auto Club Speedway, FOX, FOX Deportes
8 p.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series: Production Alliance Group 300 at Auto Club Speedway, FS2
On MRN: 2:30 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series: Pala Casino 400 at Auto Club Speedway
7 p.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series: Production Alliance Group 300 at Auto Club Speedway
Although the 65th running of the Daytona 500 initially waved green through the waning portions of Stage 2, the first major caution of the race collected a number of potential race-winning contenders.
With 12 laps to go in Stage 2 and 82 laps to go in the race, Tyler Reddick got loose in the outside lane following a bump from Kevin Harvick and eventually orbited down into the bottom groove, causing a domino effect. Drivers involved in the ensuing incident included Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Erik Jones and Daniel Suárez, with Reddick, Jones and Elliott all officially out of the race following the damage.
“Yeah, it was hard to tell,” Jones said to NASCAR.com following the crash. “It looked like the 45 got turned around, but I couldn’t see how it happened or how it had happened, but regardless, we spun off there on the bottom trying to get around and then got hit, left side hard enough to take out the left rear and just kind of end our day.
“So, it is what it is. We went out, we were racing, we were doing all we could and, you know, we were just in the wrong spot at the wrong time. Wish we could’ve been a little ahead of him.”
Additional drivers to be involved in the incident included Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson and Harvick.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR is home to the most loyal and passionate fans in all of sports, and now fans are being rewarded for that loyalty. As part of its 75th Diamond Anniversary season, NASCAR has launched NASCAR Fan Rewards, a free program that rewards fans for simply engaging with the sport they love.
“Our fans are the reason we race week in and week out, so we wanted to show our appreciation by creating this free program that rewards them for doing what they’re already doing – connecting with the sport they love,” said Pete Jung, NASCAR senior vice president and chief marketing officer. “The best part is, the more fans engage, the more rewards they will earn towards things such as merchandise, gift cards and even race tickets.”
There is no cost to join the rewards program. Fans can visit nascar.com/fanrewards, create an account and start earning points toward rewards immediately. For those fans who already have a NASCAR.com account, they can simply opt-in to NASCAR Fan Rewards via their profile page. Once points are earned, fans can redeem them for items such as race tickets, VIP experiences, autographed merchandise and gift cards, or even donate to the NASCAR Foundation.
Some ways to earn points towards rewards include:
Watching Races from Home: Fans can check in on the NASCAR.com (desktop, mobile app or mobile web) leaderboard during any CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Xfinity Series or Cup Series race
Attending NASCAR Races: Fans can check in from the NASCAR Track app
Playing NASCAR Fantasy Live
Participating in Weekly Trivia: Available via the NASCAR Fan Rewards dashboard each week
Purchasing Race Tickets and Camping: Points are earned automatically when fans purchase tickets or camping at any NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Xfinity Series or Cup Series race
Visiting the NASCAR Hall of Fame
Purchasing Merchandise from the NASCAR.com Shop
To help launch the program and generate awareness among fans, NASCAR and Spire Motorsports will collaborate to showcase a special NASCAR Fan Rewards paint scheme on the No. 77 Chevrolet driven by Ty Dillon during the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum on Feb. 5.
For further information on the NASCAR Fan Rewards program and a full list of ways to earn points and rewards, visit nascar.com/fanrewards.
The NASCAR Cup Series hits the track for the first time in 2023 at the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum this Sunday, Feb. 5, at 8 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Tickets begin at $65, and kids 12 and under are $10. Fans can get tickets now by visiting www.nascarclash.com. Then, the regular season gets underway with the 65th running of the DAYTONA 500®, the Great American Race, on Sunday, Feb. 19, at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. UNOH Fanzone passes are still available at www.daytona500.com or by calling 1-800-PIT-SHOP.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR announced today a new Campus Lab Program that will launch in the fall semester at Bethune-Cookman University. This program targets highly motivated students interested in pursuing careers in the fast-paced sports industry and will provide them with hands-on experience through a specialized curriculum.
“The NASCAR Campus Lab Program will provide exposure to the motorsports industry, career readiness guidance and valuable real-world experience for Bethune-Cookman students,” said Caryn Grant, Senior Director of NASCAR Diversity & Inclusion. “We look forward to developing the next generation of sports professionals while strengthening NASCAR’s relationship with this historic university.”
Bethune-Cookman University is located roughly three miles from NASCAR’s Daytona Beach headquarters and Daytona International Speedway. Students accepted to the NASCAR Campus Lab Program will get real-world experience developing a marketing activation while managing a set budget provided by NASCAR, compete in a case study competition, get a behind-the-scenes view of careers throughout the industry, be paired with a mentor from NASCAR’s Black employee resource group and receive resume and interview tips from human resources professionals. Additionally, NASCAR has made a $100,000 donation to the program.
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Upon completion of the program, NASCAR will provide participating students with a scholarship prize, and at least one eligible student will earn a spot in the highly competitive NASCAR Diversity Internship Program for the upcoming summer. NDIP was launched in 2000 and since then more than 500 college students have participated in the industry’s longest-running diversity initiative.
“We’re extremely excited about the opportunity to expand our long-standing relationship with NASCAR and the Daytona International Speedway said Dr. Lawrence M. Drake, interim president at Bethune-Cookman University. “The NASCAR Campus Lab Program will provide B-CU students with direct access to NASCAR and the world of motorsports through experiential learning, mentoring, and professional support. We believe this kind of exposure will not only help our students further develop the skills and competencies they need to compete in the 21st-century knowledge economy, but will open their minds to an industry that probably wasn’t previously in their consideration set.”
The NASCAR Campus Lab Program is open to sophomores and above at Bethune-Cookman University with a business major, minor, or concentration who have a demonstrated interest in working in the sports industry.
Additional program details and application information will be available to Bethune-Cookman University students through the College of Business and Entrepreneurship beginning February 19. Applications for the fall 2023 cohort will close March 24.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Kevin Harvick is a planner. Always has been, he says.
This year’s agenda looks a little different.
The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series circuit will be Harvick’s final, capping a 23-year career at the sport’s top echelon. Plenty will be routine for the 2014 series champion when he gets to the track. But a lot will be new.
“I always feel like when I start the season, I know what the plan is, and I know what I am trying to accomplish and what I am working toward,” Harvick said. “From the racing side, it is the same. But this year is just a different plan. You go out and execute the plan and start working on the next plan.”
The next step is already public — a transition into the FOX Sports play-by-play booth to serve as an analyst alongside longtime lead Mike Joy and Clint Bowyer, a longtime teammate of Harvick.
Thousands of laps remain before Harvick trades his steering wheel for a microphone, though — coupled with a good bit of reflection.
His recent accomplishments are the most memorable because they are the freshest — 60 career wins, a Cup title and an astounding 790 series starts. His transition to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014 with crew chief Rodney Childers immediately proved fruitful, producing the Cup championship in addition to five victories that season. Last year, he became the first driver to win back-to-back races in the Next Gen vehicle.
But forgotten these days are the successes of Kevin Harvick Inc., his former Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series teams.
Harvick launched the Truck program in 2001 but didn’t take it full-time until 2004, the same season he launched his Xfinity Series operation. In an eight-year span, that team collected 10 Xfinity wins, 43 Truck victories and two series championships. Harvick also scored Xfinity titles in 2001 and 2006, competing mainly for Richard Childress Racing, where he began his illustrious career.
Jonathan Ferrey | ALLSPORT
The relationship with RCR was deeply rooted by 2001, but Harvick’s leap to Cup that year was shrouded in tragedy, tasked with replacing seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt in the renumbered No. 3 Chevrolet to what became the No. 29 car.
Despite the immense pressure and awkward nature of the circumstances, Harvick overcame and achieved his own significant success, highlighted by an Atlanta win in just his third Cup start. What — and how — Harvick has achieved is not lost on longtime competitor and 2012 Cup champion Brad Keselowski.
“I look at Kevin and think of the opportunity that he had 22 years ago, and I can’t imagine having to go through that set of circumstances and the weight that would come with that and trying to take that forward,” Keselowski said. “And to be able to do that and to overcome that weight and to win races at all three levels and championships as owner [and] driver at all three levels, I can’t think of anyone else that’s done that — at least not in this era to the regard that he’s done it.
“I think that’s a tremendous accomplishment. It’s easy to lose sight of. We get so focused on ‘what have you done last week’ that I think sometimes we lose sight on what people have done over their career and certainly sometimes even over just a few years.”
Through his accomplishments on and off the track, Harvick has garnered respect and admiration from his competitive peers — those who have raced him for two decades and those who are only getting their first tastes of racing the veteran.
Jonathan Ferrey | Getty Images
Seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson, a rookie in 2002 who returns to Daytona for his first NASCAR appearance since the 2020 season concluded, didn’t always get along with Harvick. He once suggested Childress fire Harvick following a crash in the 2005 duel qualifying race. That dynamic changed over time. Now a team owner himself at Legacy Motor Club, Johnson sees all Harvick has contributed to stock car racing.
“I think Kevin has offered so much in so many ways,” Johnson said. “He’s not only a fierce competitor but is someone who grew up in the sport and grew up in it and cares for it. He’s always taken the time to understand the point he wants to make and is confident in the point that he makes.
“He’s looked through the ownership lens, as we all know, and certainly the driver lens. He’s been with multiple organizations and different leaders. He’s a very well-rounded, intelligent driver/businessman. I have a ton of respect for what’s accomplished inside and out of the car.”
On the other end of the spectrum is Austin Cindric, the defending Daytona 500 champion and Cup Series sophomore who recently had his fair share of Harvick interactions at the exhibition Clash at The Coliseum on Feb. 5.
“My most recent encounter with Kevin was at the Coliseum, and I got dumped twice in one heat race,” Cindric recalled. “But past that, it’s been fun to get to know him. I would categorize him as a polarizing figure just because I feel like he speaks his mind, and I feel like that does a lot for the industry.
“I have gotten an ass-chewing from Kevin at COTA last year, and that was an interesting experience, but I feel like understanding where he sits and where his career is at … I think it’ll be fun to see how he races this year. By that, I mean I don’t think he’s gonna care about anyone else all year, and I think the Coliseum was a good gauge of that.”
Harvick admitted there’s probably some truth to that, courtesy of some advice from another friend and former competitor.
“Dale [Earnhardt] Jr. summed it up for me by saying it was my ‘NFG’ tour. I said, ‘you’re right,’” Harvick laughed. “If we have to settle scores, we will settle them immediately. We aren’t waiting until next week. If it rolls, we are settling them.”
Chase Elliott, the five-time defending Most Popular Driver, had his own heated encounter with Harvick at Bristol Motor Speedway during a playoff race in 2021. While that memory lingers, it doesn’t cloud what Harvick has meant to Elliott, the 2020 Cup champion.
“I feel like there’s been a lot of mutual respect,” said Elliott, who begins his eighth full-time season this year. “Our disagreement there at Bristol is probably always going to stand out. But it goes much deeper than that.
“Kevin has been a great ally of mine early in my career. I’ve referenced that, the questions here lately. I’m very appreciative of that, him being able to lend a hand there early in my career. I appreciate his time and willingness to help me learn and help get me and steer me in a good direction going into some of those tracks for the first time in my rookie year of Xfinity.”
Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
Another once-fiery rivalry that has cooled considerably is Harvick’s with Kyle Busch. The duo traded plenty of barbs (and paint) over the years — including a Darlington conflict in 2011 that saw Busch punt Harvick’s empty car into the wall post-race.
These days? The two are good enough friends to have shared a rental-car ride on Wednesday, conjuring memories of a NASCAR film classic.
“It’s kind of weird, right?” Busch quipped. “Almost the ‘Days of Thunder’ where we should have got our own rental cars. Would have been a Ford versus Chevy. That would have been funny. But yeah, him having Keelan, me having Brexton and us having other things outside of just the race track and different things in life, like you mentioned about focusing on and what it’ll teach you has certainly meant a lot to the both of us and how we can relate and work with one another.”
Harvick has established himself as a leader inside the NASCAR garage, an authoritative voice as the series’ most experienced driver. He didn’t always want to accept that role, though.
Feeling as though his opinions hadn’t been considered, Harvick began shying away from significant involvement within the paddock and with the sport’s leadership. That changed over the past year as Kurt Busch and Alex Bowman incurred concussions from crashes during the 2022 season.
Araya Doheny | Getty Images
“It really lit a fire to me to make sure that you didn’t leave them hanging before you left, and you tried to establish something that was better for them before we left,” Harvick said. “For all of us, it has been eye-opening to have to establish relationships and talk to each other in the same room because it just hasn’t been that way in 15 years.
“When Dale [Earnhardt Sr.] and all those guys were coming up through the years, those guys all traveled together and were really good friends. And it has kind of evolved away from all of that with the way that today’s industry works. For us to have to sit in rooms and talk to each other and learn more about each and get to know each other, I feel like I have gotten to know more of the guys over the last year-and-a-half than I have in the last 10 years.”
Harvick’s accomplishments and contributions to NASCAR have solidified an outstanding legacy, one which will surely be enshrined in the NASCAR Hall of Fame once eligible to be voted in. KHI still reigns strong, now as KHI Management, a sports service and celebrity-marketing agency that represents athletes from racing to mixed martial arts. Current NASCAR competitors repped by the brand include Ryan Preece, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Harrison Burton.
“I think there are a lot of people in this sport who are successful in one piece of the environment,” Keselowski said. “But to be successful in multiple pieces of the environment is that much more challenging, so to be able to have that legacy is one that I’m sure Kevin is proud of. And as the industry reflects back over the course of the year, I hope it takes the time to remember as well.”
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — William Sawalich won the Super Late Model battle in the World Series of Asphalt at New Smyrna Speedway, but Casey Roderick won the war.
Despite having to watch Sawalich take his second World Series of Asphalt win of the week after dealing with brake issues for most of the night, Roderick still managed to salvage a sixth-place finish in Saturday’s Orange Blossom 100, earning him a title in his first attempt at the prestigious event.
The frustration of his brake issue was at the forefront of Roderick’s mind immediately after race, but he did come away with a sense of pride knowing he will always be remembered as a World Series of Asphalt champion.
“I feel good, but I’m disappointed in our finish,” Roderick said. “A brake line or something came loose on the right rear. It just went to the floor, so I did the best I could to get in the corner, but I’m proud of these guys. They did an awesome job all week, but it sucks we didn’t have anything to show for it tonight.”
From the moment they arrived at New Smyrna for the World Series of Asphalt, the cars Anthony Campi supplied to Roderick and Katie Hettinger proved to be two of the fastest at the facility.
William Byron matched Roderick’s win total by winning on Monday and taking the Clyde Hart Memorial 100 the following night, while Sawalich bookended the Super Late Model division with trips to Victory Lane.
A blown engine for Sawalich in the Clyde Hart Memorial 100 hindered him from making a significant run at Roderick for a World Series of Asphalt title, but he was more than satisfied to celebrate another win with the organization.
“I can’t thank the Donnie Wilson crew enough for giving me a great car,” Sawalich said. “I’m super happy for all of them, and there’s no better way to cap off [the week] with [another win].”
Sawalich had to earn his victory by going up against one of the best Super Late Model drivers in Bubba Pollard.
After Pollard took the lead on a restart, Sawalich patiently bided his time behind the veteran until he made his move with just over 10 laps remaining. Once he cleared Pollard, Sawalich drove away from the field to add another win to his growing resume.
“That was a game of patience,” Sawalich said about his battle with Pollard. “I had to analyze what my car had versus what [Pollard’s] had. I capitalized on his weakness and got him with my strong points.”
(Photo: Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)
With the World Series of Asphalt now complete, Sawalich is turning his attention toward his ARCA commitments, where he is scheduled to run 20 races across the three divisions.
For Roderick, the World Series of Asphalt gave him and Campi a perfect game plan for the rest of their 2023 season. He is confident the brake issues that hindered them on Saturday will be rectified and that they will continue to build off the momentum from their World Series of Asphalt title.
“I knew coming into [this week] we had a shot [at the World Series of Asphalt],” Roderick said. “We were strong in every race and had a chance to win. We’ve just got to keep digging and go into these other races by doing the same thing we did this week.”
Gabe Sommers wrapped up his World Series of Asphalt season by placing third in the Orange Blossom 100. Defending New Smyrna track champion Brad May was fourth, while Connor Mosack, who had finished second in the ARCA Daytona 200 a few hours earlier, rounded out the top five.
The Super Late Models shared the track with five other divisions on Saturday. Below are the other key takeaways from the final night of the World Series of Asphalt at New Smyrna.
Bill Burba took home the checkered flag in the Florida Modified finale, allowing him to overtake Cody Stickler for the championship, who was eliminated on Lap 5 after sustaining contact in a battle with Wayne Parker for the lead.
Parker ended up finishing in second in Saturday’s feature, where he was followed by Tim Moore, Shain Held and Michael Mark.
Brennon Pletcher was victorious in the lone Pro Trucks feature of the World Series of Asphalt. Taylor Watson placed second with Richard Griffis, Kenneth Canales and Becca Monopoli completing the top-five finishers.
For the Mod Mini feature, Sean Bass put together a commanding performance that saw him beat Dylan Reynolds by 4.3 seconds. David Russell, John DeGeorge and Rex Christianson rounded out the top five.
Paul Koci won the 50-lap Super Stock race over Rich Clouser, Blake Clouser, Doug Samion and Bobby Holley.
Noah Partlow formally put a bow on the 2023 World Series of Asphalt with a win in the Bomber B feature, which he took over Frank Button, Chuck Rush, Rick Gaither and Daniel Bromley.
For the first time ever, I am attending the Daytona 500!
I’m dating myself here, but I have attended a NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway — the Pepsi 400 way back in 2002.
Daytona 500 odds have been widely available for several months, so I have a handful of NASCAR picks that I’ve already made. However, I’ll be away from my computer for a chunk of the weekend while traveling to the race.
As a result, I decided to tap a handful of fellow NASCAR bettors to provide their top Daytona 500 picks for Sunday’s race (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM) to make sure I’m not missing out on any of the top value bets for the “Great American Race.”
So with a little help from my friends, I’ve detailed the latest Daytona 500 odds and NASCAR picks with value heading into this afternoon’s race.
Christi Walsh is already on my favorite bet for the Daytona 500, which she details below, so I am highlighting my second-favorite wager instead to avoid repetition.
The Action Network’s Nick Giffen and I have been all over Almirola since odds opened through Thursday night’s Duel races, so this pick may seem a bit redundant. But for those now starting or finishing up their Daytona 500 betting cards, there’s still plenty of value in this number.
Almirola has a knack for superspeedway racing, including wins at Daytona and Talladega in the Cup and Xfinity Series.
In addition, Almirola finished fifth in this race one year ago, which is significant since it was also run in NASCAR’s Next Gen car.
But what makes me most bullish on Almirola is how his car performed en route to a victory in Thursday night’s second Duel race.
At the very low-risk, high-upside price of 33-1, we’re getting an experienced and successful superspeedway racer who appears to have one of the best cars for today’s Daytona 500.
Nick Giffen: Top Toyota — Christopher Bell (+550 at bet365)
Seven Toyota drivers are entered in this year’s Daytona 500. Two of those drivers are rookies making their Daytona 500 debuts.
If every Toyota had equal odds, they’d all be listed at +600, but Bell rates higher than both Travis Pastrana and Ty Gibbs.
My model also rates him better than Martin Truex Jr. and Tyler Reddick. That makes sense given Reddick’s performance in his Duel race, and Truex’s lack of solid superspeedway results over a large sample size.
Bell nearly won his Duel qualifying race over Joey Logano, even without getting much help from his Toyota teammates.
I have Bell’s fair odds at about +475, so +550 at bet365 is one of the better values of any bet still out there per my model. I’d bet this down to +500 and feel good about it.
Stephen Young: Cody Ware Lead Lap Finish (+225 at BetRivers)
It wouldn’t be Daytona if I didn’t have a fun bet that I liked a lot.
In 12 career superspeedway races, Ware has three lead-lap finishes. With that said, he’s been running at the end in 10 of those 12 races.
Half the battle at Daytona is running at the end of the race. If his team can clean up on pit road, Ware should avoid issues while running toward the back. He had a 28.1 average running position on superspeedways last season.
At the end of the day, I like looking for long-shot bets for the 500, and I think this has a good chance of hitting if there are a lot of other issues. There have been at least seven cautions in eight of the last 10 Daytona races.
Christi Walsh: Ryan Blaney to Win (+1200 at FanDuel)
It’s no secret that I absolutely adore betting Blaney, and across the four Cup Series races run in the Next Gen car last season at Daytona and Talladega, YRB posted the best average finish while leading the most laps.
Additionally, three of Blaney’s seven career Cup Series wins have come at Talladega and Daytona.
There’s a valid reason for the price tag, but he’s worth it.
Jim Sannes: Winning Manufacturer — Ford (+150 at DraftKings)
When I look at outright values in my model, almost all of them (excluding Bell at +3000) are Fords.
So, rather than picking one, let’s just lump them all together and bet Ford at +150. DraftKings still has a “winning manufacturer” bet available at those odds. The implied odds there are 40%, and I’ve got Fords winning 41.9% of the time.
We saw their strength on Thursday, and we’ve seen it consistently at superspeedways in the past. I’m fine betting guys like Kevin Harvick (+2500) and Austin Cindric (+2700) individually if you want longer odds.
However, this is the best way to bet them in my eyes.
