Netflix docuseries ‘Race’ starring Bubba Wallace launches worldwide; get a sneak preview

Posted on February 22, 2022February 22, 2022 by Staff Report

Get an inside look at rising NASCAR Cup Series driver Bubba Wallace in the Netflix docuseries “Race,” launched worldwide on Tuesday. The six-part program chronicles Wallace’s life both on and off the track, providing exclusive access to him during the 2020 and 2021 seasons — including his first season with 23XI Racing, co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan and NASCAR superstar Denny Hamlin.

The series traces Wallace’s rise to the elite ranks of NASCAR as the only current full-time Black driver in the Cup Series and his decision to speak out on racial justice issues. Over the course of the six episodes, Wallace reckons with who he is on and off the track and as both a driver and an activist.

“This is unlike any project I’ve ever participated in; it’s a raw, emotional and completely transparent account of the events that took place throughout the 2020 and 2021 NASCAR seasons,” Wallace said in a statement. “With me, what you see is what you get. You’ll witness the peaks and valleys of the sport and see how one’s actions off the race track are just as important as the ones on it.”

The series features appearances by Wallace’s family members, his team behind-the-scenes, Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Richard Petty, as well as commentators Michael Strahan, Jemele Hill and W. Kamau Bell.

The series was directed and executive produced by Erik Parker with fellow executive producers Kevin Liles, Nolan Baynes, and Kelly G. Griffin for 300 Studios; Andrew Fried, Dane Lillegard, Jordan Wynn, and Sarina Roma for Boardwalk Pictures; Matt Summers, Tim Clark and Tally Hair for NASCAR.

Posted on February 21, 2022February 21, 2022 by Terrin Waack

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota of Kyle Busch went for a spin on Lap 63 during Sunday’s largest wreck, and it later managed to cross the finish line at Daytona International Speedway on Lap 201 in sixth place.

Busch was one of the eight drivers involved in the Stage 1 conclusion crash that took half out of contention for the Daytona 500 victory. His car was clipped by those of William Byron, Harrison Burton and Denny Hamlin — all of whom ultimately exited prematurely because of their contact. Ross Chastain was the fourth DNF.

“It definitely slowed us down a little bit,” Busch said. “Any time you get damage, it’s not optimum, but otherwise, we were able to hang in the draft well and race around some of the other guys that were fast. But there were definitely guys that were faster than us and they were noticeable.”

DAYTONA 500: Race results | Austin Cindric wins as a rookie

Alejandro Alvarez | NASCAR Digital Media

Most notably would have to be Austin Cindric, who won as a rookie. Bubba Wallace came in second. Chase Briscoe, Ryan Blaney and Aric Almirola completed the top five before Busch slid into the results.

Busch was 13th in Stage 1 and 14th in Stage 2. He averaged an 11.38 running position.

The two-time champion did lead four times for a total of 28 circuits. He now boasts 324 laps led in 17 career Daytona 500 starts, which marks the all-time most by drivers who have never won the crown-jewel event. His best result is second (2019), and he has three top-five and five top-10 runs overall.

Busch lined up ninth on the final restart that set up the two-lap dash to the checkered flag in overtime. He wasn’t close enough to help fellow Toyota driver Wallace, who was third. Had Busch been, Wallace and Co. think the No. 23 would have had a better chance to pass Cindric for the win.

“Certainly,” said Wallace’s crew chief, Bootie Barker. “I mean, if you were to have one of our teammates with us, for sure you would have more of a shot. It just went against us this race. All of them got wrecked.”

PHOTOS: Sights, scenes from Daytona 500

Of the other Toyota pilots, Martin Truex Jr. wound up 13th and Kurt Busch was 19th. Both Hamlin (37th) and Christopher Bell (34th) crashed out.

James Gilbert | Getty Images

Wallace and Busch had drafted together earlier, too, and it worked. Busch propelled Wallace, who led 12 laps.

“At the beginning, I was like this ain’t bad, and then we had some moments and I was like all right, let’s not let our guard down here,” Wallace said. “But Kyle is one of the best at pushing, so I appreciate that. We were trying to move the line and maybe we should have stayed top there and keep that line rolling, but it’s always interesting being pushed by him.”

The next superspeedway race isn’t until April 24 at Talladega Superspeedway, where Busch owns one win (2008) in 33 starts. Busch and the entire garage have Auto Club Speedway in a week instead (Feb. 27 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

NASCAR does return to Daytona, though — Aug. 27 for the regular-season finale.

“Overall, a good day and a good effort,” Busch said. “I’m pleased with how far we came from behind to get a decent finish there. We were tore up a lot most of the race, so that was a good finish.”

Posted on February 21, 2022February 21, 2022 by Zack Albert

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Three-plus years later, it remains a really tough watch.

Austin Cindric was nearing the end of a split Xfinity Series campaign, dividing time between Roger Penske’s and Jack Roush’s cars. Four of his nine starts in Roush’s No. 60 Ford had ended in race-ending crashes. The last of those came on Labor Day weekend, 2018.

Cindric’s No. 60 had nosed into the inside retaining wall at Darlington Raceway before the engine had hardly warmed – last place, just two laps completed. “Come ONNNN!” he screamed over the team radio. The interview that followed at the infield care center was no easier, and the cringe meter had been pegged. Cindric choked up, saying he knew he’d get teary-eyed because his team had worked so hard to try to further his racing efforts.

So the question came Sunday on what exactly Cindric would’ve told his previous self, the one that struggled to a 17th-place average finish that star-crossed year. Could he have said that one day he’d be a Daytona 500 champion and that everything would be OK?

“Probably not. You probably couldn’t have picked me up from the care center and said, you’re going to win the Daytona 500 one day. I probably would have said, ‘bulls—.’ But we’ve come a long way since then,” Cindric said with a degree of understatement. “It’s a very big credit to a lot of the people around me that have believed in me.

James Gilbert | Getty Images

“I’ve driven a lot of different race cars in my career, a lot of different race cars at this track alone, and I’ve seen the highs and lows of it. I have a lot of perspective from friends, competitors, co-drivers, teammates. This race means so much to so many people, and just very humbled to be able to get it done.”

Cindric soaked it all in Sunday, further distancing himself from those turbulent days with a crowning victory in The Great American Race. Fending off a late challenge from teammate Ryan Blaney, Cindric opened his rookie NASCAR Cup Series season in the best possible way, in Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway.

MORE: Closest finishes in Daytona 500 history

So yes, 2018-self Austin Cindric, it got better. In the years that followed, Cindric notched an Xfinity Series championship in 2020 and came a quarter of a lap away from another title last year. All the while, he was climbing toward a destination in the Cup Series, driving the famed No. 2 for Roger Penske while replacing former series champion Brad Keselowski.

Along the way, there was the backbiting that he tried to tune out. Tim Cindric, his father, is the president of Team Penske. Any whispers that his last name helped him more than his driving merit didn’t seem to faze him.

“For me, I guess I don’t have time for the noise,” Cindric said. “But if there’s anything I have left to prove, I’m not sure what it is.”

Sunday’s finish may have done more to sway those opinions and to bury the memory of his inauspicious start.

“I think Jeff Gordon tore up a lot of race cars, too, at one point, and he turned out to be pretty awesome,” said No. 2 Ford crew chief Jeremy Bullins. “… I think the years he’s been in the Xfinity car and the experience he gained there just made him better to get to the point where — I hope this gives him a sense of belonging over here, that I can do this and I do fit in and all those things because that confidence is very inspiring and leads you to do great things.

“Did it start off great? Maybe not. But I’m telling you the kid studies and he works hard, and he puts a lot of effort into it. If he’s not doing well, he will figure it out for sure.”

Cindric’s name gained some clout Sunday. Funny, since it was initially misspelled on the placard above his garage stall when his team arrived in Daytona early last week.

Any tears in interviews Sunday would have been joyful ones. As a measure of how far he’d distanced himself from that 2018 dismay in Darlington, no less than Mario Andretti applauded Cindric on Sunday evening for a “most brilliant drive” on social media.

From one Daytona 500 champ to another.

“If I’m able to come here and win this race again and put myself in position again, I think every race is different, every experience is different,” Cindric said. “At this moment of my life, I can’t think of anything more amazing and more gratifying than winning this race specifically. It’s a lot of hard work, like you said. It’s all I care about, it’s all I think about, and that’s what’s gotten me this far.”

Posted on February 20, 2022February 21, 2022 by Terrin Waack

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Bubba Wallace has been in this exact situation before, yet his emotions couldn’t be more different.

In 2018, Wallace finished second in the Daytona 500 by 0.206 seconds. Sunday night, he had the same result. This time, he crossed 0.036 seconds too late.

“I didn’t have a fighting chance the first time in 2018,” Wallace said. “This one, being that close, it’s just like a gut punch. Going from all the confidence in the world to literally having it ripped out from underneath you is a really s—– feeling.”

James Thomas | NASCAR Digital Media

Daytona 500: Race results | Austin Cindric wins as a rookie

Wallace isn’t referencing the margin of victory, though.

The 2018 run was not only his first career top five, but top 10. It also doubled as the first race of his rookie season in the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet.

Now, Wallace is in his fifth full-time season and driving the No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota. He has a win under his belt — Talladega Superspeedway in October 2021, the last race on the track type before Sunday.

“I think Bubba has a lot of confidence in the speedways,” 23XI Racing director of competition Mike Wheeler said. “I think him and Freddie (Kraft, spotter) did a really good job, hearing them work and learn and improve and be a top-tier group. It really shows to be pretty good. So, proud of that effort and hopefully keep going with that.”

Wallace was in position to win in overtime, too.

PHOTOS: Sights, scenes from Daytona 500

With two laps to go, Wallace lined up behind Ryan Blaney on the inside lane for the restart. Blaney’s teammate, Austin Cindric, was up top in the lead, with Brad Keselowski behind him.

Alejandro Alvarez | NASCAR Digital Media

“He and Freddie talked about it,” No. 23 crew chief Bootie Barker said. “They knew we had to shove the 12, keep shoving the 12 so it kept us going forward, too, to have enough energy so at the end something could happen.”

Instead, Cindric pulled in front of Blaney. Keselowski remained outside. It stayed like that until the final sprint to the checkered flag when Blaney tried to make a move. Cindric blocked him, leaving a gap open for Wallace.

Wallace was half a car length short of Cindric at the finish line.

The repeat outcome puts Wallace on a short list with Blaney (twice), Charlie Glotzbach (twice) and Terry Labonte (three times) as drivers with multiple runner-up finishes in the Daytona 500. There’s disappointment, but there’s also momentum — and confidence.

“Higher than it ever has been,” Barker said. “But we know the work we got cut out for us at all the other tracks. And we’re OK with it. You just stay focused and work on the task at hand always.”

The next task is Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, next Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Wallace has three career starts on the 2-mile oval, with the best coming in 2018 (20th). NASCAR did not race at Auto Club in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so Wallace has never been there with his current team.

Wallace will enter the event sitting fourth in the points standings – the highest he has ever been ranked since that 2018 Daytona 500.

“You know, we succeeded,” Wallace said. “We succeeded on all levels, but we failed at the same time. So, going through that, trying to ride that, is super tough. Maybe two days, maybe three and probably a freaking week, I’ll get over this. But California is Sunday.

“That’s the one thing that people ask me about: What motivates you? Having another chance next week to go back to Victory Lane.”

Alejandro Alvarez | NASCAR Digital Media

Posted on February 20, 2022February 21, 2022 by Holly Cain

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series season-opening Daytona 500 was decided by a couple feet – rookie Austin Cindric’s No. 2 Team Penske Ford nudging ahead of Bubba Wallace’s No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota as they crossed the most famous finish line in stock car racing alongside one another in front of a sold-out crowd.

All afternoon long, the race featured close racing, strategic drafting and ultimately an overtime restart to settle the winner’s famed Harley J. Earl trophy.

There were 35 lead changes among 13 drivers in a decidedly competitive high-speed dance of skill and will. Today’s Daytona 500 also saw 104 green flag passes for the lead; the fifth-most since the creation of the Loop Data statistic in 2007.

And for all the emotion and drama of the race, the drivers had nothing but encouraging remarks about the premier series’ points racing debut of the NASCAR Next Gen cars – officially marking a new era of racing featuring the most innovative technical changes to the sport in decades, if not ever.

“At the end of the day, it’s a race car,” Wallace said, standing on pit road following the race. “I actually enjoyed being behind the wheel and learning a lot. The draft is a little bit different. Pushing is a little bit different, so some things that we need to work on and enhance our speed in some areas.

“So it’ll be a good debrief tomorrow. We’ll just talk about it and try to get better.”

Technically the car features a new horsepower package, aerodynamic changes, single-lug nut wheels, a composite body, even a new camera-rearview mirror. Aesthetically, the cars look different with numbers moved from the car doors further up toward the front fender area.

Teams spent much of the offseason testing them – their feedback resulting in tweaks here and there. And ultimately the car was declared ready for competition – Sunday’s race its important regular season debut.

As with Wallace, Aric Almirola, who finished fifth in his last full-time season start in the Daytona 500, was impressed with the new car. He started 38th on the 40-car grid and was able to methodically work his way forward – missing multiple multi-car incidents to get his Ford to the front draft and in position to at least compete for the win.

“I thought the car was resilient,” Almirola said. “I thought the car was dicey to bump draft aggressively, the cars move around a lot and the bumpers are rounded so they don’t make a perfect match, but nonetheless, it was Daytona and we put on a great race, a wild finish and it’s always exciting.”

Added race winner Cindric, “There’s so much different about this car but it’s still the same style of racing. … It was really interesting to see who picked up on different things in the race and even in practice.”

Cindric’s team owner Roger Penske agreed.

“I think we’re on a great trajectory,” Penske said. “All the new fans we had at the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum and certainly selling this place out, I think is terrific,” Penske said, adding “Everybody’s got the same hammer and it’s up to strategy, execution and the driver.”

“I think the cars we have today and the new rules are terrific,” he said.

Posted on February 20, 2022February 21, 2022 by Zack Albert

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The sour taste of last year’s Daytona 500 had gotten a refresher. Team Penske typically gives a loose rein in letting its team drivers duke it out for victories, but last year’s final-lap crash among teammates and an empty-handed departure left a lasting sting.

Bound not to repeat that outcome 371 days later, Ryan Blaney was reminded before the final restart to take extra care that one of Roger Penske’s cars won The Great American Race. One did, but it was rookie Austin Cindric hoisting the Harley J. Earl Trophy for the organization after Blaney’s last-gasp surge to the outside line was foiled with the checkered flag in sight.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos

Blaney’s No. 12 Ford swerved and scraped the wall in securing a fourth-place finish. He had waited for the bulk of the final two-lap overtime dash around Daytona International Speedway’s 2.5-mile oval, making his move in the short chute out of Turn 4.

Cindric blocked the high-lane advance, and Blaney wound up crashing across the start-finish line.

“It’s just one of those things. It didn’t work out,” said Blaney, who led 36 of the 201 laps. “We still ended up fourth, but I don’t know another perfect position we could have put ourselves in to win the race. It just didn’t work out.”

Last year at Daytona, Brad Keselowski’s attempted pass on Penske teammate Joey Logano infamously went south on the last lap, sparking a multi-car crash and allowing Michael McDowell to slide through for the victory. That was top of mind in Team Penske’s game plan in the days leading up to this year’s 500, and the subject cropped up again with the race on the line.

James Gilbert | Getty Images

“We had a little issue in the Duels (qualifying races) where, same thing — we had two cars in the top four in two races and weren’t able to win,” said No. 12 crew chief Jonathan Hassler. “So we had a lot of discussions this week about how to make sure one of our team cars won, and I talked to Ryan before the last restart and reminded him of everything we talked about and make sure one of our cars won and he did it. I’m proud of him for going after it, but still helping us.”

Blaney was in a similar position, running second on the final lap in the 2020 Daytona 500. Using a crossover move, he tangled with Ryan Newman to trigger a serious crash, one that allowed Denny Hamlin to sneak by for his third Daytona 500 crown.

This year with a teammate in front and a word of caution fresh in his mind, Blaney waited again.

“I wanted to try to win the race for Roger Penske, whether that was me or another car, that’s what I was doing,” Blaney said. “I didn’t want to make a move too early, because that throws a big chance out the window. So yeah, that’s about it.”

MORE: Next Gen Daytona debut earns praise from drivers

Blaney had entered the 500 as one of the favorites. He had won the previous Cup Series race at Daytona last August, and his record of two recent victories at the similar Talladega Superspeedway had backed up his cred as one of the more skillful drivers at this racing discipline.

There was heartache after Blaney was checked and cleared at the infield care center, but a note of commendation for the way the raced from the team’s leadership – from Roger Penske on down. He wound up just short, but Team Penske was not left wanting this year.

“I feel bad that it didn’t work out for him because man, he is such a fantastic teammate,” said Travis Geisler, Team Penske’s competition director. “He’s done such a great job for us. Every speedway race, he’s like the most selfless guy out there for us. I want to see him get this, too, but you know, that’s fair. I think our thing coming in is just absolutely make sure that one of us wins, and he made sure that he didn’t make the move too early, that everybody could pass us and made sure that one of us won.

“And I think that’s what we owe Roger. That’s what we owe our sponsors. That’s what we owe everybody back in the shop making all this happen. You know, at the track, we’ve got to be able to do that. Today, we were able to.”

The selflessness wasn’t lost on Cindric, either.

GEAR: Shop Cindric Daytona 500 champion gear

“I look at Ryan and he’s honestly been the glue to our speedway program if I look back, as far as having two polarizing figures that are both equally good at what they do in different ways,” Cindric said. “I think Ryan has kind of been the guy that’s honestly gotten the short end of the stick sometimes as far as being a great teammate.

“We talked about it as a team on Monday before we left for Daytona, as far as what the rules were going to be there and how to manage that, and I think that stays behind closed doors. But I think to that point, Ryan had a shot to win the race off of Turn 4, and that was his chance to do it, and I knew that’s the opportunity that he wanted to have, and I think the best chance for him to do that is to be second in line. He was in position to be able to do that, but otherwise great team effort and proud of that, and hopefully I can repay the favor.”

Posted on February 20, 2022 by Staff Report

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Brad Keselowski was everywhere this weekend in Florida. At the front of the field in the Bluegreen Vacations Duel race, running point for large portions of Sunday’s Daytona 500 and, to be sure, in the headlines by the end of Sunday night.

Keselowski powered his No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford to a ninth-place result in Sunday’s Great American Race, his first official start as a driver/owner. He led more laps than any other driver (67), but it was a pair of spins instigated by Keselowski’s pushing that had his peers talking.

The second, late-race incident drew a bit of a bristling response from Ricky Stenhouse Jr., whose race ended early and in agonizing fashion. Stenhouse led the field to green on a Lap 195 (of 200) restart and was running in the top five when he spun and smacked the wall following a hard push from Keselowski. That rejumbled the field and ultimately led to rookie Austin Cindric holding point on a green-white-checkered finish in NASCAR Overtime to win in the No. 2 Team Penske Ford.

“I had position all day really and felt like we were really pushing people at the right time,” Stenhouse Jr. told FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass. “There were definitely spots on the race track you didn’t want to push or get pushed. The 6 (of Keselowski) I guess found that out a couple times today.”

The previous instance Stenhouse referenced occurred on Lap 41 and looked similar. Keselowski was giving Harrison Burton a healthy shove on the top line, which Burton led. The No. 6’s big push of the No. 21, though, ended with Burton spinning down into William Byron and collecting Byron’s No. 24, plus the cars of race favorite Denny Hamlin, Alex Bowman, Kyle Busch and others.

“I guess he (Keselowski) just tried to wreck everybody in the field until he won,” Stenhouse said. “I guess his other car won that he gave up. So kudos to him.”

“I thought we all pushed really good,” Stenhouse added, “you just can’t push on the exit of a corner. He did it off of Turn 2 to the 21 (of Burton) there and then off of (Turn) 4 for me. Just the wrong place.”

Keselowski restarted fourth on the green-white-checkered restart, lined up directly behind the No. 2 Ford he drove previously for 12 seasons. He helped shove Cindric to the lead and, when Cindric jumped down to the bottom lane, Keselowski was the leader up top and running second.

Ryan Blaney stayed tight on Cindric’s bumper, though, and the No. 2 stayed on the point until the checkered flag. Keselowski, meanwhile, dropped from third to ninth on the final push to the line when he was shuffled out of the top line and into the middle.

“Whenever somebody spins out obviously there’s somebody over-aggressive, but in the moment I didn’t,” Keselowski said when asked if he felt like he was overly aggressive. “… I was just pushing. We weren’t even all the way up to speed, so I feel like it was a crazy time to be pushing, but obviously, the results say different.

“I thought down the backstretch we were gonna win the race, and just the 12 (of Blaney) and the 2 got a really good push from (Bubba Wallace) and basically cleared our lane and then our lane kind of broke up there at the end. It was really close, just green-white-checkers.”

Posted on February 20, 2022January 22, 2025 by Reid Spencer

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — On the 85th birthday of his car owner, Roger Penske, 23-year-old NASCAR Cup Series rookie Austin Cindric beat Bubba Wallace to the finish line by .036 seconds in overtime to win Sunday’s 64th running of the Daytona 500.

In a thrilling run to the finish in NASCAR’s new Next Gen race car at Daytona International Speedway, Cindric held off Wallace and Chase Briscoe (.091 seconds behind) to notch his first Cup victory in his eighth start in the series.

Cindric got the win in chamber-of-commerce weather with a sold-out crowd jamming the grandstands.

“Oh, my God — do you know what makes this even better? A packed house,” Cindric exulted after climbing from his car. “A packed house at the Daytona 500.

“Oh, my God, I’ve got so many people to thank. First and foremost, Roger Penske. Happy Birthday!

“Everyone has worked so hard on this Next Gen car and through the whole process. I am so excited. This makes up for losing a championship in the last race I was in (2021 Xfinity Series season finale at Phoenix Raceway).

“I’m surrounded by great people, that’s all there is to it. I know there’s going to be highs and lows, being a rookie. I’m just grateful for the opportunity and excited to climb the mountain ahead of us on the No. 2 team. We’re in the playoffs — that’s one box checked. My gosh, what an awesome group of fans; what an awesome race car. I’m just really thankful.”

A three-car wreck in Turn 4 on Lap 195 of a scheduled 200 wiped out the No. 47 Chevrolet of Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who was leading for a restart on that same lap but was turned by a push from Brad Keselowski. The incident forced the race to overtime, requiring one extra lap for Cindric to claim victory.

An earlier six-car accident on Lap 190 had eliminated reigning series champion Kyle Larson, Kevin Harvick, Todd Gilliland, Erik Jones and Noah Gragson, who was making his first start in NASCAR’s top division.

Cindric was the leader when the race restarted on Lap 200, and at the end of a wild two-lap scramble — after blocking a strong run from Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney — he arrived at the finish line roughly three feet ahead of Wallace, who was runner-up in the Great American Race for the second time.

“I thought our Toyota teammates did good work until they got picked off 1, 2, 3 throughout the race, so we just had to survive,” said Wallace, who finished .260 seconds behind race winner Austin Dillon in the 2018 Daytona 500.

“Great Speedweeks, though. We’ll come home second. I’m going to be pissed off about this one for a while. I was happy on the first second place we got a couple years ago. This one sucks when you’re that close, but all-in-all, happy for our team, happy for our partners, and on to California.”

Blaney came home fourth, followed by Aric Almirola, who will leave full-time racing at the end of the season. Kyle Busch, Michael McDowell, David Ragan, Keselowski and Chase Elliott completed the top 10.

Less than three laps from the end of the first stage, a push from Keselowski turned the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford of Harrison Burton sideways at the head of the outside lane. Burton’s Mustang nosed down the track into the No. 24 Chevrolet of William Byron, whose car slammed nose-first into the inside wall on the backstretch.

Kyle Busch spun sideways during the ensuing eight-car wreck. Denny Hamlin’s Toyota sustained terminal suspension damage, eliminating the field’s only multiple winner of the Daytona 500. The No. 1 Chevrolet of Ross Chastain was also knocked out of the race.

After the impact with Byron’s car and a jolt from the Toyota of Christopher Bell, Burton’s Ford turned upside down and landed on top of the Chevrolet of Alex Bowman, who had started the race on the outside of the front row. The impact righted Burton’s car, which a wrecker towed to the garage. Bowman lost four laps as his crew tried to return the No. 48 Camaro to raceable condition.

“I’m fine — I’ve hit a lot harder before, that’s for sure,” Burton said after a trip to the infield care center. “It’s just unfortunate. I hate it for the Wood Brothers group. They brought a really fast Ford Mustang down here and ended up on our lid, so that’s never good …

“I don’t know, I just got pushed and didn’t take it the right way — the car didn’t take it the right way or got pushed in the wrong spot. I’m not sure. I couldn’t really tell. I was looking out front to see what I had to do next to side draft the next guy that was on me, so just a bummer. I don’t really know what we could have done different, but we’ll move on and get better from it.”

From Hamlin’s standpoint, it was clear what happened.

“The 6 (Keselowski) was pushing the 21 (Burton) and you could see the 21 was kind of getting out of control there,” said Hamlin, who failed to finish a Daytona 500 for the first time in 17 starts and lost his chance for a fourth visit to Victory Lane. “So you know the mindset was that you’ve got to back off, but I think the 6 was just insistent on pushing him at all costs and eventually turned the 21 around.

“Tough, you know, considering it was just for the stage. We were kind of boxed in there where I noticed that something was going to happen, but I was boxed in, I was behind a teammate (Kyle Busch), and I wanted to try to help. Again, just too aggressive pushing right there when they weren’t lined up and in control.”

Truex won the first stage under caution and then claimed victory in the second stage, which ran under green-flag conditions from the restart on Lap 72 to the conclusion on Lap 130. Truex came from third to first on the final lap to grab the stage win.

Keselowski, however, was first off pit road under caution for the stage break and led the field to green for a restart on Lap 138. Keselowski held the top spot until Tyler Reddick’s Chevrolet broke loose in Turn 4 on Lap 151 and started a wreck that damaged the contending cars of Truex, Joey Logano and Kurt Busch.

The NASCAR Cup Series returns to the track next week at Auto Club Speedway for the Wise Power 400 on Feb. 27.

Note: Post-race inspection in the NASCAR Cup Series garage revealed no issues. The No. 2 Team Penske Ford of Austin Cindric was confirmed as the official race winner.

Posted on February 20, 2022February 24, 2022 by Staff Report

Which channels have NASCAR programming this week? We answer that and give the weekly NASCAR television listings here in the NASCAR TV schedule.

Note: All times are ET.

Monday, Feb. 21
3 a.m., Refuse to Lose: Jeff Gordon and the 1997 Daytona 500 (re-air), FS1
4 a.m., 100,000 Cameras; Clash at the Coliseum (re-air), FS1
4:30 a.m., NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 (re-air), FS1
Noon, NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 (re-air), FS2
6 p.m. NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
9 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 (re-air), FS2

Tuesday, Feb. 22
12:30 a.m., NASCAR Auto Racing Classics: Daytona 500, FS1
3:30 a.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. 300. (re-air), FS1
5:30 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, NextEra Energy 250 (re-air), FS1
9:30 a.m., ARCA Menards Series Lucas Oil 200 (re-air), FS2
11:30 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, NextEra Energy 250 (re-air), FS2
1:30 p.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. 300. (re-air), FS2
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Wednesday, Feb. 23
1:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Classic: The 1997 Daytona 500, FS2
2 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub Best of Radioactive: Daytona, FS2
3 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 (re-air), FS2
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Thursday, Feb. 24
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Friday, Feb. 25
10 a.m., IMSA Auto Racing: Michelin Pilot Challenge (tape delay), USA/NBC Sports App
Noon, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at New Smyrna Speedway (tape delay), USA/NBC Sports App
1 p.m., ARCA Menards Series East at New Smyrna Speedway (tape delay), USA/NBC Sports App
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Saturday, Feb. 26
10 a.m., NASCAR Presents Beyond the Wheel, FS1
Noon, NASCAR Xfinity Series practice/qualifying, FS1
1:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub Weekend Edition, FS1
2 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series practice/qualifying, FS1 (Canada: TSN2)
4 p.m. NASCAR Raceday: Xfinity Series Fontana, FS1
5 p.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series Production Alliance 300, FS1 (Canada: TSN2)

On MRN
2 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series practice/qualifying
4:30 p.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series Production Alliance 300

Sunday, Feb. 27
12:30 a.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series Production Alliance 300 (re-air), FS1
2:30 a.m., NASCAR Cup Series qualifying (re-air), FS1
5:30 a.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series Production Alliance 300 (re-air), FS2
7:30 a.m., NASCAR Presents This Racing Life, FS1
8 a.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series Production Alliance 300 (re-air), FS1
2 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay: Fontana, FS1
3 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay: Fontana, FOX
3:30 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series Wise Power 400, FOX (Canada: TSN)

On MRN
2:30 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series Wise Power 400

Posted on February 20, 2022February 20, 2022 by Terrin Waack

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — With fewer than five laps remaining in Stage 1 of Sunday’s Daytona 500, an eight-car crash broke out at the front of the pack coming out of Turn 2 at Daytona International Speedway.

Rookie Harrison Burton was leading the outside lane with fellow Ford driver Brad Keselowski behind him. Keselowski put a little more oomph into his pushing in order to gain ground on leader Martin Truex Jr. Instead of pulling out front, Burton was turned to the left and into the inside line, specifically William Byron. The two collected multiple cars in the aftermath.

“I don’t know if it was too much,” Burton said. “I just think it might have been in the wrong spot. It’s hard. These bumpers don’t line up as good as the old ones did. Through the testing, I always found that the center was the best. So, when I was pushing Joey (Logano) or whatever, you’ll want to push in the center of the bumper.

“I mean, I haven’t watched a good video of it yet, so don’t take what I say to the bank. Obviously I’m not questioning Brad’s ability. But I think he just got a little wide on my right side and kind of shot me on the inside there.”

Damage ended the days of Burton, Byron, Denny Hamlin and Ross Chastain. All were evaluated and released from the infield care center after exiting their cars on their own.

Keselowski stayed on track and finished ninth. Kyle Busch, Erik Jones and Alex Bowman were also involved in the incident and continued to finish the stage. Truex, who is winless in 67 superspeedway starts (most among active drivers), ultimately won Stage 1 on Lap 65, which ended still under caution.

Busch finished sixth, Bowman 24th, while another crash with 10 laps remaining sealed Jones’ fate for a 29th-place result.

“At that point, I mean, obviously, it’s over-aggressive if it causes a wreck,” said Hamlin, a three-time Daytona 500 winner. “But I saw it coming. And that’s the tough part, like you could see the 21 (Burton) was kind of sideways and out of control and Brad just wouldn’t let him go. Like eventually, you got a let him go and get his reins back.”

Keselowski ended up finishing second in the stage, earning nine points.

RELATED: At-track photos

Jones was the only wreck driver who managed to stay in the top 10 come stage end. He was eighth, getting three points. Byron, Burton, Busch and Hamlin were 11th through 14th in order. Chastain and Bowman were 16th and 17th, respectively.

“All the guys on the inside seemed to be able to take the push pretty well,” Byron said. “My car definitely accepted the push really well, so I thought we were gonna have a really good day. Sucks that it ends before we get any points.”

Byron’s car sustained severe damage, as it was sent nose-first into the interior retaining wall.

Though Burton didn’t feel a hard hit, he found himself upside down at one point during his tumble through the field.

“The roofline itself is lower, but they’ve got us lower in the car as well, so I’d say my head is about in the same spot as it was in my Xfinity car,” Burton said. “I didn’t notice like any intrusion or anything. I thought it maintained its shape pretty well. … I think it was so far a good testament to the car being safe.”

This is Next Gen’s regular-season debut.

The four contenders removed from the competition filled in the bottom four spots on the leaderboard. Hamlin, Byron, Burton and Chastain claimed 37th through 40th. Burton recorded three laps led, holding the front spot twice.

“Stage points really matter, and as a rookie year, it’s big to get them,” Burton said. “I wanted to push for those but obviously I’d love to be out there racing still. I don’t know what I could have done different. It’s hard to be in a lead and say, ‘Oh, I don’t want to be up here.’ You feel like that’s the safest spot.”