How The Money Team Racing cashed a Daytona 500 ticket in quick fashion

Posted on February 18, 2022February 18, 2022 by Terrin Waack

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Each time the car rounded Turn 4, team owner Willy Auchmoody moved with it, positioning himself against pit wall to track his No. 50 Chevrolet as it sped down the frontstretch. Once out of view from that vantage point, Auchmoody returned to the back of the pit box, located in Stall 39, which had a clear view of the gigantic video board showing Thursday night’s qualifying race at Daytona International Speedway.

This back-and-forth pacing began shortly after his driver, Kaz Grala, was penalized for speeding on pit road with 24 laps to go in the short, 60-lap event.

“Sorry, guys,” Grala said over The Money Team Racing radio, as Auchmoody listened in.

Responded spotter Joe White: “No, you’re good. We’re still in this.”

Terrin Waack | NASCAR Digital Media

DAYTONA 500: Weekend schedule | Betting odds | All-time winners

Until that moment, Grala looked to be the favorite between him and fellow open contender JJ Yeley to advance out of the Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1 and into Sunday’s Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX). After Grala served his pass-through penalty, though, Yeley was in the transfer spot with 23 laps remaining.

“I thought we were done, I just did,” Auchmoody said. “I mean, you know, we had a mistake. It happens. I mean, everybody, the best of the best, they speed on pit road. I just thought we were done. But like the spotter kept saying: Stick with it, stick with it, stick with it.”

So, Auchmoody stuck with it, continuing his five-foot mini loop in his personal section of the 2.5-mile superspeedway.

With 13 laps left, Auchmoody’s wife, Becky, stepped down from the pit box. She stood by her husband’s side whenever he returned to the video board. Words weren’t spoken, but looks were exchanged.

Grala soon asked on the radio whether he could catch Yeley.

“I don’t believe so with 10 to go,” White said. “But anything can happen. Don’t give up.”

The white flag waved. Willy stepped up onto pit wall, clenching his water bottle in both hands at his stomach.

Grala had caught up to Yeley. Falling in order on the bottom, Grala was able to capitalize on the draft there to pass Yeley, who wound up running the top alone.

The finish line had long been crossed before Grala asked what everyone was thinking — did he make it?

Alejandro Alvarez | NASCAR Digital Media

“You’re in,” White responded.

WATCH: Kaz Grala’s final lap to make Daytona 500

Grala finished 18th. Yeley 19th.

Both of Willy’s arms went up. He turned around with a full smile, spiked the bottle to the ground and literally jumped down to hug Becky. There was a lot more jumping and hugging before Willy somehow disappeared amid the crowd.

Questions of Willy’s whereabouts were answered when the video board showed him, no lie, jumping and hugging Grala on pit road.

“Oh my God,” Becky said. “I can’t even talk. This is amazing. It’s always gotta, you know, (happen) right at the end. We got in at the end, literally the last second. I think it’s just the way, just the way to finish it. That’s how we got here — in 35 days.”

Keep that in mind.

The rest of the gang — family relatives, crew members, sponsor representatives — made its way to the car. Different location, same celebration.

Willy was still trying to form full sentences when Becky interrupted and handed him her cell, indicating it was her mother.

“Hey, ma,” Willy said. “We’re in the Daytona 500. I gotta go, I gotta go. I love you.”

***

The Money Team Racing formally announced its team on Feb. 1, just 16 days before Thursday’s race, but its formation has been in the works since February 2020, when Willy worked out an agreement with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

The former boxer would agree to a co-ownership as long as Willy guaranteed sponsorship. Money had to be brought in, not just given. OK, fair. Deal.

Well, the COVID-19 pandemic then began shortly after and the timeline didn’t go as smoothly as hoped. It wasn’t until between Christmas and New Year’s Eve of 2021 that the vision became a reality. Pit Vipers signed as a primary sponsor.

Terrin Waack | NASCAR Digital Media

“It took a long time, and then all of a sudden, someone hit fast forward,” Becky told NASCAR.com. “And here we are 35 days later.”

Hope that number stayed in mind.

Veteran crew chief Tony Eury Jr., who won two races with Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2006 and 2008, had even less time to build the team’s Next Gen car. He received a call 15 days before Daytona with the job offer.

“I told them they were crazy,” Eury said. “I still think they’re crazy. But it’s … I don’t know. It’s something I tell people a lot of times, there’s one thing I do miss about the Cup Series. I don’t miss the travel and being gone and not having a family. But I do miss the competitiveness of it.

“The challenge of me building the car in 15 days and being able to come back here and go against these guys, I was like it’d be kind of cool. It’s crazy, but it’s kind of cool at the same time.”

Grala has always been a part of the team, albeit not fully inked until more recent months. He and Willy were transparent with each other throughout the process. Willy made it clear: If a more concrete offer came up before TMT Racing was actually ready to race, Grala should take it. And Grala did have options, but none gave him the same long-term confidence.

VIDEO: Kaz Grala reacts to making Daytona 500 on pit road

TMT Racing plans to run a part-time schedule in 2022 with hopes of a full-time run next year. The number six was thrown around as a possible race count this year, but for starters the group is looking at superspeedways, road courses and tracks close to the Auchmoody’s home in Highland, New York — about 90 miles north of Manhattan.

Terrin Waack | NASCAR Digital Media

Speaking of home, seven families made the trip to Daytona Beach, Florida, for the Auchmoodys’ first race. They’re staying in the infield. The Auchmoodys had their three kids in attendance (ages 5, 14 and 17), and Eury’s wife and two adopted sons (4- and 5-year-olds).

There were plenty of sponsor representatives, too. Pit Viper sent JP Gendron, who clarified (yes, really) that he’s the manager of fartnerships rather than partnerships for Speedweeks, his first NASCAR experience. Momento NFT and Mane ‘n Tale also had people on the ground.

“Well, Pit Viper, we’ve always loved going fast, right?” Gendron said. “And rubbing elbows. And just competition. So, NASCAR has always been a good fit for us. We’re full turbo — demand respect and authority — all day, every day.

“But it’s about the right opportunity. We’ve had many opportunities here and there in the past, and we’ve dabbled a bit. But this one was particularly interesting with Floyd’s involvement. Just other categories, other worlds getting into NASCAR. We love that. We love anything to shake it up and (promote) inclusivity.”

PHOTOS: See the scenes from Speedweeks

Brent Johnson, Mayweather’s international business and brand ambassador, was also witnessing his first NASCAR race with his wife and child. He FaceTimed with Mayweather on the pre-race grid, passing the phone off to Grala before he strapped in.

Terrin Waack | NASCAR Digital Media

“I’m awed by being part of this culture,” Johnson said. “Because as African-American owners, there’s not many of us. We know the stories, like the Wendell Scotts, Willy T. Ribbs and the racers of African-American descent that came before us. But being a number is kind of weird.

“And also, for me, being a non-famous person, right? Like Brad Daugherty, Michael Jordan, Floyd Mayweather. Oh, me. Really? It’s interesting. But there’s no reason we can’t. The world is not limiting. We can do whatever we want if we put our mind to it and if the opportunity is there.”

No confirmation was given on whether Mayweather will be on site for Sunday’s main event, but Willy did tell Johnson to fire up the jets after the Duel, claiming Grala accomplished his part. Pit Viper will be providing a party regardless apparently, as Gendron revealed his personnel group will be rolling up in a limo wrapped with Grala’s paint scheme (repping a No. 69 rather than 50, though, because it’s Pit Viper).

All this hype because the No. 50 The Money Team Racing Chevrolet, sporting vibrant Pit Viper colors, will indeed line up 35th for the 64th annual Great American Race.

“As you know, if you’re on the starting grid Sunday, anyone can win the Daytona 500,” Grala said. “You got to run a perfect race. Not easy to do it. But anyone could have that perfect race.

“Why couldn’t it be us?”

Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

Posted on February 18, 2022 by Tadd Haislop

Another night of modified racing at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway, another win for Matt Hirschman.

And this one was not easy.

On Thursday’s Night 7 of the 2022 World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing, the Tour-Type Modified division was back in action. As was the case in Wednesday night’s John Blewett III Memorial 76, Jimmy Blewett and Hirschman on Thursday found themselves at the front of the field in the closing stages of the 35-lap event.

Hirschman passed Blewett with just two laps to go and was able to hold off his rival over the final mile on the high-banked short track.

🏁Winning Move! Matt Hirchman gets by @SHOWTIME6676 late to grab another @NASCARRoots Tour Modified win at @newsmyrnaspdwy!

📺 Live Broadcast: https://t.co/9LWIb2MIiP pic.twitter.com/LyeyxNRlgg

— FloRacing (@FloRacing) February 18, 2022

“I think Jimmy was tight, and actually, once I got ahead of him, I was actually tight,” Hirschman said of the final sequence. “I know one thing, we’re an entertaining group. People sure get their money’s worth with this group. These Modifieds, there’s nothing that compares.”

Hirschman, of course, also won Saturday night’s NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season-opener at New Smyrna on Night 2 of the World Series.

Blewett, Ronnie Williams, Stephen Kopcik and Ron Silk rounded out the top five in Thursday’s Tour-Type Modified race.

The Super Late Models race Thursday night also featured a repeat winner. Sammy Smith, who won Tuesday night’s ARCA Menards Series East season-opener at New Smyrna, won on Thursday ahead of Ryan Preece.

Winners of night 7 at Speedweeks! We have 1 more 100 lapper tomorrow and we’re currently in the points lead. Thanks to the whole team for the hard work all week! pic.twitter.com/wjZC53XBei

— Sammy Smith (@sammysmithSS) February 18, 2022

Preece’s second-place run was a new career high for him in a Super Late Model.

Bubba Pollard, Stephen Nasse and Justin Mondeik rounded out the top five in Thursday night’s Super Late Model race.

Bryan Kruczek won Thursday night’s Pro Late Model race at the World Series ahead of Cory Hall, Conner Jones, Dylan Stovall and Toni Breidinger. For Breidinger, her top-five run at New Smyrna came on the heels of her pacing the field in ARCA Menards Series practice up the road at Daytona International Speedway earlier in the evening.
Jerry Symons won Thursday night’s Florida Modified race. Terry Fisher, Wayne Parker, Jared Allison and Alan Bruns rounded out the top five.

Friday night’s action at the World Series of Asphalt features the Hart to Heart PLM 100 and Richie Evans Memorial 100.

Racing starts at 7:30 p.m. ET and can be viewed live on FloRacing.

Posted on February 18, 2022February 18, 2022 by Steve Luvender

The Daytona 500 is an unpredictable spectacle of auto racing. The Great American Race has produced surprise winners — just ask last year’s underdog victor, Michael McDowell — yet shut out some of the sport’s biggest names (looking at you, Kyle Busch).

MORE: Daytona 500 surprise winners

While well-trained experts and oddsmakers do their best to predict the unknown each year, we’re taking a different approach this time: throwing every driver’s name into a hat and seeing what happens by total chance, with results generated by a computer.

Just for fun, we’ve included odds from BetMGM in case you’d like to consider taking our generator’s results to the bank — but, if you do, that’s on you. Just remember, no computer can predict what will happen in a NASCAR race.

(Refresh the page to see new results.)

Posted on February 18, 2022 by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR today announced broadcast rights agreements with Fox Sports Mexico and Bandeirantes to ensure that NASCAR races will be available to race fans across all of Latin America. Both agreements run through 2024, and include all three national series, the NASCAR Mexico Series, and sister properties IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship, IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and American Flat Track.

FOX Sports Mexico, a longtime NASCAR partner, carries a wide variety of sporting events and sports talk shows across Mexico. A subsidiary of Grupo Multimedia Lauman, Fox Sports Mexico will broadcast all NASCAR Cup Series races beginning this weekend at the 64th running of the Daytona 500. NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, NASCAR Mexico races, and all associated practice and qualifying sessions will also be available all season.

Bandeirantes will carry all NASCAR Cup Series events and associated practice and qualifying sessions on BandSports, their all-sports cable network that launched in 2002. The network will also air select NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Trucks Series events throughout the season

“Fox Sports Mexico and Bandeirantes are first-class operations with robust sports offerings, particularly in the motorsports space and we are excited to partner with them both to best serve NASCAR fans across the region,” said Nick Skipper, NASCAR managing director, media strategy.

NASCAR, along with agency partner IMG, has made NASCAR racing available to over 190 countries and territories. Races are broadcast in over 25 languages and reach over 600 million households to start 2022. Live NASCAR races can be seen in some of the largest countries in the world, including China, Brazil and Russia. Additionally, live broadcast coverage reaches key markets across the Americas and Europe, such as Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and Spain.

In addition to best-in-class partners around the world, NASCAR racing is available via NASCAR’s Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) offering, NASCAR Trackpass. Beyondlive racing, the NASCAR International Production group also delivers nearly 200 hours of on-demand content to partners annually.

Posted on February 18, 2022 by Zack Albert

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Rarely does a last-lap pass for 18th place have such major implications. Thursday night, it was the difference in making the Daytona 500 field and going home.

Kaz Grala eked his way into the Great American Race, bypassing JJ Yeley by that single spot in Thursday’s first Bluegreen Vacations Duel qualifying race. Greg Biffle took the final berth in the 500 field in the second Duel, denying Timmy Hill, Yeley’s MBM Motorsports teammate.

RELATED: Duel 1 results | Duel 2 results

The results mean that The Money Team Racing will make its NASCAR Cup Series debut with Grala in Sunday’s 500 (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Biffle will make the first Daytona start for team owner John Cohen under the NY Racing Team banner.

Grala struggled to find drafting help throughout the 150-mile qualifier, then overcame a pit-road speeding penalty with 24 laps remaining. After the checkered flag, he expressed his relief over the team radio as his thanked his No. 50 Chevrolet crew.

“It went from puke to puke, puking nervous to puking excited at the end,” Grala said. “I was worried as we rode by (Yeley) on that last lap, I didn’t know if he was going to try something, try to block, shoot down in front of us. There wasn’t a hole for him, but I was worried about whatever he might try because you’ve got to try. That’s all we did.”

Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

Yeley was aiming for his seventh Daytona 500 start, and his first since 2015. He indicated that he become disconnected from the drafting help of Kaulig Racing’s Daniel Hemric late in the race, when Hemric moved his No. 16 Chevrolet to the high lane to allow the lead pack to pass by.

“It really hasn’t sunk in yet,” Yeley said behind the MBM No. 55 hauler. “I’ll probably go watch this Duel. I can’t get too crazy because we have Xfinity practice tomorrow. I’ve been doing this long enough that you have to take it with a grain of salt, but it definitely stings knowing that we were so close and then not making it.”

MBM team owner Carl Long took some exception to Hemric’s tactics, lamenting after the first race that breaking up their draft allowed Grala to make the pivotal late-race gains.

“You have sponsorship, you have stuff you put together and come out here for it, and because another team decided to drag the brake on us and slow us up up there,” Long said. “Everybody’s got their own people that they work with, but it just messed us up.”

MORE: Daytona weekend schedule | At-track photos

Hemric, the defending Xfinity Series champ who is running a partial Cup Series slate this year, said that his move wasn’t intended to thwart Yeley’s hopes or help another Chevrolet team make the field.

“No. No, no, no. I literally asked coming down pit road, I said, ‘who got in?’ ” Hemric said. “I didn’t think about it till I saw the 50 up on the screen there. So yeah, I just wanted to make sure that I got Kaulig Racing, everyone on this team in the Daytona 500 with this particular race car, and that’s what we did.”

Long also predicted in between Duels that Hill’s goals would be an uphill task, saying “that car hadn’t shown the speed that we needed.” Duel 2 proved him right early on, as Hill’s No. 66 Ford was off the pace and out of the draft just five laps in. Hill went a lap down by Lap 14, then another lap down near the race’s halfway mark.

The lack of speed cleared the way for Biffle to clinch a Daytona 500 starting spot despite an eventful Duel. A lengthy pit stop slowed the No. 44 Chevrolet on Lap 33, and he reported to his team that he was out of fuel as he approached the white flag. Biffle’s car sputtered, but he kept it running to a 13th-place finish, one lap in arrears.

“It feels really good. I’ll tell you, I have not slept much in the last couple days just trying to keep a cool composure,” said Biffle, who will be the oldest driver in the field at age 52, making his first Cup Series start since 2016. “I’ve been nervous about this race because there’s so many things that can happen and so many ways it can go.”

Posted on February 17, 2022February 18, 2022 by Zack Albert

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Joey Logano accepted the blame for his involvement in a last-lap crash in Thursday’s second Bluegreen Vacations Duel qualifying race, an incident that left his No. 22 Team Penske Ford severely damaged at Daytona International Speedway.

Logano led a race-high 33 of the 60 laps in the 150-miler, but his attempt to block the advancement of fellow Ford driver Chris Buescher went awry at the exit of Turn 2. Logano’s car slid and nosed into the outside retaining wall, and the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing entry driven by rookie Harrison Burton caught some of the contact in the multi-car tangle.

“I mean, I knew as a leader, I was a bit of a sitting duck,” Logano said after he was released unhurt from the infield care center, “but at worst I was gonna finish fourth and was gonna try to let it kind of play out and didn’t think the 17 (Buescher) was gonna get a run that quick. He didn’t fall back that far, and it came to me so fast. I reacted to try to block it and I should have just let it happen and tried to race from there. I just messed up.

“The worst part is I put our team in a bad spot trying to fix this thing or get another car. I got the 21 too in it, so it’s a dumb mistake. That’s all there is to it. I’m not perfect.”

Buescher was declared the winner after the field’s running positions were frozen for the only caution flag of the night. The victory sealed a sweep of the qualifying races for RFK Racing.

Logano finished ninth, the first driver scored one lap down. He walked back to his garage stall after his care center visit to debrief and apologize to his crew for the incident. The team worked to unload and prepare a reserve No. 22 Ford not long after the checkered flag.

“It doesn’t help, but we’ll try to make it as best we can,” Logano said about the team’s outlook before Sunday’s Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM). “We’ve got a couple days of practice to work on it and get it good and we’ll move on. There’s nothing I can do now. I wish I could reverse time, but I can’t. Like I said, it was just a mistake. We’ve got to move forward.”

The incident marked the first superspeedway crash for the Next Gen car design that makes its competition debut this season. Logano said he was encouraged by how his car performed in the high-speed wreck.

“I feel OK. I feel fine. I got out and I feel fine. That’s a good sign,” Logano said. “I hit the wall fairly hard and got out no problem. That part is good if there’s a positive to it. I don’t want to be the crash test dummy, but definitely was today.”

Posted on February 17, 2022February 18, 2022 by Reid Spencer

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Roush Fenway Keselowski teammates Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher swept Thursday night’s Bluegreen Vacation Duels, but a last-lap collision in the second race wiped out then-frontrunner Joey Logano and spoiled a perfect night for the Ford Performance entries.

Running second to Logano, Buescher made a move to the inside on the backstretch on Lap 60. Logano moved down to block, and contact between the cars sent Logano’s No. 22 Team Penske Ford into the outside wall, crippling the car.

The accident caused the only caution of the night, with Buescher in the lead when the field was frozen at the moment of the yellow flag. Defending Daytona 500 winner Michael McDowell was second and Harrison Burton was credited with third after nosing into Logano’s Ford.

In contrast, the first Duel — the first points-paying event with the NASCAR Cup Series’ new Next Gen race car — ran without incident, and Keselowski led a 1-2-3-4 Ford sweep with a pass of Ryan Blaney with four laps left. Austin Cindric was second, followed by Blaney and Chase Briscoe.

In that race, Kaz Grala rallied from a pit road speeding penalty and advanced to the Daytona 500 with a pass of JJ Yeley on the final lap. In the second Duel, Greg Biffle claimed the final spot in Sunday’s race with a 13th-place finish, eliminating Timmy Hill, who ran 20th.

Biffle, 52, was competing in his first Cup event since 2016.

But the excitement was reserved for the final lap of the final race, with Logano acknowledging the mistake that broke up another 1-2-3-4 Ford finish.

The beneficiary was Buescher, who finished off the first sweep of the Duels by one organization since Hendrick Motorsports accomplished the feat in 2015 with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson.

“Yeah, what a way to start Speedweeks out here, to put both RFK Ford Mustangs in Victory Lane, give Fastenal their first win on a Cup car,” Buescher said. “It’s not the big show, but we’ve got a really good hotrod here.

“Just hats off to everybody back at the shop. I know it’s been a hectic off season for everybody in our sport, but we’ve had a lot of changes going on, and it’s cool to see it play out.”

A rueful Logano gave a succinct post-mortem of the wreck that will force him to a backup car for the Daytona 500.

“Driver screwed up,” Logano said. “That’s really all there is to it. “I thought I was still clear, and the run (from Buescher) came a lot quicker than I thought it would.

“I tried to block it a little bit and just got a tag in the left rear, and off it went. It’s my fault. It stinks because it tore up our car and kind of puts us in a spot as a race team. It’s just a dumb mistake.

In the first Duel, new team co-owner Brad Keselowski passed his former teammate Ryan Blaney to notch his first victory as a principle at Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing. NASCAR Hall of Fame owner Jack Roush joined Keselowski in Victory Lane after the race with smiles all around at the newly-reorganized Ford team’s first points-paying outing.

Cindric, Blaney and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Briscoe crossed the line three-wide .264-seconds behind Keselowski, giving Ford the four-car sweep.

“It sure is (a great start),” said Keselowski, who will now start third in the Daytona 500. “I felt pretty good about our car in practice on Tuesday.

“I’ve got to give credit to the other Fords. We worked really well together, Ryan Blaney, Chase Briscoe. We had great strategy… Austin Cindric… and we stuck together and drove away and got ourselves in position where we could control the finish of this race, and I’m happy to see all those Fords up front.

“Good job to all those guys’’ said Keselowski, whose No. 6 Ford carried a sticker honoring his father Bob, a former NASCAR competitor who passed away Dec. 2, 2021.

“This is special,” Keselowski said.

Daytona 500 polesitter and reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson led a race-best 34 of the 60 laps in Duel No. 1 but lost the lead when he and his Chevrolet teammates took four tires on the race’s only pit stop. The Ford teams took only two tires.

The first Duel set the inside line of the 40-car Daytona 500 — with cars lining up on the inside of the grid behind pole winner Larson according to their finish in the qualifying race. Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott, Erik Jones, Larson, Tyler Reddick, Kurt Busch and Ross Chastain rounded out the top 10 from the opening Duel.

The second Duel determined the order of the outside row, with drivers lining up according to finishing order behind Alex Bowman, who secured the second starting spot in Wednesday night’s qualifying session. Kyle Busch finished fourth behind the three Fords, with Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Christopher Bell and Martin Truex Jr. behind him.

Bubba Wallace ran seventh and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. eighth. Logano was credited with a lead-lap finish in ninth but will start from the rear on Sunday in his backup car.

Grala earned the transfer position from Duel 1 with a stunning last-lap pass of J.J. Yeley to put the No. 50 TMT Racing Chevrolet in the big show—much to the delight of Grala and his new The Money Team Racing team owner, boxer Floyd Mayweather.

“It’s a relief I can tell you that,” Grala said. “I thought we weren’t going to make it for a bit.

“But got the hiccups out the way, and hopefully will have a smooth Sunday,” he added, thanking Kurt Busch for allowing him to re-join the field’s established racing line after receiving a pit road speeding penalty with 24 laps to go.

After the penalty, Grala ran behind Yeley but said he never gave up hope and never got off the gas. He was able to make the pass coming out of Turn 2 on the final lap.

“Right down to that last lap, there was no relief,” Grala said. “The key was our line staying formed up and being able to roll by him and him not having a chance to hop down in front of anybody.

“Definitely took years off my life.”

Biffle had a much easier time than Grala, given that Hill fell off the lead lap early.

“It feels really good,” said Biffle, who returned to the Cup Series to drive for the NY Racing Team headed by John Cohen. “I’ll tell you, I have not slept much in the last couple days just trying to keep a cool composure.

“I’ve been nervous about this race because there’s so many things that can happen and so many ways it can go.”

Cup Series teams will have two more chances to tweak their race cars with Friday’s third practice session at 6 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, followed by Saturday’s final practice session at 10:30 a.m. ET on FS2 (coverage moves to FS1 at 11 a.m. ET).

Notes: Already locked into the Daytona 500 on speed, the Open car of Jacques Villeneuve had an issue with its throttle cable and was late to the pace laps for the second Duel. Villeneuve quickly lost the draft and fell behind, then retired from the race in 21st place on Lap 39.

Post-race inspection in the NASCAR Cup Series garage was completed with no issues. All cars cleared inspection and results are official. The No. 6 RFK Racing Ford of Brad Keselowski and the No. 17 RFK Racing Ford of Chris Buescher are officially the winners of both Duels.

Posted on February 17, 2022February 21, 2022 by Chase Wilhelm

As NASCAR ushers in a new era for the sport, Cup Series race director Jusan Hamilton is preparing to make history of his own in Sunday’s Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

When drivers take the green flag for The Great American Race, Hamilton will be the first Black race director in Daytona 500 history. He’ll also be just the third different Daytona 500 race director since 1988, joining David Hoots and Tim Bermann in that span.

“A very proud accomplishment for me, personally,” Hamilton told NASCAR.com. “I’ve always said as I’ve set out on this journey to work in NASCAR and contribute to the sport that I’ve had a passion for since I was a kid, that I’ve wanted to contribute in a positive way. Both in helping lead the sport forward so we’re prepared for the future and reaching new audiences as we move toward that goal of growing the sport.”

Hamilton’s 10-year career in NASCAR racing operations has been a series of breaking down diversity barriers. In July 2018 at Pocono Raceway, he became the first Black race director in the Cup Series. In March 2017, Hamilton took the reins of race control booth for an Xfinity Series race at Auto Club Speedway.

Surely, making history in the Daytona 500 would come with pressure, but he’s focused on using previous knowledge from other Daytona races covered in years past, communicating with his team and studying notes to ensure he’s as prepared as possible.

“As long as I feel like I’ve put in the proper work leading into it, it’s more about executing and that’s what I’m focused on right now,” Hamilton said.

When he takes to the race director’s chair at the famed 2.5-mile superspeedway in NASCAR’s most prestigious race, he hopes it showcases that a career in the sport is within reach and paths are more available for those who feel it’s not a possibility.

“For me, it’s an accomplishment that I’ve put a lot of work into and a lot of effort into growing and building as a race director,” Hamilton said. “I hope, externally, it just sets a positive example for others that have an interest in motorsports that come from a diverse background or a background that you traditionally wouldn’t necessarily lead to being in motorsports or have a passion for motorsports like I do.”

Hamilton’s passion for racing started at a young age. At 10 years old, he dreamed of competing in the Daytona 500 and having a high level of success at the premier level. He grew up racing go-karts and mini sprints and eventually graduated to weekly Sportsman Modified cars around upstate New York, winning races and competing for track championships in the process.

While the lifelong vision to compete in the NASCAR national series realm wasn’t feasible at the time, Hamilton elected to end his driving career, earning a marketing communications and sociology degree at Ithaca College. After college, Hamilton earned a public relations internship at Watkins Glen International. He later accepted a position in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Internship Program with a focus on racing operations.

“You don’t really realize how all that experience can contribute at this level, but I’m proud to say that it has and the degrees that racing led me to in college I still feel like I use those every day,” Hamilton said. “Whether it’s managing the Drive for Diversity program, managing relationships with our broadcast partners, race tracks and competition when it comes to the event schedules and all the operations that go into that. If it wasn’t for racing, I wouldn’t be on that path. While I’m glad I found the goal and direction that I did, very thankful for the time that I had driving growing up. It really gives me the foundation that allows me to be doing what I’m doing today.”

Now, Hamilton manages the Drive for Diversity program and has served as race director for a number of Cup, Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series events since early 2017. He credits opportunities to witness the sport from competition, business and fan angles as a large part in setting himself up for success to this day.

“There’s a lot of great people in this sport that I have the pleasure to work with and to learn from and then be able to take that experience and apply that at this level as a race director,” Hamilton said. “Making sure the product that we put out there on Sunday is a product that has the highest integrity, is well organized like we did for the Clash and the way all that was managed. That’s the important part for me, just really being able to apply all those years of experience, even before working at NASCAR, at this level.”

While executing a flawless race is high on the priority list for his first Daytona 500 as race director, Hamilton’s goal is to be a role model, thinking back to days growing up when people wondered why a kid from New York would have a desire to take this route.

“For me, my family always instilled in me that it’s not about the color of your skin, it’s not about your ethnicity or your race, it’s just about what you do and the work that you put in and the goals that you achieve,” Hamilton said. “Having said that, I understand it can be hard.

“I hope that by the example I’m setting, young girls and boys have more of a freedom to pursue their goals and have that support system around them that can look at what I’m doing, or what others are doing and say, yes, it is possible.”

Posted on February 17, 2022February 17, 2022 by Staff Report

See where drivers will pit for Thursday’s Bluegreen Vacations Duels at Daytona International Speedway (7 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM).

Posted on February 17, 2022February 17, 2022 by RJ Kraft

Two of NASCAR’s finest superspeedway racers today are Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano. Between them, they have four Daytona 500 wins and nine wins on superspeedways.

Sunday’s 64th-running of the Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) sees the two veterans as the top two favorites on the board via BetMGM’s odds with Hamlin at 8-1 and Logano at 9-1.

How does each driver stack up for a head-to-head matchup for Sunday’s race? We’re breaking down key stats before the race to help inform potential bets as well as your Fantasy Live bonus picks. Remember, the Daytona 500 is the first full points race to utilize the Next Gen car.

Denny Hamlin	Category	Joey Logano
3	Daytona 500 wins	1
5	Superspeedway wins	4
15.9	Daytona avg. finish (all time)	18.1
8.3	Superspeedway avg. finish (last 8)	21.6
8	Better finish in last 10 races at Daytona	2

Verdict: The numbers favor Hamlin by quite a bit and that is largely skewed by the results of the last three years — which saw Hamlin win two of his three Daytona 500s. In that same span, Logano has had four finishes of 23rd-or-worse at Daytona, while Hamlin has had just one such finish in that stretch. I’d go Hamlin in this matchup but would also note to keep a close eye on the Bluegreen Vacations Duel races on Thursday night to see how the Fords and Toyotas perform in the draft.

Additional Cup featured matchups this week:

Chase Elliott vs. Kevin Harvick: This unexpected rivalry from last postseason pits the driver with the second-most points over the last six races at Daytona (Elliott) vs. a driver with back-to-back top fives in the Daytona 500 (Harvick). I like Elliott slightly in this one.

Michael McDowell vs. Justin Haley. McDowell is the defending race winner. Haley won the Daytona summer race in 2019. This is an intriguing matchup as both have a knack for strong superspeedway results. In a small surprise, I’m going with Haley.

Austin Dillon vs. Bubba Wallace. Both of these drivers have a superspeedway win — Dillon in the 2018 Daytona 500 and Wallace in last fall’s Talladega race. Daytona is where Dillon has his most top 10s at one track, while Wallace has three top fives here. This is a really close call as both will likely be in my fantasy lineup, but I’m leaning toward Wallace.

Don’t forget about the Xfinity Series featured matchups this week. Those involve Noah Gragson vs. Daniel Hemric, Sam Mayer vs. Landon Cassill and Myatt Snider vs. Anthony Alfredo. Gragson-Hemric is an especially intriguing one between a title contender and the 2021 champion. Gragson won this race in 2020 while Hemric posted top 10s in both Daytona races last year. I’d lean Hemric with Kaulig Racing’s superspeedway prowess being the decider for me.