As the title says, Pack Racing is definately back at Daytona International Speedway. Last night's race proved that NASCAR is slowly eliminating the two-car draft. The Bud Shootout was a car junkyard by the end of it. 3 "big ones" made up the season starter at Daytona. Martin Truex Jr. started on pole. sharing the front row with Kyle Busch.
Kyle, Keselowski, Allmendinger, Ku. Busch, Stewart and Jeff Gordon were all part of a wreck during the first Shootout practice. Many were not able to participate in the final practice and had to get in their back-up cars. Those who did started from the back, including Kyle Busch.
During lap 9 we saw the first big crash involving David Ragan, Mark Martin, Paul Menard, Matt Kenseth, Juan Pablo Montoya and Michael Waltrip. David Ragan (#34) was pushing Paul Menard (#27) when we got into the left side of Menard's bumper turning him sideways. Ragan had the help of Waltrip (#40) when he smashed into the back of Ragan. They were all collected including Waltrip's teammate Mark Martin (#55). Kenseth and Montoya had some light damage. We saw a trend with the 2-car drafting in practice Friday. Ragan did the same thing to Menard that Tony Stewart did to Kurt Busch during practice. Everyone now knows to not drive the nose of your car into the left side of the pushee's bumper or you will turn them into the wall.
We saw a wide variety of leaders going back and forth. Dale Jr., Kevin Harvick, Jamie McMurray and Joey Logano were among them.
Lap 25 arrived and teams were ready for the 10 minute break. After pit stops were done the cars went back to the track.
During the 2nd half we saw Greg Biffle charge to the front leading a lot of laps. He was also fastest in bothe Daytona 500 practices. Cautions comes out for the second time when Clint Bowyer spins into the infield after getting loose mid-pack.
After the green flag waves again many teams were starting to use the 2-car draft specifically Jamie McMurray and Juan Pablo Montoya, Earnhardt Ganassi teammates. They showed a strong run to the front before both falling back. They came to the front periodically throughout the race.
Kyle Busch makes an incredible save after he is turned sideways. He manages to got wreck, sparks flying and keeps on going.
The 2nd "big one" happens on lap 54 when another multi-car wreck breaks out. Those involved included Dale Earnhardt Jr, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Matt Kenserth and some others with lighter damage. Logano was nudged by Marcos Ambrose from behind resulting in Logano being turned into the wall collecting surrounding cars. Logano and Harvick head to the garage. Harvick drives away with a fire starting underneath the car. He did not get out and the fire was starting to grow. He thought the fire would go out as it did when he reached the garage area.
Green flag again and Jeff Gordon leads a substantial amount of laps with teammate Jimmie Johnson not far behind. Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin charge to the front and join the single file up front. A close battle between Gordon, Busch and Stewart doesn't end well.
2 laps to go!
Caution flag #5 came out when Jeff Gordon flips and lands on the roof of his car. Emergancy medical staff rush to the car. Others involved included Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch and Jamie McMurray. Jeff Gordon is pulled out of the up-side-down car and walks away from his crushed car. Jr., Johnson, Ku. Busch and McMurray all have significant damage and return to the garage.
A green-white-checkered is out and Busch and Stewart charge to the front.
Final lap came out and Kyle is still pushing Stewart in the lead. They reached Turn 4 when all of a sudden Busch made the move. He drives side by side with Stewart at the finish line and no oe is sure of who won at this point. A photo-finish between Busch and Stewart. Busch wins by 0.13 of a second winning his first Bud Shootout.
This race was a mirror image of what the Daytona 500 will look like. Pack racing is coming back to Daytona and the drivers seem to like it even though there is a likely chance their equipment could be wrecked. It sure makes for an exciting race. Who knows? There could be another Cinderella story finish come Sunday afternoon during the Daytona 500.
Kyle, Keselowski, Allmendinger, Ku. Busch, Stewart and Jeff Gordon were all part of a wreck during the first Shootout practice. Many were not able to participate in the final practice and had to get in their back-up cars. Those who did started from the back, including Kyle Busch.
During lap 9 we saw the first big crash involving David Ragan, Mark Martin, Paul Menard, Matt Kenseth, Juan Pablo Montoya and Michael Waltrip. David Ragan (#34) was pushing Paul Menard (#27) when we got into the left side of Menard's bumper turning him sideways. Ragan had the help of Waltrip (#40) when he smashed into the back of Ragan. They were all collected including Waltrip's teammate Mark Martin (#55). Kenseth and Montoya had some light damage. We saw a trend with the 2-car drafting in practice Friday. Ragan did the same thing to Menard that Tony Stewart did to Kurt Busch during practice. Everyone now knows to not drive the nose of your car into the left side of the pushee's bumper or you will turn them into the wall. We saw a wide variety of leaders going back and forth. Dale Jr., Kevin Harvick, Jamie McMurray and Joey Logano were among them.
Lap 25 arrived and teams were ready for the 10 minute break. After pit stops were done the cars went back to the track.
During the 2nd half we saw Greg Biffle charge to the front leading a lot of laps. He was also fastest in bothe Daytona 500 practices. Cautions comes out for the second time when Clint Bowyer spins into the infield after getting loose mid-pack.
After the green flag waves again many teams were starting to use the 2-car draft specifically Jamie McMurray and Juan Pablo Montoya, Earnhardt Ganassi teammates. They showed a strong run to the front before both falling back. They came to the front periodically throughout the race.
Kyle Busch makes an incredible save after he is turned sideways. He manages to got wreck, sparks flying and keeps on going.
The 2nd "big one" happens on lap 54 when another multi-car wreck breaks out. Those involved included Dale Earnhardt Jr, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Matt Kenserth and some others with lighter damage. Logano was nudged by Marcos Ambrose from behind resulting in Logano being turned into the wall collecting surrounding cars. Logano and Harvick head to the garage. Harvick drives away with a fire starting underneath the car. He did not get out and the fire was starting to grow. He thought the fire would go out as it did when he reached the garage area.
Green flag again and Jeff Gordon leads a substantial amount of laps with teammate Jimmie Johnson not far behind. Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin charge to the front and join the single file up front. A close battle between Gordon, Busch and Stewart doesn't end well.
2 laps to go!
Caution flag #5 came out when Jeff Gordon flips and lands on the roof of his car. Emergancy medical staff rush to the car. Others involved included Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch and Jamie McMurray. Jeff Gordon is pulled out of the up-side-down car and walks away from his crushed car. Jr., Johnson, Ku. Busch and McMurray all have significant damage and return to the garage. A green-white-checkered is out and Busch and Stewart charge to the front.
Final lap came out and Kyle is still pushing Stewart in the lead. They reached Turn 4 when all of a sudden Busch made the move. He drives side by side with Stewart at the finish line and no oe is sure of who won at this point. A photo-finish between Busch and Stewart. Busch wins by 0.13 of a second winning his first Bud Shootout. This race was a mirror image of what the Daytona 500 will look like. Pack racing is coming back to Daytona and the drivers seem to like it even though there is a likely chance their equipment could be wrecked. It sure makes for an exciting race. Who knows? There could be another Cinderella story finish come Sunday afternoon during the Daytona 500.
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