Racing at Daytona is always a special event, but this year the Coke Zero 400 is especially significant for a number of reasons.
It is the final July race in Daytona. Beginning next season, the second Daytona race will move to September where it will mark the end of the regular season. The season begins at Daytona and will host the final race before the playoffs.
Beginning with the Memorial Day weekend race, NASCAR has sponsored the Salute to the Troops with the drivers carrying the names of service members, units, or squadrons over their windshields. Daytona marks the final Salute to the Troops weekend. With several military bases in Florida, numerous military personnel are in attendance for the festivities.
Oh, and there are no more restrictor plates, NASCAR has brought a new car package to the track.
Summer in Florida also means something else…daily afternoon rain storms. Plagued by rain all weekend long, NASCAR canceled qualifying for the Monster Energy Cup Series race. The field has been set by the rule book putting Joey Logano on the pole with Kyle Busch starting alongside on the front row.
The starting line up for the Coke Zero 400:
Joey Logano
Kyle Busch
Brad Keselowski
Kevin Harvick
Martin Truex Jr
Denny Hamlin
Chase Elliott
Kurt Busch
Alex Bowman
Ryan Blaney
Aric Almirola
William Bryon
Kyle Larson
Jimmie Johnson
Daniel Suarez
Clint Bowyer
Erik Jones
Ryan Newman
Ricky Stenhouse JR
Paul Menard
Austin Dillon
Chris Buescher
Ty Dillon
Daniel Hemric
Matt DiBenedetto
Ryan Preece
David Ragan
Michael McDowell
Bubba Wallace
Corey LaJoie
Matt Tifft
Quin Houff
Landon Cassill
Justin Haley
BJ McLeod
Parker Kligerman
JJ Yeley
Ross Chastain
Brendan Gaughan
Joey Gase
After the pre-qualifying inspection process, the number six Roush Fenway Racing car driven by Ryan Newman and the number 15 Premium Motorsports car driven by Quin Houff failed the inspection process twice. As a result of the failures, each team has lost a crew member for the remainder of the weekend. For the number six car, engineer Travis Peterson was ejected and car chief John Colbert for the number 15 car was ejected. While neither driver will lose his starting position, both will be docked 15 minutes of practice time for the next race.
On Friday night, the Xfinity Series race was delayed by over two hours because of the rain. And once again, rain has delayed the start of the race on Saturday night. As a result, NASCAR has postponed the Coke Zero 400 until Sunday afternoon where the drivers will run in the heat of the day.
Stages one and two of the race are 50 laps each with stage three lasting 60 laps for a total of 160 laps around the two and a half mile track.
NASCAR has not called for a competition caution for the race.
Joey Logano brings the field down for the green flag start of the race and edges out Kyle Busch for the lead.
Lap six, Joey Logano has a tenth of a second lead on Kevin Harvick with Brad Keselowski in third.
Lap 12, Joey Logano holds on to his tenth of a second lead on Kevin Harvick.
Race fans are used to race teams working together when it comes to pit stops and running on the track; but this time around the manufacturing companies have gotten involved and have issued car manufacture rules for running the race in Daytona.
Some of the car decals wrapping appears to be coming loose on Chris Buescher’s car.
The air friction has ripped the air flap from the hood of Paul Menard’s car.
Lap 19, the leaders are beginning to lap the slower cars.
Lap 22, Leader Joey Logano holds on to his tenth of a second lead on Kevin Harvick.
Lap 27, Joey Logano continues to dominate the race as Fords lead the pack.
Lap 33, the top nine positions are held by Fords with Joey Logano leading the way. Ty Dillon is the first non Ford in a Chevrolet in tenth place.
Lap 36, the leaders come down pit road for service.
With the Fords on pit road, Kyle Busch takes the lead.
Denny Hamlin nearly wrecked coming down pit road, barely missing Kyle Busch.
Lap 37, the remainder of the field comes down pit road for service. The teams took fuel only.
Denny Hamlin is in the lead on lap 38.
Lap 41, Kurt Busch leads the race.
Lap 42, Kevin Harvick is the leader with Joey Logano in second.
With five laps remaining in stage one, Kevin Harvick leads the pack with Joey Logano right behind.
Joey wins stage one.
The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Joey Logano
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
Ryan Blaney
Kevin Harvick
Chase Elliott
Daniel Suarez
Clint Bowyer
Denny Hamlin
Brad Keselowski
Martin Truex Jr
Martin Truex Jr is reporting radio issues, he cannot hear his crew chief.
Taking fuel only Michael McDowell wins the race off of pit road.
Chase Elliott brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two on lap 56 and holds on to the lead with a push from Ryan Blaney. Elliott in a Chevrolet is surrounded by Fords.
Lap 57, Ricky Stenhouse Jr is the new leader.
Brad Keselowski nearly takes out Kevin Harvick after not lifting – earlier in the week, Keselowski said that he was not going to lift on the track.
Leader Ricky Stenhouse Jr brings out the caution flag after making a run through the grass after trying to block Kurt Busch.
A number of drivers come down pit road to top off their fuel.
Clint Bowyer and Austin Dillon bring the field down for the green restart on lap 63 with Austin Dillon taking the lead with a little help from Chase Elliott.
Lap 64, Ryan Blaneyh takes the lead.
Lap 65, Austin Dillon retakes the lead.
Lap 72, Austin Dillon holds on to the lead with Chase Elliott in second followed by team mates William Byron and Alex Bowman as the Chevys take over the top spots.
Kurt Busch brings out the caution flag when he spins out after brushing the wall.
Austin Dillon brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap78 and jumps out in front of Chase Elliott to hold on to the lead.
Lap 80, the drivers are three wide through the field.
Lap 81, Austin Dillon leads the field with team mates Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott right behind.
The caution flag comes out for a multi car crash on lap 83. Brad Keselowski gets a push form Kevin Harvick that sends him into the wall. Daniel Hemric, Daniel Suarez, Kevin Harvick, and David Ragan were also involved in the crash. Brad Keselowski’s team is on the damage clock.
Brad Keselowski is out of the race.
Dark clouds are on the horizon…
Austin Dillon brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 87 and holds on to his lead.
Lap 88, Austin Dillon is in the lead with team mates Alex Bowman, William Byron, and Chase Elliott behind him for a Chevrolet lead. William Byron is in a backup car after an on track incident with Brad Keselowski during practice Thursday.
Ten to go in stage two with reports of lightening on the horizon, Austin Dillon continues to lead the race with the next six cars Chevrotlets.
Six to go in stage two, Austin Dillon in a Chevrolet leads the way but the Fords are coming in the outside lane.
Lap 96, Clint Bowyer moves up to challenge leader Austin Dillon and takes the lead.
Lap 97, leader Clint Bowyer and Austin Dillon are nose to nose in a battle for the lead.
Lap 98, Austin Dillon retakes the lead.
Austin Dillon wins stage two.
The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Austin Dillon
Alex Bowman
William Byron
Chase Elliott
Clint Bowyer
Kyle Larson
Jimmie Johnson
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
Bubba Wallace
Joey Logano
Taking only two tires, Joey Logano wins the race off of pit road. Ryan Newman and Erik Jones also took only two tires. Chris Buescher stayed out on the track.
Kyle Busch had an extended pit stop after not being able to get his car slowed down fast enough.
Joey Logano brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three but it is Ryan Newman who edges out for the lead on lap 105.
Lap 106, Austin Dillon passes Logano for the lead.
Lap 107, drivers are three wide through the field.
With bad weather coming, the drivers are getting very aggressive on the track.
Ryan Newman gets into the wall but the track stays green.
Lap 110, Joey Logano challenges Austin Dillon for the lead with the two drivers going nose to nose around the track.
Lap 111, Joey Logano gets out in front for the lead.
Paul Menard gets loose but the track stays green.
Paul Menard makes it three wide for a fight for the lead.
Paul Menard is the new leader with the help of a push from Denny Hamlin.
Lap 113, Denny Hamlin is now the leader.
Lap 117, Denny Hamlin continues to lead the race.
Kevin Harvick is slow in the track but gets to pit road.
The BIG ONE happens on lap 118 with smoke and cars everywhere and taking out nearly half of the field.
It all began when Austin Dillon blocks Clint Bowyer and Bowyer makes contact with Dillon’s car. Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Martin Truex Jr, Erik Jones, Joey Logano, Michael McDowell, Chris Buescher, Kyle Larson, Bubba Wallace, Ryan Preece, Alex Bowman, Matt DiBenedetto, and Parker Kligerman were all involved in the wreck.
Drivers brings their cars down pit road.
After squeaking through the melee, Kurt Busch is the new leader.
Kurt Busch comes down pit road and gives the lead over to rookie driver Justin Haley.
With lightening strikes in the area, NASCAR brings the cars down pit road and puts out the red flag.
After a red flag delay for weather of over an hour, NASCAR has called the race and declares the race official. Justin Haley is named the winner of the race.
Results for the weather shortened Coke Zero Sugar 400:
Justin Haley
William Byron
Jimmie Johnson
Ty Dillon
Ryan Newman
Corey LaJoie
Aric Almirola
Matt DiBenedetto
Matt Tifft
Kurt Busch
Landon Cassill
JJ Yeley
Michael McDowell
Kyle Busch
Bubba Wallace
Paul Menard
Chris Buescher
Daniel Hemric
Brendan Gaughan
Kyle Larson
Alex Bowman
Martin Truex Jr
Erik Jones
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
Joey Logano
Denny Hamlin
Joey Gase
BJ McLeod
Kevin Harvick
Ross Chastain
Parker Kligerman
Ryan Preece
Austin Dillon
Clint Bowyer
Chase Elliott
Ryan Blaney
Quin Houff
David Ragan
Brad Keselowski
Daniel Suarez