Daytona 500 kicks off in first ever doubleheader
After the race was delayed due to the rain, the Daytona 500 officially started Monday afternoon. Rain in the morning, though, meant the speedway had to push back another race to Monday night making it the first time the 500 was part of the double header.
NASCAR starts season with fresh new champion and off-track revenue sharing dispute
A new NASCAR season begins with rivals attempting to dethrone Team Penske after two years atop the Cup Series, all while a compelling off-track battle rages on over revenue sharing that threatens to overshadow the competition.
One year later, NASCAR reflects on a COVID-changed sport
Larson wasn't sure he'd race in NASCAR again until Rick Hendrick took a chance on a him. Last weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Larson raced to his first NASCAR victory since he was reinstated from a nearly yearlong suspension. He was hired by Hendrick Motorsports when NASCAR said the suspension would lift at the start of this year. KEEP IT COOLLast year's spring race in Phoenix was a hot one, with temperatures pushing close to 90 degrees. ... Jason Biggs, host of โCherries Wildโ on NASCAR broadcast partner Fox, is the grand marshal.
Allmendinger back at Daytona in 1st Cup race since 2018
Allmendinger will run his first Cup race since the 2018 season finale in Kaulig's first Cup race not at a superspeedway. The longshot Daytona 500 win earned McDowell his first playoff berth and FRM now is positioned to build a once unthinkable cushion. This road course race was added to NASCAR's schedule in December because COVID-19 restrictions would not allow a stop at Fontana, California. AdThe Daytona road course was wedged into the open slot, creating two weekends of very different racing that very much suits Furniture Row. Dillon missed the Cup race in August because he'd received a positive COVID-19 test.
Logano wants peace at Penske following Daytona 500 crash
(AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. โ A truce has yet to be called in the Team Penske camp amid friction following the last lap Daytona 500 crash between teammates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski. To me, the biggest heartbreak of this whole thing is that there are 400 people at Team Penske asking where their Daytona 500 bonus is and itโs up in a ball of flames up in turn three.โThree-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin bristled at Logano's deflection. The Daytona crash belied Roger Penske's edict that his drivers are permitted to race one another hard so long as they don't wreck. Thatโs a great problem to have.โIt remains to be seen how Keselowski chooses to work with Logano going forward. Logano, also a Cup champion and the 2015 Daytona 500 winner, doesn't have the same job security concerns.
Bubba Wallace becomes first Black driver to lead lap at Daytona 500
Bubba Wallace checks his helmet before the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. โ Bubba Wallace ran into trouble early and late in his first Daytona 500 driving for Michael Jordan. He still came out of NASCAR's marquee race with another milestone, becoming the first Black driver to lead a lap in the Daytona 500. Wallace dipped to the low line late in the second stage to grab the lead on lap 129 in the No. Wallace got caught up in a fiery, chaotic last lap and finished 17th in a race won by Michael McDowell. Wallace had a solid first two-thirds of the rain-delayed race at Daytona International Speedway after a tumultuous start in Jordan's debut race.
Michael McDowell beats 100-1 odds for upset Daytona 500 victory
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. โ Michael McDowell was glued to Brad Keselowskiโs bumper, watching and waiting for his chance to win the Daytona 500. Denny Hamlin was trying for a record third-consecutive Daytona 500 victory, and the team he started with Michael Jordan was debuting with driver Bubba Wallace. Kyle Larson was back after nearly a year in exile for using a racial slur, and reigning Cup champion Chase Elliott was going for his first Daytona 500 win. And all the way at the back of the field, 1990 Daytona 500 winner Derrike Cope made what he said would be his final NASCAR start. โI wanted to make the pass to win the Daytona 500 and it ended up really bad,โ Keselowski said.
The Latest: Keselowski has no regrets about Daytona 500 end
Racers crash during the last lap in the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Monday, Feb. 15, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. โ The Latest on the Daytona 500 (all times local):12:35 a.m.Brad Keselowski has no regrets about the way he handled the final lap of the Daytona 500. ___12:15 a.m.Michael McDowell won the Daytona 500 after Penske Racing teammates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski wrecked on the final lap. ___3:25 p.m.Derrike Cope was knocked out after only three laps, an ignominious end for the 62-year-old driver who won the 1990 Daytona 500. ___2 p.m.Bubba Wallaceโs car failed inspection twice for the Daytona 500 and will have to start at the back of the field. AdWallace drives a new entry owned by NBA great Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin.
Heading to the race? Hereโs when rain could show up at Daytona 500
Heavy rain soaked the track early, though, prompting officials to shift gears before the Xfinity Series opener later Saturday. An ARCA series race also was scheduled for the middle of the day. According to News 6 meteorologists, there will be a chance for a stray showers leading up to the start of the race Sunday. AdThat front pushes south by 4 or 5 p.m. and storms will be possible again for the end of the race. According to the National Weather Service in Daytona, weather has only impacted the Daytona 500 three times in the last decade.
Party in a pandemic: NASCAR fans power through at Daytona
โWhether thereโs 100 people or just the four of us, weโre still going to have fun.โThe diehard Browns fans brought the party to them. In the middle of a pandemic that has killed more than 480,000 people in the U.S., the carousing was more casual than crazy this week at Daytona as race day approached. NASCAR went down this road last season when Bristol had about 22,000 fans for its All-Star race last July. The mood is in stark contrast to last year when NASCAR fans were revved for then-President Donald Trumpโs visit. The majority had never been to a NASCAR race.
Cindric starts new season with big Xfinity win at Daytona
Austin Cindric celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. โ Austin Cindric launched his bid for a second consecutive Xfinity Series title with a victory in Saturday night's season opener at Daytona International Speedway. Cindric makes his Cup Series debut Sunday in the Daytona 500. โWhat a way to start the season,โ Cindric said. Cindric won the Xfinity Series debut on Daytonaโs road course last August as well as a rallycross event early in his career. The 22-year-old has this final season in Xfinity before moving next year to Cup to drive for Penske-supported Wood Brothers Racing.
Rain washes out NASCARโs final practices for Daytona 500
Heavy rain soaked the track early, though, prompting officials to shift gears before the Xfinity Series opener later Saturday. An ARCA series race also was scheduled for the middle of the day. โI'm fine without it,โ said 2017 Daytona 500 winner Kurt Busch. AdโIโm still confident in the backup car the guys brought us," said Byron, adding that it's the car he drove to victory lane at Daytona last August to slip into the playoffs. ..."Obviously, we didnโt want to go to a backup car, but I think weโre still in a really good place for the 500.
Ready to retire? Kurt Busch leaves NASCAR fans guessing
โIf youโre asking me if this is a retirement video, Iโm leaving it open for interpretation,โ Busch told The Associated Press on Saturday. AdโWho gets to go and take a NASCAR car to Key West at 200 mph,โ Busch asked. Gronkowski partied in victory lane when Busch won the 2017 Daytona 500 and the fellow Monster athlete says: โDonโt do it, man! Donโt retire!โ Busch lives in South Florida near Vanilla Ice, the โIce, Ice, Babyโ rapper who pulls up next to the Chevy and gets caught up in smoke from a burnout. Whether this was a true retirement video, simply a marketing ploy for the energy drink or even a negotiating tactic for another contract remained unclear.
Rain washes out NASCAR's final practices for Daytona 500
โI think we proved as an industry last year that track time was a little overrated," said David Wilson, head of Toyota Racing Development. Heavy rain soaked the track early, though, prompting officials to shift gears before the Xfinity Series opener later Saturday. An ARCA series race also was scheduled for the middle of the day. โI'm fine without it,โ said 2017 Daytona 500 winner Kurt Busch. ..."Obviously, we didnโt want to go to a backup car, but I think weโre still in a really good place for the 500.
Start your spending: Businesses hit by pandemic hope to see big boost during Daytona 500
Even so, officials think this will be the largest in-person sporting event since the start of the pandemic. Hotel rooms usually sell out quickly during race week, giving a huge boost to local mom and pop resorts, like Perryโs Ocean Edge. She said the shop poured several thousand dollars into merchandise to stock up for this weekend, usually their busiest sales weekend of the year. She said customers have told her this week theyโre making a point to visit the smaller shops this year, too. โA lot of the small local businesses in town, weโve provided them some assets for them to put out in their restaurants and bars,โ he said.
Hereโs when storms will move through Central Florida this weekend
ORLANDO, Fla. โ An unsettled weather pattern will bring the chance for rain and storms back to Central Florida for the weekend. Weekend setupSaturday stormsBehind the storms Saturday morning, most of the rest of the day will be on the drier side with just a few exceptions. AdFuture radar Saturday eveningSunday stormsAnother round of storms, a few potentially strong, will come back into the picture Sunday. A round of rain looks to move through Central Florida early Sunday morning. The unsettled weather with the potential for a few stronger storms continues Monday.
Drivers competing in the 2021 Daytona 500
Austin Dillon (3) takes the checkered flag to win the second NASCAR Daytona 500 duel qualifying auto race Friday, Feb. 12, 2021, at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. โ The 40 drivers competing in the 2021 Daytona 500, in order of starting position:___No. This is his 20th Daytona 500; he was hired days after Earnhardt's death. Son of two-time Daytona 500 champion and Hall of Fame driver Bill Elliott. Finished a career-best seventh in the 2017 Daytona 500, but has been 27th, 28th and 19th since. McLeodBORN: Nov. 17, 1983AdHOMETOWN: Wauchula, FloridaCREW CHIEF: Frank KerrSPONSOR: NASCAR HeatsTWITTER: @bjmcleod78NOTEWORTHY: Owner-driver racing in his third Daytona 500.
Rain at the Daytona 500 doesnโt happen as often as you might think
Drivers and crew members seek shelter under umbrellas as rain falls before the second of two qualifying NASCAR auto races for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)Orlando, FLA. โ With rain expected this race weekend, some might think โit always rains on the Daytona 500.โ But is that truly the case? According to the National Weather Service in Daytona, records show weather impacted the race only three times in the past decade. This will usher in unsettled weather with the chance for off and on rain both Saturday and Sunday. Daytona 500 ForecastThe race is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. on Valentineโs Day, Sunday. This weather could mean a few rounds of rain delays throughout the race.
Hendrick hesitant to change Bowman's engine before 500
48 team will ideally use Saturday's final two practice sessions to determine if the engine can make it 500 miles on Sunday. โWe think the engine is OK, but we're undecided just yet,โ said Knaus, who won the NASCAR title seven times as a crew chief. AdHendrick Motorsports suffered another blow when William Byron was involved in a crash in his qualifying race that destroyed his Chevrolet. Hendrick will now have only one car at the front of the Daytona 500 field โ maybe none if Bowman's engine is deemed too risky not to change. The pole-sitter has not closed out a Daytona 500 victory since Dale Jarrett in 2000.
Hiccup for Hendrick Motorsports ahead of Daytona 500
Alex Bowman and William Byron were slated to lead the Daytona 500 field to green but that's in danger following Thursday night's qualifying races. Byron was collected in a crash in the second Duel and it ruined his Chevrolet. AdAustin Cindric and Kaz Grala both earned their first berths into the Daytona 500 by claiming the two available transfer positions in the Duels. He was the leader on the final lap of the second Duel until Dillon crossed to Wallaceโs inside and inched ahead. โWeโve got an incredible race car and I canโt wait for the Daytona 500.โ
AP Was There: Earnhardt killed in 2001 Daytona 500 crash
โI guess someone got into Dale because Dale got into me and then we went up,โ Schrader said. Weโve lost Dale Earnhardt,โ Helton said. The death of Earnhardt left NASCAR reeling in the wake of a 2000 season in which three of its young stars were killed in separate accidents. All three died of the same type of head injuries that apparently killed Earnhardt. โThe only reason I won this race is Dale Earnhardt,โ Waltrip said.
Bowman, Byron give Hendrick sweep of Daytona 500 front row
Alex Bowman and William Byron swept the front row Wednesday night in qualifying for the Daytona 500, giving Hendrick its 14th pole and sixth in the last seven years. โHere it really just comes down to who built the fastest race car. Itโs the fourth consecutive year Bowman will start from the front row, but he's got a completely new look this time. Only the front row was set Wednesday, the first time Daytona 500 qualifying has been held at night under a condensed Speedweeks schedule. โMy motto is, โNo more excuses.โโHamlin, who is trying to become the first driver to win three consecutive Daytona 500s, was 12th.
Bubba Wallace sends Michael Jordan to top of scoring pylon at Daytona 500
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. โ Bubba Wallace sent Michael Jordan to the top of scoring pylon in the first Daytona 500 practice session for their new team and the first overall for NASCAR in more than 300 days. Wallace was selected as the driver in the first season of a new team that brought Jordan into NASCAR as a team owner. 23 Toyota for 23XI Racing, perhaps a promising sign he could be a force in the Daytona 500. NASCAR sets the front row for the Daytona 500 in Wednesday nightโs qualifying session. His runner-up finish in the 2018 Daytona 500 was the best finish by a Black driver in the race.
Daytona 500 might look different but it will still bring in a crowd
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. โ The Daytona 500 Speedweeks starts this week and in 2021, the races and events will look different because of the coronavirus pandemic but many hope it will still drive a boost for the local economy. This yearโs Daytona 500 wonโt fill the stands with 101,000 people like normal. However, itโs not just Daytona Beach seeing a boost. โVolusia County accommodations throughout see a bit of a bump from all the events at the speedway,โ said Lori Campbell Baker, executive director at the Daytona Beach Area Visitors Bureau. Baker said the 500 is the best free advertising and could help get visitors back in Volusia even in a pandemic.
Pitbull named Daytona 500 Grand Marshal
New NASCAR team Trackhouse Racing has brought entertainer Pitbull on as an ownership partner for an organization making its debut next month at the Daytona 500. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso, File)VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. โ From Mr. Worldwide to the Daytona 500 Grand Marshal, Pitbull says heโs ready to bring energy to the racetrack. Itโs an honor to be named the Grand Marshal for the 63rd DAYTONA 500. @NASCAR https://t.co/zmphbAdhK4 โ Pitbull (@pitbull) February 1, 2021โUnity at its finest,โ he wrote. Embracing the excitement of NASCAR, as Grand Marshal Pitbull will give the command for drivers to prepare to race.
Live show: NASCAR to hold pre-race Daytona 500 concert with Luke Combs
NASCAR will attempt some normalcy at the season-opening Daytona 500 with a live pre-race concert featuring country music star Luke Combs. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)CHARLOTTE, N.C. โ NASCAR will attempt some normalcy at the season-opening Daytona 500 with a live pre-race concert โ the first big performance at a track during the pandemic โ featuring country music star Luke Combs. Born in Charlotte but raised in Asheville, Combs made NASCAR races a weekly viewing staple alongside his grandfather. โIf you wouldโve told me back then that Iโd be performing at the Daytona 500 one day, I wouldnโt have believed you,โ said Combs, a longtime fan of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Live music is a way for us to be able to disconnect from everything else, and just be there in the moment,โ Combs said.
Mr. WorldWide to NASCAR: Pitbull joins Trackhouse ownership
New NASCAR team Trackhouse Racing has brought entertainer Pitbull on as an ownership partner for an organization making its debut next month at the Daytona 500. Mr. Worldwide joins NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan as celebrity owners entering NASCAR this year. Pitbull has become an ownership partner in new NASCAR team Trackhouse Racing, set to make its debut next month at the Daytona 500. โNASCAR racing is about pushing boundaries; for the Trackhouse Racing team, that means more than just winning on the race track,โ Marks said. โPitbull is an iconic talent in the music industry and has tremendous passion for NASCAR racing.
Want to work at Daytona 500? The speedway is hiring
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. โ In preparation for the Daytona 500 in 2021, the Daytona International Speedway is hiring for a variety of positions to work at the major racing event. The speedway is hiring guest services positions, including ushers, ticket takers, information booths and tram drivers. [TRENDING: Animal nearly severs womanโs arm at Carole Baskinโs rescue | CDC: Avoid travel to Mexico | Brightline targets 2022 for OIA station]To increase its workforce during Daytona Speedweeks events, including the 59th Rolex 24 at Daytona and the 63rd annual Daytona 500, the speedway will host hiring events at the facility. Below is a list of dates and times:Thursday, Dec. 3, 12:00 p.m. โ 6:00 p.m.Saturday, Dec. 5, 9:00 a.m. โ 2:00 p.m.Tuesday, Jan. 5, 12:00 p.m. โ 6:00 p.m.Saturday, Jan. 9, 9:00 a.m. โ 2:00 p.m.Tuesday, Jan. 12, 10:00 a.m. โ 5:00 p.mInterested applicants can enter Speedway property at the intersection of NASCAR Drive and International Speedway Boulevard and park in front of the Axalta Injector. Officials earlier this week said there will be limited fans at the Daytona 500 due to the coronavirus.
63rd Annual Daytona 500 to limit fan capacity
Daytona International Speedway announced Wednesday it will be limiting the number of fans allowed in the stands for The Great American Race next year. ๐ฐ: https://t.co/9cEIKinY8Y pic.twitter.com/ZSTM13Jra3 โ Daytona International Speedway (@DISupdates) December 2, 2020The speedway did not make it clear how many spectators will be allowed in the stadium. Fans who plan to still attend events donโt have to take any further action, according to Daytona International Speedway. โThe fans at (the) track and at home create the energy of The Great American Race. While we unfortunately wonโt be able to have everyone here with us in 2021, your support and passion will still be felt in February, " Daytona International Speedway said on Twitter.
Kyle Larson reinstated to compete in NASCAR in 2021
FILE - In this Feb. 14, 2020, file photo, Kyle Larson gets ready to climb into his car to practice for the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. NASCAR on Monday, Oct. 29, 2020, cleared Larson to return in 2021, ending his long suspension for using a racial slur while playing a video racing game. Larson was suspended in April after he used the n-word while playing an online racing game in which viewers could follow along. (AP Photo/Terry Renna, File)
Knocked out of Brickyard, Johnson copes at home with virus
FILE - In this Feb. 16, 2020 file photo Jimmie Johnson climbs intp his car before the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. NASCAR seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson will test an Indy car next week on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Hes long said he is open to racing in the series but did not want to compete on ovals out of safety concerns. On Friday, July 3, 2020, he indicated recent safety improvements have softened his stance and the Indianapolis 500 is not entirely out of the picture. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)
NASCARโs Ryan Newman medically cleared to race again after fiery Daytona 500 crash in February
(Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)NASCAR driver Ryan Newman has been cleared to return to racing. Back in February, he was involved in a fiery crash in the last lap of the Daytona 500. He was hospitalized for two days with non-life threatening injuries. Newman says he plans to return to the racetrack and will be back in the seat of his No.
News 6/360: President Trumpโs historic Daytona 500 lap; SpaceXโs journey to launching humans
News 6/360: President Trumpโs historic Daytona 500 lap; SpaceXโs journey to launching humansPublished: February 28, 2020, 10:52 amFrom a historic lap around the Daytona International Speedway to one companyโs plan to launch humans to space from U.S. soil, this weekโs episode of News 6/360 covers a few topics every Central Floridian should know about.
Ryan Newman confirms he suffered head injury in Daytona 500 crash
Ryan Newman says he suffered a head injury in his crash on the last lap of the Daytona 500 but did not disclose details. [RELATED: Ryan Newman released from hospital days after fiery crash at Daytona 500 | Safety improvements likely saved Ryan Newmanโs life at Daytona 500]โWe do not have a timetable for Ryanโs return. I can tell you that his timetable is that he wants to be back as soon as possible,โ Newmark said. Newman released a statement read by Newmark. "I did sustain a head injury for which Iโm currently being treated.โNewman said he was grateful for the support of people around the country after the crash.
Ryan Newman released from hospital days after fiery crash at Daytona 500
VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. โ Ryan Newman was released from the hospital Wednesday with his two daughters by his side, days after he was involved in a fiery crash at the Daytona 500. On Wednesday, Roush Fenway Racing tweeted out the photo of Newman leaving Halifax Health Medical Center shortly before 2 p.m.[RELATED: Ryan Newman in serious condition after fiery Daytona 500 crash | Ryan Newman not only driver to end Daytona 500 with upside-down wreck]Hours earlier, the stock car organization posted an update showing Newman in his hospital gown beaming with his two girls. [RELATED: Ryan Newman awake, speaking with family after fiery crash at Daytona 500 | Safety improvements likely saved Ryan Newmanโs life at Daytona 500]Newmanโs Ford went airborne Monday night in the final moments of the Daytona 500, flipping several times before it skidded upside down on the track with bright orange sparks and flames trailing behind it. Halifax Health's Trauma Services Medical Director, Dr. Danny Jazarevic said that whether or not the Daytona 500 was taking place up the street, their trauma facility is always prepared. โJust like Mr. Newman, and we wish him all the best and I can hardly wait to see him on the circuit again!
Ryan Newman awake, speaking with family after fiery crash at Daytona 500
Ryan Newman awake, speaking with family after fiery crash at Daytona 500Published: February 18, 2020, 5:51 pmLess than 24 hours after a fiery crash in the final moments of the Daytona 500, Ryan Newman is awake and speaking with loved ones and doctors at Halifax Medical Center.
Safety improvements likely saved Ryan Newmanโs life at Daytona 500
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. โ Long before Ryan Newmanโs Daytona 500 crash, drivers were injured or killed setting into motion the safety improvements that protected the race car driver and fans at this yearโs race. Kyle Busch broke his leg and foot when he crashed into a bare concrete wall at the Daytona International Speedway in 2015 in the Xfinity Series race one day before the Daytona 500. Immediately after, then-track president Joie Chitwood promised it would never happen again and vowed to install SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) barriers on โevery inchโ of the Speedway. โHelmet manufacturers, suit manufacturers, HANS [Head And Neck Support] devices, thereโs just been so much development that has come a long way.โ[RELATED: Ryan Newman awake, speaking with family after fiery crash at Daytona 500 | Ryan Newman in serious condition after fiery Daytona 500 crash | Ryan Newman not only driver to end Daytona 500 with upside-down wreck]In 2013, Kyle Larson crashed and slid along the wall during the Drive4COPD 300 at Daytona. Less than 24 hours after a fiery crash in the final moments of the Daytona 500, Ryan Newman is awake and speaking with loved ones and doctors at Halifax Medical Center.
Ryan Newman awake, speaking with family after fiery crash at Daytona 500
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. โ Less than 24 hours after a fiery crash in the final moments of the Daytona 500, Ryan Newman is awake and speaking with loved ones and doctors at Halifax Medical Center. [RELATED: Ryan Newman in serious condition after fiery Daytona 500 crash | Ryan Newman not only driver to end Daytona 500 with upside-down wreck]โRyan and his family have expressed their appreciation for the concern and heartfelt messages from across the country. Roush Fenway Racing posted on Twitter that it will continue to provide updates on Newmanโs injuries in the coming days. Pictures from the Daytona 500 show an ambulance on the track as personnel rushed to remove Newman from his mangled Mustang. Newman's serious injuries overshadowed Denny Hamlin's third Daytona 500 win but Hamlin said once he found out about the crash, his thoughts were with Newman.
Ryan Newman not only driver to end Daytona 500 with upside-down wreck
Newmanโs crash was difficult to watch, but it wasnโt the first time a Daytona race ended with an upside-down wreck. Full Screen 1 / 9 Ryan Newman was rushed to a local hospital after a crash in the Daytona 500. [RELATED: Ryan Newman in serious condition after fiery Daytona 500 crash | Hamlin and Newman contrast risk and reward at Daytona 500]NASCAR fans might remember some others throughout racing history. For example, there was a much different outcome for Clint Bowyer in 2007, when the driver finished the Daytona 500 race on his roof. He won the Daytona 500 in 2008 while driving for Penske, marking Penskeโs first Daytona 500 win.
5 speedy facts about the Daytona 500 that you might not know
All rights reserved)DAYTONA, Fla. โ If you werenโt aware, drivers will be starting their engines for the Daytona 500. The Daytona International Speedway is a 2.5-mile tri-oval with a 3,800-foot front stretch and a 3,000-foot backstretch. NASCAR will dole out a record $23.6 million to the 40 drivers racing in the Daytona 500. The Daytona International Speedway can fit 101,500 people inside its walls. Itโs taken to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, located on the grounds of the International Speedway.
Most of Sunday afternoon dry, rain chances increase Sunday evening
Most of Sunday afternoon will be dry, but by the evening, rain chances go on the increase. If you are headed to the Daytona 500, most of the day and race will be dry, but rain could sneak in by the end. The Osceola County Fair and theme parks will be warm with increasing rain chances for Sunday evening as well. Beach and Boating:Small Craft AdvisoryA Small Craft Advisory remains in effect until 4 p.m. out at sea. High TemperaturesTemperatures remain warm for most of the week before another cold front arrives Thursday afternoon.
Daytona 500 forecast: Showers could sneak in by the checkered flag
ORLANDO, Fla.- โ Most of race day Sunday will be dry with a relatively light wind. A stray shower could sneak on land early Sunday, but most of the rain for the first half of Sunday stays out at sea. Future RadarHighs at the speedway top out around 80 degrees. Daytona 500Late in the race shower chances start to increase. The highest rain chances donโt arrive in Daytona until after the race, but if the race is under caution at any point, weโll get into those higher rain chances.
Daytona Beach police share travel plan information ahead of Daytona 500
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. โ The Daytona Beach Police Department is sharing travel plan information as race fans will be in the area for the 62nd annual Daytona 500. Police said over 100,000 race fans will be in and around Daytona International Speedway on Sunday for the final event of 2020 Speedweeks. 92I-4: Use the Beville Road/State Road 400 exit to reach Clyde Morris Boulevard, then head north to access Richard Petty Boulevard. Dunn Avenue: Will be restricted to local traffic only between Clyde Morris Boulevard and Williamson Boulevard. Williamson Boulevard: Southbound traffic will be restricted at International Speedway Boulevard, police said.
Denny Hamlin wins Daytona 500
A Daytona 500 that looked like it would never end with two big late crashes, it finally did with Denny Hamlin winning for the second time at NASCAR's biggest race. Hamlin also won in 2016. After an 18-car pileup with 10 laps to go forced the race to be under a red flag for 25 minutes, the race went into another red flag after another wreck involving seven cars. During that wreck, Hamlin took over the lead by feet over Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch. The race restarted with two laps to go, and Hamlin held off Busch and Joey Lagano for the win.