DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — I wanted to wait until after yesterday’s race to inform readers that this was my first trip to Daytona International Speedway to cover the 49th running of the Daytona 500.
Although the first 150 laps of the race seemed like practice to me, the last 50 was …
NASCAR
Opinion: Crashes, photo finish at Daytona gave sport what it needed after week of scandals
In one of the wildest and most wide-open finishes in Daytona 500 history, Darrell Waltrip says NASCAR was right to let Kevin Harvick and Mark Martin race to the line while cars wrecked behind them.
NASCAR
Where was the yellow flag? NASCAR’s rules dictate that the field order is frozen the moment the yellow flag flies and the caution lights come on around the track. On Sunday, in the key moment of the Daytona 500, the green flag stayed out as chaos ensued.
Mark Martin has experienced plenty of heartache and disappointment at Daytona.
He’s been wrecked more times than he cares to remember. He’s spent entire races near the back of the pack. He’s had podium finishes and early exits.
He’s never been this close.
And yet, he’s never felt this good.
NASCAR
Michael Waltrip’s tumultuous week ended with one of his worst career finishes in the Daytona 500. The two-time race winner was 30th on Sunday, finishing the season-opening race near the back of the pack after spending the last seven days at the forefront of NASCAR’s biggest cheating scandal.
Favorite Tony Stewart crashed out of the Daytona 500. Ditto defending champion Jimmie Johnson. And Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Mark Martin has experienced plenty of heartache and disappointment at Daytona. He’s been wrecked more times than he cares to remember. He’s spent entire races near the back of the pack. He’s had podium finishes and early exits.
It was a week on the brink for Mike Wallace, the unlikely fourth-place finisher in the Daytona.
NASCARFavorite Tony Stewart crashed out of the Daytona 500.
Ditto defending champion Jimmie Johnson. And Dale Earnhardt Jr.
What was a tame event Sunday at Daytona International Speedway turned into a crashfest after Stewart and Kurt Busch, running 1-2 on lap 153, banged together, hit the wall and lost their shot at winning the stock car Super Bowl.
“It mishandled in the corner and took off on me,” said Stewart, whose No.
NASCAR
