Reed says Xfinity victory is for others with diabetes
Ryan DAYTONABEACH,FLA.— Reed picked up the second Xfinity Series victory of his career both at Daytona
— International Speedway
— by winning the wreck-filled season opener Saturday.
Reed held off Austin Dillon and Kasey Kahne in a two-lap overtime shootout to win in a Ford for Roush Fenway Racing. Reed’s only other career victory came in this race in 2015, and he was celebrated for overcoming a diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes to become a race winner.
Reed had initially been told upon diagnosis that he’d not be able to race.
“Man, I thought about it this morning. I’ve had so many people come up to me and tell me how amazing that last win, my first win, was for certain people,” Reed said. “Everyone knows, a lot of people know, that I have Type 1 diabetes, and to see what that win meant to people, it drove me to get back to victory lane.”
Car owner Jack Roush was winless last year in both the Xfinity and Cup Series, but Reed’s victory ensures him a spot in the Xfinity playoffs.
Kahne finished second in a Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, which had five cars in the field and a rough day because of all the accidents.
Austin Dillon was third in a Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, and Brad Keselowski was fourth in a Team Penske Ford. “A race like this, you just feel good to survive,” said Keselowski.
A multicar accident with 17 laps remaining cost Elliott Sadler the victory, but it wasn’t a total loss. Sadler, one of the JR Motorsports drivers, won the first two stages of NASCAR’s new format and was in contention for the win until the accident.
He wound up in the garage because his car was too damaged to be repaired on pit road. Sadler finished 24th.
The first 30-lap stage was marred by two long stoppages, including one to fix a damaged fence. Although the segment was only 30 laps, two multicar accidents ate up more than 47 minutes in red-flag time.
Reigning series champion Daniel Suarez, now a Cup rookie, chastised his fellow drivers for being too aggressive too early in the race.
Rookie Kaz Grala won the NASCAR Truck Series season opener, getting through a massive wreck on the final lap. The 18-year-old Grala became the youngest winner in a NASCAR national series at Daytona. Grala, making his 10th career start, edged Austin Wayne Self. “I didn’t know what I was doing out there,” Grala said. “I didn’t know how to do a donut.” Only 13 of 32 trucks finished on the lead lap.