The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Three former champions still have a hole in their resumes
Brad Keselowski trudged out of the infield care center, climbed into a waiting golf cart and sped toward his motorhome.
No interviews. No autographs. Just another Daytona 500 disappointment.
Keselowski was one of three former NASCAR champions — along with Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. — who failed to end lifetime droughts in “The Great American Race” on Sunday. The most frustrating part? All of them had cars good enough to end double-digit skids in NASCAR’S signature event.
“It’s just par for the course, just used to it,” Busch bemoaned. “Come down here every year to just find out when and where I’m going to crash and what lap I come out of the care center.”
Busch is now winless in 18 starts in the Daytona 500, a baffling losing streak for a guy who has won 224 times across NASCAR’S top three series. The two-time series champ (2015, 2019) was caught in a late crash and finished 19th.
But he took solace in leading Lap 200 — the scheduled last lap before several crashes forced two overtimes — for the first time.
“I wish it was 1998 rules,” he said, referring to seven-time NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt’s Daytona 500 win in his 20th try under caution 25 years ago. “I don’t think you’re ever confident. Who won? I don’t even know who lucked into it.”
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won for the first time in 12 tries, one of five drivers in the field with double-digit skids coming in.
“There you have it,” Busch quipped.
Truex, the 2017 champ, was evaluating the numbers and thought this was his day. He was driving the No. 19 Toyota in his 19th Daytona 500 and on February 19th. Maybe he was onto something because he crashed with 19 laps to go and ended up 16th.
Keselowski, the 2012 champ, finished 22nd and fell to 0 for 14 in the 500, despite leading a racehigh 42 laps. He was out front on a restart with 13 laps to go in regulation before fading along with several other Fords.
It was Keselowski’s third consecutive gut-wrenching finish in the 500.
Hall of Famers Tony Stewart, Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin are the most notable drivers who never won the Daytona 500.
Truex, Busch and Keselowski were looking for a breakthrough Sunday, and each of them led laps. Truex was out front for 13 trips around the 2½-mile superspeedway; Busch led six laps.
The trio still should be hopeful coming back in 2024. After all, Hall of Famer David Pearson needed 15 tries to win the Daytona 500. Busch’s older brother, Kurt, needed 16. And Earnhardt’s long-awaiting breakthrough is revered as an iconic moment in racing history.
“The Olympic saying is the worst thing you can do is get a silver,” Keselowski said. “Bronze, you’re happy you get a medal and gold, of course, you’re happy to leave. But silver, you know you’re that close and it just didn’t happen, and I feel like I have a lot of Daytona 500 silvers.”