Byron’s win just adds to 2021’s wacky start
Three races, three different winners, and a whole lot of parity to start this NASCAR season.
William Byron’s dominant showing at Homestead-Miami Speedway over the weekend continued a wacky start to a 2021 season that has so far seen Michael McDowell, Christopher Bell and Byron all visit Victory Lane.
The usual suspects — guys like Chase Elliott, Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney — are still searching for speed through the first three weeks, while Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. appear to to be close, but not quite there yet.
Time to dive in!
First gear
We can’t do anything without giving Billy the Kid his due.
Byron led a career-high 102 laps Sunday and was the dominant car for the second half of the race. He became Homestead’s youngest winner at 23, and collected a whole bunch of playoff points along the way. The win was equally important for crew chief Rudy Fugle, who is replacing Chad Knaus atop Byron’s pitbox this season.
Fugle and Byron worked together in the Truck Series, but to win in just your third Cup race together could open the floodgates for Byron in his fourth Cup season.
Second gear
Maybe it’s time to start taking Michael McDowell seriously.
The 36-year-old won the Daytona 500, followed that up with an eighth place showing on the road course, and then finished sixth at Homestead for Front Row Motorsports’ first ever top-10 on a 1.5-mile track.
McDowell is already locked into the postseason, has five playoff points through three races, and is one of only two drivers to open the year with three top-10s.
Not a bad leap for someone who recorded four top-10s all of last season.
Third gear
Speaking of breakout performances, how about Chris Buescher? The 28-yearold had the car to beat early on Sunday, leading 57 laps and winning Stage 1.
While Buescher ultimately finished 19th, he showed race-winning speed most of the afternoon, and could be ready to finally visit Victory Lane for the first time since his rainshortened Pocono win in 2016.
Fourth gear
Taking a look at the point standings through three weeks, and two names that jump out are Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch.
Blaney, who sits in 24th, has had a forgettable start to the season. He wrecked on Lap 14 of the Daytona 500, was a nonfactor on the Road Course, and then finished 29th on Sunday.
Team Penske teammates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski, meanwhile, were fighting for the win at the 500, while Logano nearly won on the road course and Keselowski led 44 laps Sunday.
Busch’s start to the year has been equally miserable, and is a bit more concerning considering the down year he had last season.
The two-time champion finished 14th in the 500 and then had a bad day from the start at on the road course, finishing 35th after cutting a tire.
While Busch managed to finish 10th at Miami, the Joe Gibbs Racing veteran was clearly frustrated with his car all afternoon, especially with teammate Martin Truex Jr. running so well.
Sitting at 18th in the points through the first three weeks, Busch’s performance will be something to monitor going forward.
The Jamestown/Valley City Coop Blue Jays competed at the WDA conference meet on Saturday, February 27, 2021 at the Bismarck State College Aquatic Center.
The Blue Jays tied for fourth of eight teams with 215 points. Competing for the Blue Jays were Noah Haglund, Bodi Haglund and Luke Plagens all of Valley City.
Noah Haglund, a VCHS senior, swam to 2nd place in the 100 back with a season best of 57.55. Noah also competed in the 100 free, placing 6th with a 51.81. His score of 30 points earned him a spot on the WDA AllConference Team.
Bodi Haglund, a VCHS 8th grader, recorded a personal best time of 1:06.14 in the 100 breast and placed 4th. Bodi swam to an 8th place finish in the 200IM with a time of 2:15.23. Overall, Bodi scored 26 points for the Blue Jays.
The Haglund brothers swam as part of the 200 Medley Relay, placing 3rd at WDA with a 1:45.45. Noah was part of the 400 free relay placing 6th. Bodi took part in the 200 free relay, placing 7th and recording a personal best lead-off relay split of 23.92.
Luke Plagens, a VCHS senior, swam to a personal best in both the 200IM and 500 Free. His time of 2:34.90 in the 200IM put him in 25th place and a 6:32.17 in the 500 Free took 31st place.
The qualifying Blue Jays will wrap up their season at ND State Swimming and Diving in Bismarck on March 6, 2021 with 13 other teams from across the state. It will be a split session meet, with the Blue Jays swimming in the afternoon.