Hendrick has hiccup ahead of main event
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — What should have been a tune-up for the Daytona 500 might have cost Hendrick Motorsports the front row for NASCAR’s seasonopening spectacular.
Alex Bowman and William Byron were slated to lead the the Daytona 500 to the green flag, but that’s in trouble following Thursday night’s qualifying races. Bowman had an engine problem in the first 150-mile race and, if his motor needs to be changed, he’ll forfeit Sunday’s pole.
Byron was collected in a crash in the second race that ruined his Chevrolet. He needs to move to backup car for the 500, and the change sends him to the back of the field.
Aric Almirola won the first race and, after a rain delay pushed the second Duel into a Friday morning finish, Austin Dillon used a cross-over move on Bubba Wallace to beat Wallace to the checkered flag.
Almirola in a Ford is slated to start behind Byron but will slide up to the front row when Byron falls to the back. Dillon in a Chevrolet will wait to see if Hendrick changes Bowman’s engine this weekend.
Austin Cindric and Kaz Grala both earned their first berths into the Daytona 500 by claiming the two available transfer positions in the Duels. Ty Dillon, Timmy Hill, Garrett Smithley and Noah Gragson all failed to advance.
Smithley and Gragson were racing each other for the transfer spot in the second race when Smithley tried to duck around Gragson. Brad Keselowski on his outside wasn’t expecting Smithley to fill the gap and the two collided, starting a wreck that eliminated both Smithley and Gragson.
Byron was also caught in that crash.
In the first race, Almirola held off a charge from Joey Logano, who pulled alongside Almirola on the final lap. Christopher Bell waffled briefly on which driver he wanted to push and first seemed to choose Logano before dipping down behind Almirola.
It gave Almirola the shove he needed for his first win in a qualifying race at Daytona. He led 52 of the 60 laps.
“Things are going right for Tampa Bay,” Almirola said about his first career Speedweeks victory the same week his hometown Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the Super Bowl.
“This thing was a hot rod. Our race car is so fast,” he added. “We’ve got an incredible race car and I can’t wait for the Daytona 500.”
Eight drivers came to Daytona trying to claim four available spots in the 40-car field. David Ragan and Ryan Preece claimed the first two in Thursday’s time trials, leaving one spot in each of the Duels.
Cindric was attempting to qualify for his first Cup race, but the Xfinity Series champion was flagged for speeding on his final pit stop. It put him a lap down and needing Preece to be the highest-finishing open driver to get the 500 spot.
Dillon looked like he was headed to the Daytona 500, trying to get Gaunt Brothers Racing into the 500 after the team missed the race last year with Daniel Suarez. Dillon is looking for a full-time job this year and through a budding relationship with Toyota had a chance at racing into the 500 for Gaunt.
Dillon was in a bottom lane that came upon twotime defending 500 winner Denny Hamlin as he was trying to coast on gasoline fumes to the finish. That lane had to slow and swerve around Hamlin, allowing Preece with a push from Ryan Newman to pass Dillon.
“Some days it’s your day, I guess,” said Cindric, who found Dillon on pit road and shook his hand after the finish.