As big names struggle, Stenhouse surges Mike Hembree

Five takeaways from Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway as the series moves through the hot summer stretch that will determine the field for the playoffs. Tricky Ricky scores again:

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. stormed to the front on the final restart, leading a line of drafting cars that swept by leader David Ragan. After years of frustration, Stenhouse scored his first Cup win May 7 at Talladega Superspeedway; he struck again in the next restrictor-plate race. The success of the past few weeks doesn’t mean Stenhouse suddenly is a major threat for the title, but his turnaround is certainly cause for celebration at Roush Fenway Racing, which appears to be stirring from a long slumber. With two wins, he is a lock for the 10-race playoffs.

Junior flips script:

Everything seemed to be falling in place for Dale Earnhardt Jr. to glide into victory lane at a track that defined his career. He won the pole, marking the first step toward a win in what could be his final Cup race at the track. He led only one lap Saturday but ran well early in the race, then made up two laps using the free pass after he hit the outside wall. He charged to sixth place after that rebound but exited after hitting the wall again when Kevin Harvick spun in front of him. Another Kyle calamity: Kyle Busch’s struggles continued at Daytona. Winless — as is everyone else driving a Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota this year — Busch crashed after a tire rub sent his car into a spin in the middle of a gaggle of traffic. Repairs kept Busch in the race, and he finished 20th. Speaking of non-winners:

With the cutoff to the playoffs looming large — the 16-driver field will be set after the Sept. 9 race at Richmond International Raceway — several key drivers continue to accompany Busch on the winless list. Still carrying the big goose eggs heading to Kentucky Speedway on Saturday (Quaker State 400, NBC Sports Network, 7:30 p.m. ET) are Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, Jamie McMurray, Matt Kenseth and Earnhardt. Crashing and smashing: Twelve cars were eliminated in accidents, as 14 cautions slowed the action. Only 24 of the 40 starters were on the track for the checkered flag. “I think part of it is you come from Talladega — our last time we were plate racing — and you’re able to run three-wide, fourwide, relatively easy, and then you get here and you’re thinking threewide is kind of the norm,” Clint Bowyer said. “But at the end of the day, you’re three-wide because you can, and then all of a sudden somebody starts slipping up off the corner or something like that, checks up, stacks everybody up, late block or something, and the rest is history.” Wrecks took out numerous contenders, including Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Kyle Larson, Brad Keselowski, Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Joey Logano and Earnhardt.