Written by Adrian Beecher
Daytona, FL- After three Red Flags, and nearly 24 hours after the original start time, William Byron captured the checkered flag at Daytona International Speedway in the Coca-Cola Firecracker 250. Here's how all the Chaos went down at the World Center of Racing.
Brennan Poole started off on the pole and led the cars to the start finish line. Poole was only able to maintain the lead for the 1st lap, with Ben Kennedy taking over the lead on lap 2. Then on lap 5, it was Blake Koch in the #11 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevrolet.
Despite all the excitement, Mother Nature had other plans as on lap 8 the caution flag came out for precipitation on the track. Then, on lap 11 the red flag came out and halted the race. The red flag would last 16 and a half hours as rain throughout the night forced the race to be rescheduled for noon on Saturday.
As things got underway Saturday, there were only 19 laps left of the 1st stage and Koch would cruise out in front to take the green white checkered flag for a stage 1 victory.
After the yellow flag pit stops, it was Justin Allgaier in the #7 Trademark Nitrogen Chevrolet out in front. His lead didn’t last very long as Poole found his way back to the front. Then lap 36 came, followed quickly by the lightning and rain. This once again halted the race under a red flag for 2 hours and 29 minutes
On lap 41, Kennedy, in the #2 Rheem Chevrolet took over the lead. Shortly after, it was Ty Dillon in the #3 Bass Pro Shop’s Tracker
On lap 48 it was Poole once again regaining the lead. as they came around the exit of turn four, Erik Jones taped Cole Custer which caused Daniel Suarez to cut to the right, which caused him to collide with Josh Williams in the #92 Chevy and Koch, who Suarez collected for a ride into the inside wall just before pit road. In addition, Brandon Brown was involved in the wreck. Only Jones and Cole Custer stayed out on the track as the rest of the drivers days ended.
After yellow flag stops, Elliot Sadler in the #1 Armour Vienna Sausage 150 Years Chevrolet was in the front of the pack as the cars got back to green flag racing on lap 57. On lap 59, Brandon Jones in the #33 Rain-X/Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet took over the lead.
However, as the cars entered turn two, Sadler made the pass to regain the lead. He was able to maintain the lead back to the start finish line to capture the stage 2 victory with 60 laps completed.
After yellow flag pit stops, 19-year-old William Byron in the #9 Axalta Chevrolet was out in front as they started the final stage. Byron was able to hold the lead until lap 83 when Joey Logano in the #22 Discount Tire Chevrolet helped push Dillon to the lead. As they came down the front stretch, JJ Yeley in the #14 TriStar Motorsports Toyota got into Jeremy Clements in the #51 RepairableVehicles.com Chevrolet, causing Clements to spin out and bring out the yellow flag. Clements was able to save the car though and stay out on the lead lap.
After caution flag pit stops, Dillon was still out in front as the cars came to the green flag with just 10 lap’s to go. With 9 laps to go, Logano made the pass for the lead in turn two. As the cars came to the start finish line, Byron was pushing Poole which caused him to get loose and Poole shot to the bottom of the track collecting Dillon, bringing out the caution with just 8 laps to go.
With just four laps to go, the Green flag dropped with Logano out in front. That lasted just four laps before Logano got loose and almost spun out on the backstretch. He was able to save the car, but this allowed Byron to regain the lead. Then with just 2 laps to go on the back straight away, Brandon Jones got loose and shot down, collected Michael Annett in the #5 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet. This caused a chain reaction that collected most of the field behind them.
This brought out the 3rd red flag of the race, which lasted 9 minutes and 46 seconds. This sent the race to overtime with Byron out in front still in the #9. On the restart, Byron was able to maintain the lead to the overtime line. That’s when chaos ensued behind him as the field wrecked, sending the caution flag out, ending the race.
“I can’t believe it, to be here in Daytona. It’s so cool!” said Byron in victory lane.
The win is Byron’s second win in a row as he captured the victory the previous week in Iowa. Finishing 2nd was Sadler, 3rd was Dakota Armstrong in the #28.
Brennan Poole started off on the pole and led the cars to the start finish line. Poole was only able to maintain the lead for the 1st lap, with Ben Kennedy taking over the lead on lap 2. Then on lap 5, it was Blake Koch in the #11 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevrolet.
Despite all the excitement, Mother Nature had other plans as on lap 8 the caution flag came out for precipitation on the track. Then, on lap 11 the red flag came out and halted the race. The red flag would last 16 and a half hours as rain throughout the night forced the race to be rescheduled for noon on Saturday.
As things got underway Saturday, there were only 19 laps left of the 1st stage and Koch would cruise out in front to take the green white checkered flag for a stage 1 victory.
After the yellow flag pit stops, it was Justin Allgaier in the #7 Trademark Nitrogen Chevrolet out in front. His lead didn’t last very long as Poole found his way back to the front. Then lap 36 came, followed quickly by the lightning and rain. This once again halted the race under a red flag for 2 hours and 29 minutes
On lap 41, Kennedy, in the #2 Rheem Chevrolet took over the lead. Shortly after, it was Ty Dillon in the #3 Bass Pro Shop’s Tracker
On lap 48 it was Poole once again regaining the lead. as they came around the exit of turn four, Erik Jones taped Cole Custer which caused Daniel Suarez to cut to the right, which caused him to collide with Josh Williams in the #92 Chevy and Koch, who Suarez collected for a ride into the inside wall just before pit road. In addition, Brandon Brown was involved in the wreck. Only Jones and Cole Custer stayed out on the track as the rest of the drivers days ended.
After yellow flag stops, Elliot Sadler in the #1 Armour Vienna Sausage 150 Years Chevrolet was in the front of the pack as the cars got back to green flag racing on lap 57. On lap 59, Brandon Jones in the #33 Rain-X/Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet took over the lead.
However, as the cars entered turn two, Sadler made the pass to regain the lead. He was able to maintain the lead back to the start finish line to capture the stage 2 victory with 60 laps completed.
After yellow flag pit stops, 19-year-old William Byron in the #9 Axalta Chevrolet was out in front as they started the final stage. Byron was able to hold the lead until lap 83 when Joey Logano in the #22 Discount Tire Chevrolet helped push Dillon to the lead. As they came down the front stretch, JJ Yeley in the #14 TriStar Motorsports Toyota got into Jeremy Clements in the #51 RepairableVehicles.com Chevrolet, causing Clements to spin out and bring out the yellow flag. Clements was able to save the car though and stay out on the lead lap.
After caution flag pit stops, Dillon was still out in front as the cars came to the green flag with just 10 lap’s to go. With 9 laps to go, Logano made the pass for the lead in turn two. As the cars came to the start finish line, Byron was pushing Poole which caused him to get loose and Poole shot to the bottom of the track collecting Dillon, bringing out the caution with just 8 laps to go.
With just four laps to go, the Green flag dropped with Logano out in front. That lasted just four laps before Logano got loose and almost spun out on the backstretch. He was able to save the car, but this allowed Byron to regain the lead. Then with just 2 laps to go on the back straight away, Brandon Jones got loose and shot down, collected Michael Annett in the #5 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet. This caused a chain reaction that collected most of the field behind them.
This brought out the 3rd red flag of the race, which lasted 9 minutes and 46 seconds. This sent the race to overtime with Byron out in front still in the #9. On the restart, Byron was able to maintain the lead to the overtime line. That’s when chaos ensued behind him as the field wrecked, sending the caution flag out, ending the race.
“I can’t believe it, to be here in Daytona. It’s so cool!” said Byron in victory lane.
The win is Byron’s second win in a row as he captured the victory the previous week in Iowa. Finishing 2nd was Sadler, 3rd was Dakota Armstrong in the #28.