There Go Junior Nation’s Hopes Of Winning The Daytona 500

There’s nothing like a photo finish to kick off the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 2016.

“I had no anticipations of winning this race on the white-flag [penultimate] lap”, Hamlin said.

The 20-year-old’s Daytona 500 debut was essentially over 19 laps into the race Sunday afternoon as he wrecked coming out of turn 4.

“We had a real fast vehicle all week out here”, Elliott said. I don’t know if he’s great. One guy can ruin it, even if he’s great at his job, but if his attitude is not good and everybody doesn’t like being around him. I knew it was close. “We’ll try and get it fixed and make some laps”. He was in the driver’s seat down the stretch with JR Motorsports teammate Elliott Sadler pushing from behind until last-lap shuffling left him vulnerable.

“I got in the middle a couple laps before and just lost it”, Elliott told Fox. I should have probably tried to rub him a little bit harder because I had maybe a foot on him for a long ways from turn four all the way to here and once he just bogged down enough he pulled off me at the right time. “Fortunately, he had nowhere else to go but to push me”.

Pole-sitter Chase Elliott had a forgettable end to what should have been a memorable week. Two-time Daytona 500 champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. crashed out and matched his worst finish in the race.

“Confidence is such a huge factor out there”, Earnhardt said.

“I’ll start by saying it’s our single biggest race in our company’s history – in front of the Indy 500, which was a pretty special one back in 2003 (with Team Penske and Brazilian driver Gil de Ferran)”.

“He’s got the Cup season looming over his head and has got a lot of things going on. Can’t get caught up in what happened today, it is irrelevant now”.

Earnhardt will officially finish 36th. We will get better at that, but it’s starting to get better. But he’s a de facto teammate to Team Penske drivers Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano, the defending Daytona 500 victor, and should the Fords figure out an effective game plan, they may be able to disrupt the Gibbs and Hendrick juggernaut.

“Oh you should have seen me, I was dancing out in that hay field now”, said Richardson. “Coach wants to win everything”. That’s what he should do.

“I think if I could end up in victory lane on Sunday, then I certainly think it would kind of come full circle essentially”.

Hamlin’s average speed over the 800km (500 miles) today was 157.549 mph – or 253.55kmh – and there were 20 lead changes among 15 drivers.