5:30 p.m.
Justin Haley has won the rain-shortened Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway, his first at NASCAR’s top level.
Haley took the lead under warning – Kurt Busch surrendered the top spot when he pitted for new tires and was declared the winner after heavy rain followed two lightning flaws. There were 33 laps left when the 160-lap race has been halted.
Haley was 27th when leader Austin Dillon triggered a 17-car crash that took out almost half the area and most of the top contenders. He passed a number of wrecked automobiles and then several more that left pit stops.
The 20-year-old Haley won’t lock in a spot in the playoffs, though. He’s a full-time driver at the second-tier Xfinity Series and was making his third Cup Series beginning – for newcomer Spire Motorsports. The team’s No. 77 Chevrolet can secure a postseason bid, but only as long as it ends up in the top 30 in points.
Nonetheless, it was a fitting ending for the final July race in NASCAR’s most famous track.
The event, which was postponed a day due to rain, was plagued with inclement weather and full of unpredictable winners in recent decades. It is moving to late August at 2020 – the regular-season finale – included in NASCAR’s significant schedule shake-up.
William Byron finished second, followed by seven-time Cup winner Jimmie Johnson and Ty Dillon. Manufacturer Chevrolet won for the second successive week and took the top four spots.
Ryan Newman was fifth in a Ford.
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4:30 p.m.
Drivers Bubba Wallace and Daniel Hemric entertained lovers during two lightning delays by throwing a football throughout the trail and in the stands.
Wallace and Hemric each had a few errant throws and got booed a bit.
But it surely gave fans a reason to stay around for more than an hour with no racing.
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3:18 p.m.
Lighting has stopped the NASCAR race at Daytona International Speedway with Justin Haley at the lead.
The 20-year-old Haley is a part time motorist for newcomer Spire Motorsports. He finished second in Friday night’s second-tier Xfinity Series race while driving for Kaulig Racing. That is his third Cup Series start.
Kurt Busch was leading the 400-mile race following a 17-car mess. But Busch ducked onto pit road for fuel under warning. That left Haley front, and as soon as the red flag was pulled due to a nearby lightning strike, it left Busch in 18th. As automobiles were parked and coated on pit road.
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3 p.m.
With dark clouds looming and also the close of the race in sight, pioneer Austin Dillon wrecked almost half the field at Daytona International Speedway.
“The Big One” occurred on Lap 119 in Turn 1 and involved 17 cars – many of them in the front of the area.
Clint Bowyer was pushing Dillon into the front on the outside and made a hard move left to attempt and pass the leader. Dillon turned left in No. 3 Chevrolet, tagged Bowyer and then started spinning and carrying out competitors.
“I guess he did not want me to pass him,” Bowyer said.
All four Joe Gibbs Racing automobiles – Deny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr. and defending race winner Erik Jones – were involved. So were Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott.
“I was being aggressive and trying to keep the lead,” Dillon said.” That’s exactly what you get.”
Kurt Busch managed to make it through this melee unscathed.
Read more: attworldnews.com
