As
>> Martin Truex Jr.
Trying to win back-to-back cup championships.
It's only happened 13 times in the sport.
Today he's worried about the daytona 500.
You have both been able to do that.
How difficult is that?
>> It's very difficult.
But I will say that whole team, I love the
story all across the board.
Martin Truex Jr.
Specifically, I used to see a martin Truex
Jr.
Say we could have won that race but, maybe
we could have won a championship but.
Now I see a martin Truex Jr., bring on the
next race.
We're going to go win it, confident and a
swagger.
>> You know the last guy to have a season
comparable to what martin Truex had way back
in 1996, Jeff Gordon.
>> Really, that dominant?
>> That's how dominant.
>> Whatever happened to him?
>> He got a second job.
>> Well, that's impressive.
That's how impressive Truex was.
>> Eight wins, over 2,000 laps LED and the
first time anything that close was when Jeff
did it.
>> He indicated he feels the pressure is off
after that championship and maybe he'll enjoy
his ride better and he'll enjoy this, too,
that earlier this month his longtime girlfriend
we talked about, we were rooting for, she
rang the bell in her doctor's office, a symbol
she completed six months of chemo after that
recurrence of ovarian cancer.
She's been here at daytona to support him
and gathering in support from everyone currently
doing well and we're happy for her.
Getting closer to the start of the daytona
500.
We're going to go 0 to 60 with a guy who's
won it before, Joey Logano, and the grid walk
as well.
>>> This way.
>> That way.
>> You guys have too much time in between
whatever we do it is that we do here.
>> And that trophy.
>> The roles should have been reversed.
>> I had to go get the trophy.
I had to put it in the trunk and tell him
which way to go.
>> I love the look.
It is getting a little cooler here.
>> The wind is definitely picking up.
That's a major factor for these drivers coming
off turn four down the front straightaway.
>> They've had a tail wind down the back which
pushes you into turn three.
Today they got a headwind.
That's going to bump these cars.
>> Nice to see the senior baby drivers, you
can take your shades off.
I'm amazed, too, every time we come here how
calm and cool the drivers are at 200 miles
an hour with another 35 or 40 other drivers.
Drivers seem to enjoy it before their greatest
moment.
I caught up with one of the drivers, Joey
Logano.
This is the morning of the biggest race of
the year.
How are the nerves?
You're this close to starting.
>> Pretty relaxed.
If you have a race you want to get back in
the flow of things.
>> You won this three years ago.
Is that front and center in your mind or is
it a distant memory?
>> I remember exactly what it was like.
>> Is there somebody you don't want next to
you towards the finish?
>> I don't care.
>> As long as you finish ahead.
>> I don't care who is behind me at that point.
>> Another life changing moment, your wife
Brittany, first child this year.
>> That was life changing.
Way more than winning the daytona 500.
>> How did you announce the gender of that
baby?
>> We did a great burnout with a mustang gt-350.
Why not?
>> What's the first car you ever drove?
>> I had a Honda civic, and my dad got it
from the junkyard and I was 7 years old.
He taught me to drive a stick shift.
>> At 7?
>> He put some blocks on the pedals and I
would drive it around the garbage yard a lot.
I never hit anything with it which was great.
Probably the only car I've never hit anything
with.
>> That changed over the years.
In a few minutes you'll be going 200 miles
an hour.
Thanks for going 0 to 60 with us.
And at age 27 Kevin Harvick called Joey Logano
a tweener.
We have 40 drivers in the race, 16 have less
than 100 starts.
14 between 100 and 400 starts and then 10
have 400 starts or more.
So there's a lot of 20-year-olds, a lot of
youth.
What impact does it have on a race like the
daytona 500?
>> First of all, notice what made that happen.
A lot of top drivers like Dale Earnhardt Jr.,
Carl Edwards, myself, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth,
stepping away.
That opens up a seat in a top-notch race team
and race car for these young guys who have
the talent and now the opportunity.
>> I've said it before and I'll say it again.
The second transition I've seen where we went
from established stars to some unknowns.
Those unknowns became established stars.
They left and then here come another group.
It's about a ten-year cycle.
Every 10, 15, 20 years we have a cycle like
this where some of the older drivers retire
and bunch of new guys, it's their time.
If they're smart they'll capitalize on this
opportunity.
>> You said they have the opportunity.
How are they more prepared at such a young
age for such a big stage?
>> These days kids have so much more at their
disposal whether it be a quarter midget or
go-cart.
They're so much better prepared because there
are different ING to teach them to compete.
>> Technology.
They embrace technology.
We kind of ran from it because it scared us.
They embrace it and apply it.
>> Driving a stick shift at age 7, that wowed
me.
>> Michael has won twice.
He enjoys the grid walk just as much.
Where are you?
>> I'm down here on pit road and caught up
with the ufc champion Woodley.
Answer this question, how many seconds do
you estimate it would take to tie me into
a pretzel?
>> How many second will it take to get out
of the pits?
>> About 12 seconds.
>> About 12 seconds.
>> I don't want that.
I wanted to tell you how much I've enjoyed
your appreciation, respect of this great event.
Thank you for that and can you become a two-time
champion today?
>> It's been a tremendous 364 days of being
a champ and the best part now it's about today.
Teamwork, focus and determination with my
new crew chief Billy Scott.
>> I love it.
Kyle, Kyle Busch, my brother, Darrell Waltrip,
picked you to win today's daytona 500.
It has to be quite an honor.
>> It certainly is.
I hope he's right.
I'm looking forward to taking the m&m's Camry
to the front.
>> Everything I saw yesterday in the XFINITY
race reminded me of you, making awesome, bold,
crazy moves.
Is that what today will look like?
>> Probably.
Those cars looked like they were glued to
the track.
It will be a handful today but an exciting
one to watch.
>> The car is beautiful.
You have mad restrictor plate skills.
>> Thank you very much.
I hope to use those to get to victory lane.
>> Let's see who else can find.
Who is behind me?
A bunch of Toyota folks.
I appreciate you being here, being a part
of NASCAR.
Man, Jake, I'm going to tell you, the sea
of people down here on pit road today is more
than I've ever seen before.
Luckily my buddy Clint bowyer has made it.
Hey, Clint, are you ready for the daytona
500?
I know you love this race.
>> It's more work right now than the usual
race.
This is it.
This is the granddaddy of them all.
>> Tell me how much your appreciation for
this event has grown over the years.
>> That's just it.
Every year you come back, you know it more
than anybody, you got to do it more than anybody.
Every year you get more excited to get it
done.
It's a lot of pressure, a lot of eyes on this
race.
>> You're good in a loose car.
>> That's right.
>> Hey, Ricky, my hero from Thursday.
More moves -- you had moves like jagger.
What's today going to look like?
>> I hope more of the same, ending up close
to the front like in the duel.
I want to stay up front all day and put this
Ford in victory lane.
>> There are stage points available.
Charge from the beginning?
>> I need all the points I can get.
>> I love his attitude.
Here's Erik Jones.
He's won a lot of races in the XFINITY, the
truck.
Erik, it's the grid walk, Michael Waltrip.
My brother thinks you're going to have a breakout
season.
I think I said that first and he agrees.
This is the daytona 500.
I'm pumped, I'm pumped.
I think I was more nervous for my first one.
The second one I've been able to enjoy more.
Excited.
A good starting spot.
I'm ready to get rolling.
>> Soak it all in.
I'm going to say hi to bubba.
He hasn't been busy this week.
I don't think he's done a lot.
Bubba, it's Michael Waltrip, doing my grid
walk live on fox.
It's been fun watching you this week and the
way you drove your car in the duel and the
way you've been able to take all these pictures.
Every time I look up you're on camera.
>> It's impressive.
I hope you got a good back of my head look
there.
>> I'm really proud of the job you've done.
I have mad skills on the court.
>> Can't wait to see them.
>> Back up to you, what about this scene?
It's so crazy.
>> One of the blossoming personalities amongst
the young drivers.
Jake, our producer, we shift in from Cincinnati.
Real quick we've been talking drivers, give
me your picks.
>> I like Erik Jones and rehearsal is over.
It's show time, guys.
It's show time.
>> I thought this was show time.
>> Number 9, chase Elliott.
>> Watch those Fords gang up on everybody
else.
You have fun calling the race.
The 60th running of the great American race
and these people are all anxious as we are.
>> Mike: Live here in daytona, Jimmie Johnson
once said there have been other tracks that
separated the men from the boys.
This is the track that will separate the brave
from the weak after the boys are gone.
Jimmy Thompson with that quote.
Jimmie Johnson the only two-time winner of
the daytona 500 this week in the state of
Florida and across the United States everyone
stunned and deeply saddened by the murders
at the high school in parkland, Florida, young
students, faculty members, every victim will
be remembered as individuals and as part of
our American family.
We think of them and their families today
before opening ceremonies.
Henry Ford said auto racing began five minutes
after the second car was built.
We're just minutes away from the greatest
racing you can have.
>> Ladies and gentlemen, at this time we ask
that you please rise and remove your hats
as the United States armed forces honor guard
from Jacksonville, Florida, present our nation's
colors.
Please remain standing as sonny Goldman from
central Baptist church offers our invocation.
>> Let us pray.
Oh, god, on this day of great joy and delight,
we pause and pray for the families and individuals
of those affected by the tragedy in parkland.
We ask, also, that you would bless those who
fight for justice and peace around the world
and be with the drivers and their crs, keep
the sun shining in the sky.
Amen.
>> Here to perform the national anthem the
Navy band southeast.
[ "Star-spangled banner" plays ]
>> Mike: It's NASCAR's opening day, and it's
super bowl race all rolled into one.
The 60th running of the daytona 500 live on
fox.
>> Mike: NASCAR on fox live from daytona international
speedway, the great American race.
Driver introductions have been completed.
Danica Patrick in her final ride in NASCAR
and the daytona 500.
A blend of youth and experience.
Speaking of that 20 years ago this week the
great Dale Earnhardt, his quote after winning
his first and only daytona 500 -- he said,
I woke up this morning and I still don't believe
I won the daytona 500.
Larry Mcreynolds was his crew chief.
And that spectacular moment.
That was the only daytona 500 Dale Earnhardt
won.
His son retiring as a driver after last season.
And that's the quote I mentioned moments ago.
Junior has won two daytona 500s, a fan favorite,
always popular, retiring from the sport.
But here as the grand marshal in the 60th
running of the great American race.
A lot of great quotes about racing and earnest
Hemingway said auto racing, bullfighting and
mountain climbing are the only real sports.
All the others are just games.
This is a game among the best drivers or race
among the best drivers.
As we head upstairs to the guys who will take
you through the race, Darrell Waltrip and
Jeff Gordon on their way up to join Mike joy.
>> Mike: This race has always had controversy
and always had close finishes.
That photo shot you saw launched an inquiry,
there was no photo of the cars exactly at
the start/finish line.
So bill France had to wait until news reel
footage shipped from daytona to New York and
aired on TV stations and in theaters got shipped
back down to daytona and they were able to
analyze the finish and declare Lee petty the
winner of the first 500.
All right, you've signed all the autographs,
you've done all the interviews, explored all
the storylines, now you're strapped in, the
window net's down and what's the first thing
on your mind?
>> Darrell: Well, I can't do this by myself.
I don't think any driver has won this by himself.
You have to have a fast car and some have
really fast cars.
You have to have a great pit crew, a spotter
-- a spotter that shows you when you're clear,
when to move here and there.
I know I'm not alone, although I'm in the
car by myself, I'm not alone.
I have a lot of people helping me.
>> Mike: Both Darrell and Jeff know their
way to victory lane at the daytona 500.
Was the first one or the last one the sweetest?
>> Jeff: I think the last one but they're
all sweet.
I see the potential to this being one of the
most grueling daytona 500s for the drivers.
I'll tell you why, there are speeds over 200
miles an hour on the track.
We haven't seen that in many years.
These cars are very unstable.
Now you take the amount of youth that's out
there and inexperience, mix that with the
veterans, I'm not sure who this going to play
out better for, veterans and experience or
the young talent out there.
>> Mike: Chris, as we saw yesterday in the
XFINITY race, NASCAR's overtime rules now
has no limit.
We'll do this as many times as it takes to
get a winner.
>> Chris: And it was five on Saturday.
Peyton manning has handled overtimes before.
What a race.
We've heard from Charlize Theron, Dale Earnhardt
Jr.
Is here.
Peyton manning, the honorary, you heard him
talking earlier about handling the pace car.
We have six drivers that are former champions
of the sport.
Eight drivers that have won a daytona 500
before today.
The average age in the field is just over
30 and nearly half the field drivers in their
20s.
An active speed week, getting closer to the
moment and the words you like to hear.
>> Here to deliver the most famous words in
motorsports for the 60th running of the daytona
500, please welcome grand marshal, two-time
daytona 500 champion, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
>> Welcome to the sold-out 2018 daytona 500.
Drivers, start your engines!
>>> Covering 500 miles or maybe more, over
60 years this place has created all kind of
drama and crazy finishes.
Who will realize the dream today?
>>> The energy and excitement is unbelievable.
>> Get ready, guys.
>> Mike: The field begins to roll off pit
road for the 60th daytona 500 on fox.
There was a marine layer of clouds keeping
us from seeing those hotels over on the beach,
but it's dissipated before it comes inland
here about four miles away.
So under mostly sunny skies and 72-degree
temperatures, that wind blowing the clouds
from the northeast.
The track temp a little over 100 degrees.
A packed house here at daytona.
And there's our pace car driver as we get
set in daytona, super bowl champion Peyton
manning at the wheel of the Toyota Camry pace
car.
>> Darrell: It's D.W.
You have a death grip on that wheel, man.
>> I tell you, I've been upright, I've been
on my back, I've never been sideways before.
So this is a little different.
>> Darrell: Tell buster to keep the hands
off the steering wheel, you can handle this.
I don't know if you know this or not but there's
an 18 on the side of your car, I think they
want to you stay out and run a few laps.
>> I don't think so.
I'm going to kind of stay in my lane, Darrell,
and kind of get in.
This is not about me.
These guys behind me are in the show and what
a cool environment to be a part of.
Thbehind me, for Alex to be on the pole in
the 88 nationwide car is pretty cool.
>> Darrell: You remember what I told but how
we start, don't
you by is how we start
>> Alex just tried to pass me.
I didn't realize they would be quite so close
on me.
>> Darrell: That's the welcoming committee.
Welcome to the race.
>> Evidently.
>> Jeff: Just be sure to pull off or else
they'll get a lot closer.
>> Darrell: Glad you're here.
>> Thanks for having me.
>> Mike: He said Alex was about to pass him,
Alex bowman in the 88.
Denny Hamlin won the race in 2016.
Ryan Blaney new to team penske won his duel
on Thursday as did chase Elliott.
Bill Elliott's son.
Joey Logano, the 2015 winner, and Kevin Harvick
the 2007 champion.
>> Darrell: I love row four, two young guys
trying to make a name for themselves today.
Ricky stenhouse Jr.
We saw him in the qualifying race, he has
a fast Ford today.
Clint bowyer hungry for a win and the two
brothers, the Busch boys.
>> Jeff: And 2008 winner Ryan Newman looking
to take the number 3 to victory lane.
Austin Dillon in row eight.
David Reagan and Paul Menard joins the historic
wood brothers.
Row nine, Daniel Suarez looking to become
the first foreign born driver to win the daytona
500 since andretti and Trevor Bayne, 2011
daytona 500 winner.
>> Mike: Jamie Mcmurray won in 2010.
A.J.
Allmendinger has finished in the top three
twice.
Chris Buescher 2015 XFINITY champ and Michael
Mcdowell fourth in July.
Ty Dillon, one of Richard Childress' two in
the race.
>> Darrell: Brendan Gaughan finished 11th.
Kasey kahne, another Earnhardt, the 40th straight
year for an Earnhardt in the race, and Danica,
Danica Patrick, making her last cup race start.
>> Jeff: And row 16 we've got -- sorry, row
15, and Brad keselowski won the clash alongside
Corey Lajoie.
Rookie phenom William Byron and gray Gaulding.
The only driver to win the daytona 500 twice
in this field, Jimmie Johnson and Matt Dibenedetto.
>> Mike: Aric almirola won in July of 2014.
Kyle Larson got passed on the last lap last
year.
David Gilliland and mark Thompson at age 66
mapping his car number in his final start
in a cup car.
That is the oldest driver to ever start the
daytona 500.
Backup cars from Thursday night, those cars
are going to the back.
Before the race starts, let's take a look
back at how last season ended with our Toyota
rev up to green.
>> The 2017 season ended with an incredible
championship where martin Truex Jr.
With seven victories in 2017 he was considered
the favorite entering the winner take all
in homestead, and he pulled it off winning
the race and the championship for the Toyota
racing family.
Winning the american-built Camry first on
the track as it's been in the showroom.
It was Toyota's second cup championship.
Let's see what 2018 has in store.
Toyota, let's go places.
>> Mike: Let's check in with our series champion,
martin Truex Jr.
>> Jeff: This is Jeff.
Have you got me?
>> Hey, buddy.
>> Jeff: Winning that championship last year
certainly had a lot to do with winning stages,
and I'm just curious you and Cole found the
speed and balance in that 78 to get the stage
victories and maybe that daytona victory.
>> To be honest with you, this week in practice
on Friday and we'll just have to see.
Different with 40 cars on the racetrack is
different than 20.
We'll have to see how it goes.
We'll be ready for anything and fight to the
end like we always do.
To be honest I'm not really concerned about
these points today as I am winning the race.
We're going to try to be safe if we have to
and most importantly get to the end and try
to win our first 500.
>> Jeff: All right.
Have a great day.
We look forward to it.
>> Thank you guys.
Have fun up there.
>> Mike: Martin Truex will start 24th.
Charlize Theron ready to wave the green flag
here to promote her new movie in theaters
March 9th.
But as a child she go-carts and regularly
beat the boys.
If those boys only knew.
Down to pit road for late-breaking stories
beginning with Matt Yocum.
>> Matt: NASCAR's past and future team up
to begin a new era and Darrell bubba Wallace.
Bubba has had a solid speed week locked in
the seventh starting spot.
The king told him today don't try to be a
hero.
Race smart and have fun.
Jamie little?
>> Jamie: Matt, after racing in NASCAR five
and a half years, Danica Patrick is calling
it a career today.
And it's been an emotional one, even more
so than she anticipated especially just now
hugging and kissing her family and strapping
in for the final time.
Now the task at hand is what she's all about.
She wants to leave here as a daytona 500 champion.
Regan?
>> A year ago Kyle Larson came oh, so close
to winning leading the white flag lap this
year if he's going to do the same it will
be in the backup car.
He's been extremely loose all weeklong.
The team is confident.
Vince?
>> Many eyes focused on William Byron.
He has shot up the ranks and today makes his
very first start in NASCAR's highest level.
He's just 20 years old.
He's a college student and said, yes, it's
surreal, yes, it's exciting.
I'm going to start the daytona 500.
Mike?
>> Mike: 40 drivers headed for the start line,
three months of anticipation about to end.
>> Darrell: Danica sue, this is for you.
Boogety-boogety, let's go racing, drivers!
>> Mike: Alex bowman was on the brakes.
>> Jeff: The teammate of Alex bowman and chase
Elliott started on the outside lane but it
didn't work out so well because look at the
lead that Denny Hamlin has taken.
I expect Denny Hamlin to try to be up front
and stay up front all day.
>> Darrell: I tell you what, he has that 12
car, little Blaney.
And Blaney is not going to run behind him
very long.
>> Jeff: Somebody trying to take it three
wide, the outside of chase Elliott, Harvick.
>> Mike: No surprise.
Kevin Harvick in the Ford to the outside.
>> Jeff: No takers.
Now comes his teammate.
Bowyer will pick up Kevin Harvick.
That's the last thing you want to do right
now if you're chase Elliott.
You do not want to be in the center of three
wide lap two or three of the daytona 500.
>> Darrell: He heard you and he will get out
of that mess.
>> Mike: Hamlin is the leadingest active driver
in daytona 500 career laps LED.
Blaney and Logano, new teammates.
>> Darrell: Denny Hamlin will be hard to beat
today.
He has a fast car.
He'll want to stay up front.
I love the kid in the 12 car.
He does not want to run behind somebody.
>> Jeff: We saw Logano move up the racetrack
maybe thinking of making a move, and who took
advantage of it?
Bubba Wallace on the inside coming to the
front.
>> Darrell: There are so many young kids that
are exciting to watch and they have skill
and good race cars.
They're going to be factors all day long.
And, Mike, it's 80 degrees out here.
It's hot.
The track is kind of slick.
They have a big tail wind going down the front,
a headwind down the back.
>> Mike: Bubba Wallace fighting for the lead,
got a prerace phone call from another legend
from mobile, Alabama, hank Aaron.
>> Darrell: Yes, sir.
That is so cool.
>> Jeff: Somebody that could push him all
the way to the lead if he stays in front,
Ricky stenhouse Jr., or Ryan Blaney.
They're buddies.
Stenhouse has been so aggressive this week.
I'll be curious if he wants to push somebody
to the front or take it himself.
>> Darrell: Can you imagine, bubba Wallace
is running second.
Richard petty.
And this kid, he's exceeded my expectations.
I can tell you that.
>> Mike: What a great view with only one car
in front of Darrell Wallace Jr.
And that being Denny Hamlin.
>> Jeff: I'm surprised right now.
They've been a handful all week.
I expected them to be two wide.
I never expected them to be three wide on
lap four.
>> Darrell: The deal is they've had time to
work on the cars, to drive better, saw what
they were going with in the qualifying race.
I think the cars are better today.
>> Matt: Let's take a look at 
the race analysis.
There you see the first two stages will be
60, 60, and then the third stage, the checkered
flag, 80 laps.
Pit road speed, 55 miles per hour and the
fuel window, 56 to 48 laps today.
>> Mike: Thanks, Larry Mac.
At the end of each stage the caution flag
will wave.
Points awarded to the top ten and then pit
road will open for service.
>> Darrell: Mike, one thing I see, we've only
run five laps but they don't seem to be wiggling
and wobbling around as they were earlier in
the week.
It tells me the teams have learned a lot.
>> Jeff: Give it time, D.W.
>> Mike: This is Kurt Busch, the defending
daytona 500 winner.
He and Daniel Suarez are both wearing the
visor cam on their helmet.
This is as close as you're ever going to get
behind the seat.
>> Jeff: Four wide!
Going to squeeze into that small hole between
the 20 of Erik Jones and bowman.
That was tight.
>> Darrell: This is fun to watch.
I hope it lasts.
>> Clear to the bottom, 22 tight with you.
Still clear bottom by two.
>> Mike: You hear the spotters up on the roof
out of Alex bowman's spotter Kevin Hamlin.
>> Jeff: A spotter change this year.
It used to be T.J.
Majors.
He's actually now on the 22 of Joey Logano.
>> Darrell: I think that's a huge advantage
to have a spotter that can tell you when you're
clear and when to make the move.
>> Mike: Down to the pit and Jamie little.
>> Jamie: Tell bubba Wallace that if he can
just be patient, we can hook up and we can
pull away from the pack.
So he wants to work with the 43.
He's watching in his rearview to see what
he's doing.
>> Mike: Well, look what's further back.
Three wide, well back through the field.
>> Jeff: All that three wide, four wide racing,
all that would do if I'm out front is encourage
myself to get in line and pull away and stay
away as long as I possibly could.
>> Mike: Now this first stage is 60 laps.
The cars will go about 48 laps on a tank of
fuel.
Could we see some early comers to pit road?
We'll go side-by-side and find out.
>> Mike: Caution out here at daytona.
Joy appears to have lost an engine.
Pit road is open this time around.
Vince Welch.
>> Vince: The 41 of Kurt Busch will take fuel
only, says we're early.
It's a little free on entry but otherwise
pretty good.
>> Jamie: Denny Hamlin slid through his pit
box, they had to back him up, a fuel only
stop and he's still backing up.
>> Matt: Two seconds of fuel and he smokes
them leaving the pit box.
>> Mike: Denny Hamlin was the race leader.
He's going to be the 15th car out of pit road
not counting the seven that stayed on and
did not make pit stops.
A costly mistake early for Hamlin but plenty
of time to rebound.
>> Mike: Two-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers sitting
on Patrick's box today.
A lot of stars from across sports on hand.
Chipper Jones is here.
Here is Denny Hamlin serving a one-lap penalty,
Larry.
What was the call?
>> Larry: Well, you saw him slide through
the pits and he was over the frontline.
Here he comes in, you'll see him slide the
tires and he's going to slide over the front
of his box.
Now he backs it up, but before he backs it
up all way in you can see he's still not in
his box.
The fuel man is fueling the race car right
there, and that's pitting outside the box
under caution.
It is a one-lap penalty.
That's why they're holding that 11 car.
>> Mike: Of all the drivers who have such
confidence going into this race probably the
last is Denny Hamlin.
>> Jeff: He almost went into the next pit
box.
Usually it's by a few inches or a foot.
>> Darrell: I wonder if that opening had something
to do with that.
There's nothing there.
>> Mike: Trevor Bayne's crew over the wall
too soon.
Back to green, Michael Mcdowell, too fast
entering pit road.
And Kurt Busch, the defending 500 winner,
leads them into turn one.
>> Darrell: Kurt is a great restrictor plate
racer.
He never could find victory circle.
>> Jeff: Very costly for chase Elliott stuck
in the outside lane.
Going to take him all the way back to this
line.
>> Mike: Busch, stenhouse in the 17, Wallace
in the 43.
Pole sitter Alex bowman in the 88.
>> Darrell: Just settle in now.
Mind your manners.
A long way to go.
>> Mike: Last year Kurt Busch LED only the
last lap of 200.
>> Darrell: When you're a rookie, a young
guy, Mike, it's like riding a motorcycle.
It feels good and then you get confident and
overconfident.
That's when you have to be careful.
>> Mike: Riding with Joey Logano.
>> Clear by half in front of you there.
>> Mike: He's in sixth place.
>> The 70 is getting a push.
Clear by one.
Here comes the 78.
In line.
>> Mike: Kasey kahne new to the 95 team.
>> Jeff: Only 200 miles an hour inches away
from one another.
You have somebody giving you that much information,
that's the skill it takes to be a driver not
just what's going on with your hand on the
wheel but you have to take in that information.
It's critical.
>> Mike: Daniel Suarez swearing our helmet
cam, look way up at the top of the screen
in the mirror he glances at almost constantly
to see where everyone is around him.
>> Jeff: What we don't get when we mount cameras
that we get with this visor camp you're seeing
and feeling every bump, seeing his hand move
on the steering wheel.
This is as real as it gets.
>> Mike: For the lead.
They call him bowman the showman because in
his 80 previous starts, well, he was just
kind of there.
Now he's on the pole for the 500.
He's in the car Dale Earnhardt Jr. Rode to
many wins.
And he's a threat.
>> Darrell: Today he'd like to be the show.
>> Jeff: He just might be.
>> Mike: Denny Hamlin may have car trouble.
He has lost the draft and is about a quarter
lap down after serving that penalty.
>> Jeff: NASCAR kept him on pit road as cars
were coming to take the green and released
him.
By the time he left pit road that pack was
already pulling away.
He could not catch the draft.
>> Mike: Here's his teammate, Erik Jones.
In the 20.
Up to second place.
Here's Matt.
>> Matt: Alex bowman was told in this event
especially early on you're earning your reputation
as a solid drafter or someone who will make
wild moves.
He said, yes, you can block but don't throw
blocks like some other drivers and he named
the 22 of Logano or the 42 of Larson who have
a lot more experience.
Just race smart.
Work on that reputation.
>> Mike: Largely that's because Thursday in
his qualifying duel race since bowman had
already lock up the daytona 500 pole the previous
Sunday he backed out and was not running with
the lead pack for most of that race.
>> Darrell: I think that was smart, you start
on the pole in the daytona 500 or take a chance
to tear your car up in a qualifying race.
I like what they did.
>> Jeff: It looks smart right now.
One thing about having confidence -- we have
one down.
>> Mike: Kasey kahne.
>> Darrell: Somebody got him off course and
ran him down the hill.
>> Jeff: I think he'll have to back it down
a lot more than that if he wants to prevent
getting a penalty from NASCAR.
>> Darrell: I think if you're forced on pit
road and slow down as you go down pit road
you'll be okay with that.
I think he's all right.
>> Mike: He's the 95 on the inside line underneath
bubba Wallace and Ryan Newman.
>> Jeff: He lost the nose, got a little bit
tight.
As he tried to recover it, got a little loose
on the transition and then a little bit of
a nudge from Daniel Suarez.
Let's ride onboard.
>> Outside, half to the 2.
>> Jeff: He did everything he could not to
get into the back.
That could have been much bigger.
>> Mike: For Kasey kahne that's how you go
like that.
>> Darrell: We put the camera on the right
guy, too.
Suarez is giving us some great shots the last
couple of days.
>> Jeff: And he might have a drafting partner
in Kasey kahne.
>> Mike: How about our seven-time champion
Jimmie Johnson, worked his way up through
more than half the field in his number 48
Chevrolet.
There he is on the main draft.
Vince?
>> Vince: He told Chad Knaus he was a little
free in and off.
They came in and just took fuel only.
Then Chad Knaus said, you know what, there's
not that many people behind us.
Let's just come back in and put on four tires.
He went back in and put on the four tires.
He's working his way up through there.
>> Darrell: I think four tires is security.
If you're a little worried about the condition
and how your car is handling, four tires will
help.
>> Jamie: Denny Hamlin riding around in the
back right now.
He lost the draft.
Everything is fine with his car but he has
no friends and no cars around.
When Kasey kahne blew down pit road, all right,
I might have a drafting partner.
Jeff, were you spot on.
>> I think that was a great look how these
cars will be handling today.
Kasey kahne couldn't hold it down on the bottom.
The car drifted up.
He nearly spun out.
All these guys are battling loose cars and
not being able to grip to the road, that's
just a preview of what we can see later.
>> Mike: Alex bowman, Kyle Busch, the lead
draft.
And at age 16 poeman was in a usa midget race
on the las Vegas track, crashed, broke both
collarbones, all his right side ribs, collapsed
both lungs, was in the icu seven days.
The first question he asked the doctor, when
can I get back in a race car?
>> Darrell: That's a racer.
>> Jeff: That's when you know you're a professional
race car driver.
>> Mike: Here comes Jones, that Jones boy
on the outside.
Last year's rookie of the year.
Erik Jones, side-by-side with Alex bowman.
>> Jeff: He has impressed me so much this
week.
He has not had the best handling race car.
He's had his hands full.
He's had to drive the wheels off the thing
to get the third place finish in the duels.
Look at this car now up front trying to take
the lead.
>> Mike: Has help from Ricky stenhouse.
>> Darrell: May not want to let him get to
your left rear.
>> Regan: It's rare to be happy the entire
week but that's what Ricky stenhouse was.
Pattie says he has had zero complaints all
week.
He's been fast and aggressive.
We've seen that already.
>> Mike: And the sprint car team won.
It's been a great week all the way around.
>> Darrell: They have good restrictor plates.
Stenhouse won a couple of restrictor plate
races, talladega and won one here.
>> Mike: Jeff, why can't either lane gain
advantage here?
>> Jeff: I don't know if it has to do with
the handling you can't get up to the rear
bumper and push aggressively to break that
car out from maybe the inside or outside lane.
Maybe they're content being there, or it's
just the way the draft is working with the
lower down ride height and the spoiler down
out of the air.
>> Mike: Stenhouse gives Jones a boost right
into the lead.
23 laps complete at the stripe.
Erik Jones, Ricky stenhouse, Joey Logano,
and Alex bowman, the front four.
Happy daytona day, everybody.
We're 23 laps in to the 500.
>> Chris: Coca-Cola the official fan refreshment
by NASCAR.
>> Mike: 26 laps complete.
Let's have a look at the track facts.
The only back-to-back wins by Ford, Trevor
Bayne, Matt Kenseth, 2011 and '12, the blue
oval brigade and the last seven restrictor
plate races at daytona and talladega.
Erik Jones your leader, Ricky stenhouse, Kyle
Busch, Daniel Suarez the first Chevy in ninth.
While we were away bubba Wallace right up
there with the leaders.
Ran out of racing room.
>> Jeff: This could have been much worse damage.
He just scraped the outside wall.
>> Dusted the right rear quarter.
>> Jeff: They could be prepared to make an
adjustment or if he has a problem they could
be ready.
>> Darrell Wallace Jr.
Saying it wasn't comfortable.
He was asking the spottory get him to the
bottom.
Kyle Busch down on the apron.
>> Mike: What happened to Kyle Busch?
>> Jeff: The left rear tire is flat.
>> The left rear is down.
>> Mike: We stay green.
>> Left side.
Gas, only gas.
The gas man can only gas.
Left side.
>> Mike: Kyle Busch was in fifth place.
>> Jeff: He did an amazing job not to go up
on the banking.
Look at him working the wheel from inside
saving that car.
>> Left rear is flat, guys.
>> Mike: So Kyle Busch is on pit road.
The field goes up into turn three.
>> Darrell: The tire they work with the most
air pressure wise, that happened to Jimmie
Johnson in the qualifying race.
I'm not sure what happened here.
Know low air pressure will do that.
>> Matt: The team was concerned Kyle Busch
might have slid, his left side tires, they
told him to keep abreast of that.
He didn't say anything until the tire went
flat.
>> Mike: Kyle Busch back on track, he will
join Kasey kahne, mark Thompson, Denny Hamlin,
and David Gilliland a lap down.
>> Jeff: A tough start for Joe Gibbs racing
with Denny Hamlin's troubles on pit road and
now Kyle Busch with a tire issue.
>> Darrell: Kyle was lucky that happened going
down the back straightaway.
He was able to hang on to it.
>> Mike: Let me correct, only Hamlin is a
lap down, but he is drafting with cars that
have lost the lead draft, Gilliland, kahne,
and Thompson.
Right there.
Erik Jones with the front end of his Toyota
from Joe Gibbs racing in the win, last year's
rook why have the year.
Joe Gibbs named him to move from furniture
row back to the mothership, Joe Gibbs racing,
and they displaced former champion and proven
winner Matt Kenseth.
They must really think this young man has
a bright future.
>> Darrell: I think that's a great race team.
What they do with Matt Kenseth in the past,
and Erik has a lot of talent.
All he needs is a little luck and he could
have a really big year, I think.
>> Mike: Erik Jones leading Ricky stenhouse
and Joey Logano with 31 laps complete.
>> Mike: 35 laps complete.
The Chevy of Jimmie Johnson in fourth place
with Brad keselowski.
They both had to start from the back in backup
cars.
But out front in his seventh daytona 500,
Ricky stenhouse is leading the great American
race for the very first time.
>> Darrell: I think it's the point in the
run the good handling cars start to come to
the front.
The guys with the better handling cars, they
seem to be able to find the front after they
run a few laps.
Tires get hot, fuel burns off, balance changes.
They go to the front.
>> Mike: Danica Patrick on the inside in 19th
in her final NASCAR start.
Here's Jamie.
>> Jamie: And her car feels pretty good so
far, Mike.
This is what she said on the radio moments
ago.
>> It's all right.
It's loose but it is good.
>> Doing a great job.
Just keep it up.
>> Mike: Not the same team she's run with
most of her NASCAR career.
That was stewart-haas.
This is Jay Robinson's premium motorsports
in this one-off final ride.
>> Jeff: I love her attitude this week, she's
calm.
You could hear it right there, she has a lot
of patience.
She's done so well at daytona.
She told me that has to do with being patient
and you could sense that in her voice.
She has a good handling car, also.
>> Darrell: I think somebody who has been
here, has some experience, no need to panic,
work with your crew.
Let's help fix the car before you wreck it.
Give them a chance to work on it before you
do something that will get you in trouble.
>> Mike: William Byron new to the number 24
at Hendrick motorsports.
Chase Elliott had that number last year.
This year Elliott driving the number 9 that
his dad made famous, and rookie William Byron
takes over the keys to the 24.
>> Darrell: I think he's going to school.
I think that's what he's doing, just taking
notes, mental notes.
Where I need to be, high, low.
What does my car need.
Just really taking his time with this race.
>> Mike: Alex bowman, Kyle Larson and bowman
battle with Trevor Bayne in the black car.
Regan?
>> Regan: Kyle Larson was planning to stay
back during this run.
His car is obviously pretty good.
He's gotten himself up front right now.
>> Jeff: That's quite a change from what he
had earlier.
We have seen him absolutely sideways dirt
tracking it around this restrictor plate track.
So great to hear he has that handling that
he needs and he's also showing a lot of patience.
I think he'll be a factor.
>> Darrell: If he gets in front, he is one
of the hardest to pass.
We see Dale junior here sit on Alex bowman's
pit box taking notes, trying to have some
input.
>> Mike: Ryan Blaney in the middle, the new
driver for team penske, now a three-car team.
And Blaney in eighth place.
>> He made a track bar adjustment from inside
the cockpit and that has given him more stability.
They have been strong all weekend long.
Of course won the duel on Thursday.
He was the youngest winner in the series last
season at 23 years of age when he scored the
first victory in June at pocono.
>> Mike: He just gave Clint bowyer a heart
stopper.
>> Darrell: He's not shy, I can tell you that.
>> Jeff: I know that looks like a small slide
on Clint bowyer, but if we had that visor
camera on him you guarantee his hands were
turned to the right.
>> Mike: Bowyer is in the 14.
>> Jeff: He's wiggling back and forth, fishing
tailing off turn four.
Gate, great job of saving that car and keeping
it going.
>> Mike: 20 laps to go in stage one.
Ricky stenhouse's Ford out front.
Coming on the straightaway, Hamlin's in second.
Moving up high on the inside.
Watch the inside.
Hamlin makes his move!
Denny Hamlin is expected to come out strong
today as his qualifying puts him in the pole
position.
>> Mike: At daytona tailgating is a tradition.
We caught up with Austin Dillon to see how
he enjoys this great American pastime.
What's always in his cooler, ice cold Coca-Cola.
>> Darrell: Look at the top ten, all those
young men.
>> Mike: Kurt Busch will be happy you called
him a young man and for the lead engine number
nine, chase Elliott around the outside of
Ricky stenhouse.
Does he have a little help?
>> Chase Elliott had fallen back a little
bit further than I expected at the beginning
of the race.
He has gone up there and driven by some cars
to take this lead.
>> Darrell: That's what I saw in the qualifying
race.
>> Mike: He has been aggressive coming to
the front.
Two laps ago.
>> Jeff: He pushed Joey into three and that
pushed him up the racetrack.
That thing is going back and forth and he
takes advantage of it.
Logano may repay the favor here.
>> Darrell: You don't think a driver would
do that, do you?
Stenhouse in fourth, Regan.
>> Regan: The good news for stenhouse he's
fallen back a little bit.
The team told him to save fuel.
The only way I know is to get back in the
draft and lift.
>> Jeff: It's all about lifting.
>> Mike: Erik Jones in fifth.
Kurt Busch in front of him as Joey Logano
takes the lead.
>> Darrell: Logano took the high line.
Did he have some momentum off the corner.
>> Jeff: The 22 of Logano --
>> Mike: Not going to like that at all.
>> Darrell: If I was Logano I would not like
that move that door being slammed in his face.
>> Mike: The chase Elliott spotter.
That push he got from Ricky stenhouse.
>> Darrell: You know what I like, they're
fighting for the lead.
They're fighting for the lead.
>> Formed up well, still there.
Still.
>> Jeff: The rear bumper on chase Elliott's
car, he's been getting a lot of pushes to
get to the front.
>> Darrell: You can't go any lower, that's
for sure.
Dragging the ground.
>> Jeff: That car is right on your quarter
panel.
>> Darrell: These cars -- the handling right
now is not where you would like for it to
be.
These cars are loose.
>> Jeff: You know who is loving this, Denny
Hamlin, the cars trying to stay from going
another lap down, there's a three-car draft
just ahead of these guys.
>> Mike: Side-by-side.
>> Mike: The second caution of the day.
Kyle Busch has cut down another left rear
tire that sent him spinning in turn number
three.
Also trouble for Jamie Mcmurray with a right
front and D.J.
Kennington may have run over some of the devertebrae.
Let's ride with Kyle Busch here.
>> I'll take it.
>> 10-4.
>> We're wreck.
We're wrecked.
>> Not a lot of takers but they're LED by
Joey Logano down pit road.
Kevin Harvick is in.
Larry?
>> What we're seeing here, we're seeing the
drivers that stayed out on the racetrack thinking
about stage one that will be about six laps.
The drivers pitting.
>> Matt: Joey Logano said the car was tight
on the splitter.
They made an adjustment, the car was neutral
to free near the end.
Four-tire change here on the 22 of Logano
while Kyle Busch's team still repairs that
18.
>> Mike: Second caution flag of the day with
eight laps to go in stage one.
As we are under caution, you're going to get
an exclusive look at the broadcast premiere
of Goodyear's powerful new commercial.
Featuring Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Make more of what's yours.
>> Mike: 53 laps complete.
Kurt Busch, chase Elliott and Erik Jones.
Elliott is in a new 2018 Camaros debuting
on the track today.
Jeff Gordon took the street version on track
for a unique look.
>> Jeff: I know you think of a superspeedway
as being big, being wide, but here in daytona
that's what makes it so challenging and unique.
It is anything but easy.
These cars are all over the place.
There is so much to think about looking in
your mirror, looking out in front of you,
trying to materialize a move.
Make a pass.
When you think of going 200 miles per hour
down this back straightaway it takes ten second
to get to turn three and 36 feet.
Maybe even four wide.
Three wide is doable.
Four wide is going to be trouble.
>> Mike: I can see why they won't let you
drive the pace car, you won't pull in.
>> Jeff: That car is capable of going the
speeds of those cars.
>> Darrell: I love it when a guy like Jeff
goes for a ride.
>> Mike: The first ten cars did not stop.
You see them on the left side down to A.J.
Allmendinger.
Five laps to go in stage one.
The field will cycle through the start/finish
line.
The first stage points of the new season including
one very important playoff point to the first
stage winner.
So here they come towards the Geico restart
zone.
No turn signal required.
Here we go.
>> Jeff: We're about to find out how important
stage points are in 2018.
>> Darrell: Some of the guys are thinking
big picture.
I'm not sure they're all considered about
the stage but are thinking big picture, win
the race.
Interesting martin Truex Jr.
Told you he wasn't interested and stayed out.
>> Mike: Truex was number 78.
Kurt Busch the leader.
Chase Elliott in second.
The Orange car, number 19, Daniel Suarez there.
>> Jeff: Contact between the 41 and Kurt Busch
and chase Elliott.
>> Darrell: I know chase has been aggressive
down here, Jeff.
He's put the car in a lot of tight spots.
>> Jeff: He's driving with authority and that,
to me, is telling me he has a really good
race car.
>> Darrell: You know what I liked in our prerace
show, the last race last year that kid grew
up a lot.
>> Jeff: Matured with what he went through.
I agree.
>> Mike: 15 cars in a breakaway in the lead
draft.
>> Jeff: These guys have been dicing it up
more than I could have ever imagined at this
stage of the daytona 500.
You expect it in the closing laps, not before
the close after stage -- trouble!
>> Darrell: Who was that?
>> Mike: Larson.
It just snapped loose.
>> Jeff: Did he get the wall?
>> Darrell: I think he just got sideways,
straightened it up and kept going.
>> Jeff: I don't know how he did that.
>> Darrell: Dirt track experience, quick hands.
>> Mike: Watch for his number 42 on the right
of your screen coming into frame.
>> Jeff: One car on the outside.
>> Jeff: A little contact with Logano.
>> Mike: Let's ride with Larson as that happened
in turn three.
>> Jeff: There's no air getting to his car,
downforce right there.
Three in front of him, two on each side of
him.
Another great save for him this week.
He had an amazing save early in the week and
there's another one.
>> Mike: A light fuel load as we come to the
end of the stage, Kurt Busch and chase Elliott
fight for the lead.
Joey Logano pitting.
>> Darrell: The contact may have gotten the
left rear tire.
>> Mike: The pits close two laps before the
end of the stage.
>> Jeff: Did Logano make it to pit road before
they closed it?
Chase Elliott will get caught in the middle.
Erik Jones to the outside to make it three
wide.
>> Mike: Kurt Busch comes up to block.
Erik Jones.
Down to the middle, stenhouse, 17.
Blaney in the 12 and bowman the 88.
>> Darrell: The 20 had to get off the gas.
All these guys running up on him.
>> Jeff: These guys are driving like it's
the last lap of the race.
>> Mike: The last lap of stage one next time
by.
>> Darrell: I think we're seeing how important
they think stage points are.
>> Mike: Joey Logano exits the pits one lap
down.
>> Jemay have had something to do with that
last year.
>> Mike: NASCAR is reviewing the 22 of Logano
to see if he will be penalized.
Look at this!
Oh, stenhouse!
He saved it!
Erik Jones did not.
>> Darrell: Come on.
>> Mike: Jones, teammate Suarez, William Byron,
Jimmie Johnson are all in it along with Ty
Dillon.
>> Jeff: Trevor Bayne made his way through
there.
>> Mike: Caution.
And the green and white checkered flag to
end stage one with Kurt Busch, the stage winner.
Alex bowman in second.
>> Jeff: Just too early, too early for those
types of aggressive moves.
I know stage points are important but the
daytona 500 is the most important thing.
>> Darrell: Big picture.
What's wrong with these people?
>> Mike: Daniel Suarez all torn up.
Trying to be the first non-american born 500
winner since Mario andretti in '67.
It won't happen today.
>> Darrell: Jimmie Johnson, Mike, his third
race --
>> Jeff: He's not run a race without damaging
the car this week.
>> Mike: Half of Hendrick and Joe Gibbs racing
taken out in that crash.
>> Darrell: Oh, well.
>> Mike: There is Erik Jones.
Last year's rookie of the year.
Such high hopes for him today.
The blimp has a great view to sort out what
happened here, three wide.
>> Jeff: The 12 of Blaine, he blocks it.
They make contact.
Great save by stenhouse but so much momentum
coming with the 20 of Erik Jones.
When he gets into the back of stenhouse, his
car starts going around on him.
>> Darrell: What a shame.
What a shame.
>> Mike: Six cars involved.
Riding with Daniel Suarez.
>> Darrell: Wow, that was violent.
>> Jeff: Now you know what it's like to wreck
at daytona going into turn three.
>> Darrell: Now smoke.
Seven-time series champ Jimmie Johnson is
onboard.
>> Inside, back up top.
>> Jeff: Absolutely nothing you can do.
>> Mike: Let's have a look from the back straightaway
as this developed.
>> Jeff: The big move to block.
I thought stenhouse was going around.
>> Darrell: He looked like he was long gone
and that's what caused the whole thing when
he kaem up in front of Erik Jones, the 20.
He had nowhere to go.
>> Jeff: Bowman had filled that space on the
inside to make it three wide with Erik Jones,
so he had nowhere to go.
>> Mike: Ty Dillon in the 13.
Erik Jones, Daniel Suarez, Jimmie Johnson,
Kyle Larson, who made it to pit road.
>> Right there in front of you.
Right on the bumper here.
Hang on, hang on.
>> Mike: A couple drivers who tried to sneak
through, William Byron was one.
Trevor Bayne in the 6 was another.
Byron in the 24.
>> Darrell: Up on the inside there.
>> Jeff: Behind Jimmie Johnson, just a big
slide.
Oh, a little bit of contact right in front.
>> Mike: Here comes the 6, here comes Bayne.
>> Jeff: Up the banking.
>> Darrell: And makes it.
>> Jeff: That's why when you see it all happening
you get on the brakes, slow it down so you
can make it through.
>> Mike: Stage one is over, and the race is
over for several.
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Mike Kurt Busch getting his first stage win
ever with new crew chief Billy Scott.
Here's Vince.
>> Vince: The 41 of Kurt Busch in his pit
box said it's just a little bit snug so they'll
make a sll wedge adjustment.
>> Regan: Took everything I had to save that
race car.
Four tires and fuel.
Matt?
>> Matt: And bubba Wallace earlier in the
event saying the car was on the free side
they made it better here for bubba.
>> Mike: The leader has missed his pit box.
Kurt Busch will have to do a go-around, slid
through his pits.
Sunoco race off pit road.
Kurt Busch did not stop.
>> Darrell: The 78 car was in the way and
he couldn't get in his pit.
>> Jeff: He just -- completely overshot it.
>> Mike: Things get curiouser at the end of
stage one.
>> Chris: The daytona 500 on fox is sponsored
by Baj banking and invs.ment tailored for
their families.
>> Mike: Let's use our Goodyear aerial coverage
to look at this crash at the end of the first
stage.
Good year more driven.
>> Jeff: Bowman just squeezed through.
Chase Elliott.
>> Mike: Here's Jamie.
>> Jamie: For Jimmie Johnson that is the third
wrecked race car this week.
Jimmie, looking back, what were those moments
like that LED to that?
>> There was some great racing throughout
but, unfortunately, many thought that was
the black and white checkered flag and not
green and white checkered flag.
Lap 59 to be throwing blocks and stuff like
that is how you wreck race cars.
We're disappointed for this team and all the
hard work they put into it.
We'll get the Camaro dialed in and take it
over there.
>> Jamie: Thanks, Jimmie.
>> Mike: Look at Jimmie Johnson's week.
They've been overtime running up and down
from Concord, north Carolina because, first,
last Sunday in the clash Jimmie Johnson turned
around into the wall, out of the race.
Thursday night in his can-am duel a tire goes
down.
And he collects Aric almirola.
And today he's swept up in this.
>> Jeff: He's been a victim of carnage.
>> Mike: Nowhere to go.
>> Darrell: Sometimes it just goes that way.
You get in a slump.
>> Mike: That was his third brand-new race
car of the week.
The Toyota camera for 2018.
The caution lights are off.
That means we're going green this time by.
Chevy versus Ford.
The first Toyota back in 14th.
Green flag, stage two.
>> Jeff: Ricky stenhouse back in seventh.
>> Mike: Denny Hamlin is back on the lead
lap.
As we begin stage two.
>> Jeff: Really tough to beat when the Fords
get single file and start working together.
We have four or five of them in the outside
lane.
>> Darrell: That 12 car has been fast all
weeklong.
>> Mike: Daniel Suarez check and released
from the infield care center.
Menard trying to pick up where Blaney left
off last year.
Hello to glenwood, the patriarch of the wood
brothers that know their way to victory lane
so well.
The first time ever Glenn wood has missed
daytona speed week.
He's been coming down since they raced on
the sands in the late 1940s.
His younger brother both hall of famers.
Leonard is here.
>> Darrell: He's thinking how to tune this
up to run just a wee bit better.
>> Jeff: We've seen a lot of side-by-side
action.
Ryan Blaney does it with a nice push from
Paul Menard.
>> Mike: Bubba Wallace tweeted a video of
Ryan Blaney celebrating after his qualifying
race win.
>> Darrell: Greg is a pretty experienced guy
with a lot of knowledge and a pretty good
car today.
>> Mike: Danica Patrick reporting a vibration
on her in-car radio.
Blaney, Menard, keselowski, three fast forwards
out in front.
And as we watch live action let's take one
last ride with Daniel Suarez, the big pileup
lap 60 in the backstretch.
A pretty hard hit there.
>> Jamie: You were having a great day, running
top five.
Thank you for giving us that perspective.
What did you see in the moments before hand?
>> Things were getting a little crazy.
I thought in this kind of race you needed
to be two place, in the front or the back.
I felt like the guys did an amazing job working
on the car.
The Camry was very fast.
I thought it would be safer up there.
Racing a little too early.
>> Mike: Of the seven cars involved in that
crash, a number of them are back on track.
William Byron in the 24 in 15th place.
A little bit of damage.
But he's been back up to speed there.
>> Darrell: Mike, you're so disappointed,
you've been here for a week now.
You get taken out by something you had nothing
to do with.
So disappointing to leave here with a wrecked
car.
>> Jeff: That's the fight you have to put
into the daytona 500.
You never give up working on that car to get
it to the end of the race because you never
know how things will unfold and that's what
they do a great job of on the 24 car.
>> Mike: We saw Kurt Busch come in and overshoot
his pit.
>> Not the kind of mistake you see Kurt make.
He said it was 100% his fault.
He referenced the fact he'll be paying the
penalty on Tuesday at the shop.
>> My mistake is 100 push-ups at pit practice
on Tuesday.
>> All right, 10-4.
>> I'm so going to nail it better than I did.
>> Jeff: Self-discipline by Kurt Busch.
>> Mike: It was odd Denny Hamlin did the same
thing on the very first stop of the race.
Could it have been something me can tal?
>> Darrell: The only thing difference is dropping
these cars down in the rear.
I don't know what that would do with the car
not being able to stop unless it's how aggressive
they are with the rear shocks and springs.
>> Mike: A lot of carnage in the early going,
72 laps in in daytona.
[4:21:29 PM]
>> Chris: 75 laps complete.
Busch beer.
These 500 fans getting a once of a lifetime
experience.
Yesterday's meet and greet with Kevin Harvick,
a hangout and a fan takeover of the Instagram
story.
Daytona done right.
>> Mike: Harvick running seventh.
Brad keselowski and Aric almirola.
Clint bowyer, his teammate alongside in the
14.
>> Darrell: Mike, I think some guys are driving
a pretty smart race and keselowski is one
of them.
>> Mike: Third generation racer, Ryan Blaney,
his dad, world of outlaw champion.
It runs in the family.
>> Darrell: Remember Montoya hit the jet drier,
who was leading the race?
We didn't think we would go back to racing.
>> Jeff: I raced with Dave and so much talent
and racing, basketball.
>> Mike: His uncle Dale another sprint car
racer.
>> Vince: Ryan Blaney, they have been so confident,
you visiting before the race and they were
very relaxed.
They said they've had a fast and strong car,
fast in the clash.
They know that they have a car capable of
winning if they can just stay up at the front
and have a shot at the end.
Matt?
>> Matt: Drivers have access to the adjuster.
That's what keselowski has used to work his
balance more to the tight side.
The other adjustment was trying to keep the
splitter together, use several pieces of tape
on the nose of that 2.
>> Mike: Keselowski entered an 8-1 favorite.
>> Jeff: We've had eight different winners.
Hard to pick a favorite.
This is the first time at daytona they're
able to adjust from inside.
That's saved for short tracks and a mile and
a half will be an important tool today.
>> Mike: Four Fords in the groove.
>> Darrell: Other Powell sitter is not taking
a lot of chances.
>> Jeff: This is what I like having young
drivers mixed in.
They want to lead.
Alex bowman wants to lead.
Typically you see them trying to get single
file, get content.
Let's ride it out.
A lot of action.
>> Darrell: He has Dale junior sitting on
the pit box.
Do you think he's not talking to him?
Probably giving him pretty good instruction.
>> Mike: Another one of those Ford, that is
the Roush Ford of Trevor Bayne, that black
number 6.
Here's Regan.
>> Regan: Winner Trevor Bayne is working his
way forward all day long, guys.
It didn't come without frustration.
Bubba Wallace a few laps ago tried to make
a move.
He had to block it to go by a teammate.
He got mad on the radio after that.
>> I had to block Darrell from doing it.
Trying to wreck a teammate, tell him I had
to block the 43.
He's being crazy.
>> 10-4.
>> Mike: So the spotter has to be air traffic
control, although planes have to stay 1,000
feet apart from each other not a couple of
inches.
And psychologist all at once.
>> Darrell: Pick your fights.
Don't lose your cool, your focus.
Stay in the game.
That was a minor little incident.
Let it go.
>> Jeff: To Trevor Bayne it wasn't minor.
He thought he was going to wreck with that
move, and that's where your frustration can
get the best of you if you allow that moment
to take over.
>> Mike: Look who is back in the mix, Denny
Hamlin.
Up in the top 15, right in the middle of the
lead draft after being a lap down earlier.
Jamie?
>> Jamie: And that shows just how good his
car is.
It has been all weeklong, Mike.
So good he skipped the final two practice
sessions this weekend.
They put a cover over it and called it a day.
So far the balance has been great.
They haven't had to adjust on it.
Just overcoming the early penalty but he's
back on the lead lap and working for the top
ten.
>> Darrell: One thing I like about teams,
the crew chief, never give up.
You're not out of this thing.
Work on it, fix it, we'll get you back in
the race.
Don't ever give up.
>> Mike: 83 laps complete.
Wheeler, Denny's crew chief, as he has rebounded
nicely.
>> Chris: Lap 86 of 200.
24-year-old Ryan Blaney, his fourth daytona
500, is your leader.
From the Hollywood hotel with Michael Waltrip
and Chris myers, time for an outback steak
house race break and, Michael, Denny Hamlin
came in and got penalized.
Went a lap down.
>> Michael: Needed to back into his box, got
that penalty.
But now he fought back into the battle.
>> Chris: And Kyle Busch still seeking the
first ever daytona 500 win, although he's
been a champ in NASCAR.
Saves his car, has a tire problem, and damages
his car.
>> Michael: That was a tough break for that
team.
We haven't seen many problems with the tires.
If you put your pressure down too low they
will blow out, though.
>> Chris: Kurt Busch wins stage one, but Ryan
Blaney, Ricky stenhouse, a couple Ford drivers
get into it, seven cars involved.
>> Michael: Chris, when you decide to block,
you open yourself up to be hit.
They were racing really hard.
Seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson didn't
like them being that aggressive this early.
>> Chris: And Truex involved.
Not a lot of damage.
That is your outback race break.
The blooming onion if Ken Harvick places in
the top ten.
He is currently in the top ten running fifth.
To blog or not to blog the discussion point,
speed week here.
Drivers have to assess.
Too early for that time.
>> Michael: The cars were all over the back
straightaway.
Great jobs driving making it through there.
Martin Truex right in the middle of it.
William Byron went sliding through the crash.
Can they rally, rebound from a near miss and
get a chance to win daytona?
I'll be watching closely.
>> Chris: The favorite, Brad keselowski, running
fourth.
Has fop ten spots for Ford.
>> Mike: Moved over from the wood brothers
and his spot there was taken by Paul Menard
who sits right behind Blaney in the 21.
>> Darrell: That's three really penske cars.
You have the 12, the 21, and the 2.
The 21 is a satellite team, so to speak.
Penske cars look pretty racy today.
The Fords have looked racy all week.
Those three look good right now.
Almirola is right there.
A lot of good Fords all lined up.
>> Mike: Past mark Thompson in the 66.
>> Jeff: D.W., you talk about the Fords and
we saw on the restrictor plate races, their
package of downforce, the drag and the horsepower
just seems to suit these tracks so well.
>> Mike: 90 laps complete.
30 to go on this stage.
How about a good old fox NASCAR daytona 500
crank it up.
>> The 23 inside by himself.
You're clear.
You're clear.
>> Mike: William Byron against the wall through
turn number four.
We stay green.
I'm not sure how much damage to that number
24.
Six more cars to get by him.
24 up on the high stid.
>> Jeff: I think he maybe blew a right front
tire.
Maybe some of that damage the team tried to
fix, couldn't clear those fenders.
>> Looks like we have a flat tire coming to
you.
>> Mike: He has to make it another two miles
around to make it to pit road.
>> Jeff: At that speed we'll see debris.
>> Mike: Caution with debris on the back straightaway
that came off William Byron's car and comes
at lap 93.
>> Darrell: Jeff, I have to believe that might
be a product of some of the damage he had
earlier and I don't think bubba had anything
to do with it.
He was moving up.
>> Jeff: I thought at first he came up but
that didn't have anything to do with it.
>> Mike: Larry Mac, I saw you had your crowbar
in hand.
>> Larry: If we had stayed green all the drivers
that pitted were going to have to pit between
lap 100 and 105.
They will pit this caution here.
But a lot of those drivers, we chart with
chase Elliott, pitted on lap 64, were going
to be between 110 and 115.
These cautions right here, if you're thinking
about winning stage two and stage points,
you may get there without stopping.
We'll see another possible mixed bag of stops.
>> Mike: Larry, as far as these stops are
concern, you have one less crew member.
Do the teams have a lot of confidence in being
able to make a quick stop or even risk a four-tire
stop under the new rules?
>> Larry: If you're not worried about winning
stage two, you pit and you want four fresh
Goodyear tires.
We've had a long green flag run here.
And, Jeff, I found out, I think, what's going
on with locking the front tires up.
The front split certificate splitter is hitting
and sliding the front tires.
>> Jeff: Good point.
>> Mike: Pit road is open.
Vince?
>> Vince: The 12 of Ryan Blaney comes in.
Left sides only for Blaney who pitted from
the lead.
Jamie?
>> Jamie: Driving for the wood brothers says
he's free on entry.
The car has been really good.
The left side now.
>> Both saying their cars are on the free
side, have been working track bar adjustments.
Harvick as much as it's helped the 2 of keselowski.
>> Mike: There's your race off pit road LED
by Ryan Blaney.
Who is NASCAR's king of stage wins?
>> Jeff: Martin Truex Jr.
>> Mike: Who's our new leader?
>> Darrell: Oh, not Truex.
He stayed out.
>> Chris: The daytona 500 on fox is sponsored
by Toyota.
Let's go places.
And by pizza hut, no one out pizzas the hut.
>> Mike: Martin Truex Jr.
Who rode stage wins all the way to homestead
to contend and be one of the four to race
for the championship and win it is out front.
He did not pit under the caution flag.
Let's take a look at today's driving trust
presented by midas.
>> Larry: Mike, this is the little team that
couldn't.
Won eight races and its driver martin Truex
Jr., crew chief Cole pearn and owner, you
see right there, based out of Denver, Colorado.
People said there's no way that will ever
work.
I love that right there.
The last 60 races, 12 wins.
The next closest team, six wins.
Double the wins of the next closest team.
Vince Welch, they're not interested in winning
stages.
>> Vince: They want to win a championship
just like they did a year ago.
Even though they won that title, it was a
tough year, 2017.
Martin Truex jr.'s girlfriend sherry pollex
continued her battle with cancer, Cole earn
lost his best friend, Jacob Damon, who passed
away unexpectedly, and a team member, Jim
Watson, had a heart attack and died on one
of the race trips.
The team owner suffered a heart attack and
missed the team's championship clinching night
in Miami.
All of these challenges brought the team together,
made them stronger and sweeter.
As Cole pearn told me, the championship was
great, but no victory was worth the losses
they suffered in 2017.
>> Mike: Thanks, Vince.
Great to see Barney Visser back at the racetrack
and healthy here in daytona.
He's created himself quite a race team and
has a championship to show for it.
Here's the Toyota Camry pace car.
Those big letters right behind our camera
say Kentucky.
That's where the Camrys are built.
>> Darrell: I thought they were celebrating
the wildcats.
>> Jeff: He has 30 more laps on his tires
than all those that have pitted around him.
We're going to find out just how good that
team is.
>> Mike: Kyle Larson has served a penalty
for too many men over the wall.
We'll start out back.
And be the 28th car on the lead lap as we
come back to green.
A sellout crowd watches as they address themselves
to the green flag.
Back under way in daytona.
>> One back.
One back.
Looks like more cars.
Come down.
Come down.
There you go.
Now back up.
There you go.
>> Mike: Clayton Hughes, the spotter.
>> Looking high.
Looking low.
Looking low.
Right there inside.
Inside.
>> Jeff: One theme we've seen this week is
Ryan Blaney the only one with the lead.
I know they have that 78 car running better.
Not a match for 
that 12 car.
>> Darrell: Blaney is out front.
>> Darrell: Worked his way into the picture,
the 9 car of chase Elliott.
The longer the runs are, he has a good handling
car.
You see it as we get near the end of a long
run.
>> Mike: Ryan Blaney out in front.
A huge "Star wars" fan.
Describes himself as an aspiring jedi.
>> Darrell: Jet propelled today, I can tell
you that.
>> Jeff: Maybe he has the force on his side
as well.
>> Mike: Kevin Harvick coming up the inside.
>> Jeff: The rear bumper of chase Elliott.
Chase doesn't need any more push.
Look at the rear bumper.
Somebody beat it almost completely off the
race car.
>> Darrell: The back of these things, they'll
be hitting him in the spoiler.
>> Mike: Riding with Harvick in third place
even with Elliott behind Blaney and keselowski.
Now Harvick has Trevor Bayne and Paul Menard
lined up right behind him.
The Roush cars running well, Bayne in sixth
and Ricky stenhouse in tenth right now, Regan.
>> Regan: Most of the cars, Trevor Bayne took
left side tires only.
Could they be setting up to not take left
sides for the rest of this race?
>> Larry: I think next stop Regan maybe will
only go with right sides because we know right
now at 20 laps there's going to be a caution.
And you're going to need to pit under that
caution for fuel.
So I think that's probably the biggest thing
they're setting up for are right sides only
the next time probably lap 120.
>> Darrell: A military thing, left, right,
left, right.
>> Mike: Lap 120 will be the end of stage
two.
Ryan Blaney came up to the top lane to cover
the spot.
And prevent chase Elliott's number 9 from
advancing.
Big push coming from Elliott and keselowski.
Contact!
Elliott slammed into the wall.
>> Darrell: Are you kidding me?
>> Jeff: Danica Patrick, Kasey kahne.
>> Darrell: Oh, man.
>> Are you all right?
>> Yeah, yeah.
I'm good.
>> Jeff: Took the wind out of chase Elliott.
>> Mike: Elliott, kahne, Danica Patrick and
Ken Harvick.
>> Jeff: All this blocking going on.
>> Darrell: It's at the end of the stages.
Everybody says I want to win a stage.
>> Mike: And keselowski, the prerace favorite,
has the right front torn off his car as does
David Ragan.
Chase Elliott climbs out.
>> Mike: Part of running in the draft is having
that big push from behind.
Sometimes push comes to shove.
>> Jeff: Watch how all this materializes.
Turns one and two, you can see some shuffle
already going on between chase Elliott and
the block from Ryan Blaney.
Now a big run, the 2 will get to the rear
bumper, pushed by Truex.
He gets to the rear bumper, the 9 of chase
Elliott.
The last second, at least from that -- oh,
big, big hit.
You see keselowski got down on the apron and
it turned him around.
It looked like the 9 went to block the 2 because
he was going to make a move.
Harvick just gets clipped by the 2 of keselowski.
>> Check up, check up.
Come on, come on.
Check up inside.
Slide across.
Keep coming.
>> Jeff: The amazing close calls has Alex
bowman had already this year?
>> Mike: Vicious hit for chase Elliott.
Pit road is open.
Ryan Newman LED about a dozen of them down
pit road.
Matt?
>> Matt: A lot of debris on the racetrack.
Bowman on pit road.
He got doored on both sides earlier but they
didn't see any damage.
He was concerned about that.
The Jackman, a little bit after trip there
coming around to the left side.
He signals they're good to go.
>> Darrell: Right rear damage to Kevin Harvick.
The sheet metal disconnected from the chassis
there.
>> Mike: Clint bowyer, going under the hood
on his Ford.
Chase Elliott gets turned around and around
and it's mayhem.
>> Mike: Casey curry hits the pavement and
showed off in his baja trophy truck for the
fans.
Monster smoke show.
It's been quite a show here.
Now Ryan Blaney had a great view of that in
his mirror and a little question afterwards.
>> I'm not sure if it's my fault.
I didn't block that much.
I don't know.
>> I think the 9 was aggressive.
>> Mike: I totally agree.
>> Jeff: We've seen where blocking has played
a role and a big block but as they got down
to turn three, I look more the momentum the
9 had and the two had and that last move as
chase Elliott sees the 2 will go to the inside
of him and that, to me is what got him turned
around.
Hard to see from that angle.
>> Darrell: I think he got that good push
from I think the 78.
He dives down, he's going to and chase sees
him and tries to block him.
>> Jeff: The 2 starts to make a move.
The 9 reacts.
They made contact.
>> Mike: That lucky horseshoe Kevin Harvick
used to have is riding in Trevor Bayne's fire
suit.
He narrowly misses another one.
Here are the cars that were involved.
>> Mike: A beautiful day in daytona.
A lot of cars piled up in the monster energy
NASCAR cup series garage area.
Kasey kahne released from the care center.
Goodyear, more driven.
And Danica Patrick checked and released in
her final NASCAR start, released from the
care center.
After being caught up in all that.
Fox Sports supports, proud to team up with
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kids by creating access and opportunities
that allow them to discover their strengths
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Together creating hope for foster kids of
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107 laps complete under caution.
Jamie?
>> Jamie: And Danica Patrick has been checked
and released.
Certainly not the way you wanted to finish
out your NASCAR career.
What was it like the first half of the race
for you?
>> Pretty decent.
The car was a lot better than it was in the
duel.
It was a lot better in practice.
Tony Eury Jr., my crew chief, did an awesome
job.
The whole team did a really good job.
I know we pulled this together kind of not
that long ago, a month ago, and that's a tall
order to get a car ready for a superspeedway
that's competitive.
It was and so I said earlier today that I
feel like the whole thing was president Clinton
tour perfect with go daddy on the car and
being that green again.
It just wasn't meant to be, I guess, today.
I am proud we raced the race other than a
little bit where it looked silly with cars
with no tires and tires.
Other than that we raced it and it was competitive.
That's all you can do.
That's the gamble about daytona, it can go
so well and it can go so awful.
I'm grateful for everything.
Thank you to all the fans.
Still got one more.
It's not a stock car but still have one more.
>> Jamie: We're thankful for Danica.
>> Mike: That will be the indy 500 for Danica,
NASCAR's most successful female driver ever.
>> Darrell: Driving for Ed carpenter, that
should be a fast car.
>> Mike: Getting ready to go green.
Ch Blaney and martin Truex.
12 to go in stage two, green flag.
>> Darrell: Those two cars on the screen are
hanging around up front and they don't have
any misfortune, that guy in the 17 car, those
are three cars that will be hard to beat at
the end of the race.
The 12 to 21, 17, those are good cars, fast
cars.
You might say at home, they ought to take
it easy.
They don't know how to take it easy.
This is what they get paid to do, hold it
wide open.
That's what they get paid to do.
>> Jeff: I don't know if they had to take
an easy to take it easy, D.W.
Every time they get single file someone makes
it two wide trying to make a move to get the
lead or position.
>> Mike: David Ragan is able to continue one
lap down.
And Brad keselowski, time has expired on Kevin
Harvick to repair his car under NASCAR's damaged
vehicle policy.
They have six minutes to make that repair
on pit road and get it back out.
Now Blaney on Trevor Bayne.
Let's go back to that pileup, and watch Brad
keselowski.
Makes contact with chase Elliott, and then
it's on.
And then keselowski spins.
Comes up the track and collects Harvick into
the wall.
Jamie?
>> Jamie: Brad keselowski was certainly one
of the best cars in the field today.
You just saw the replay.
What's your take?
>> Obviously wrecked at the front of the pack
trying to make a move underneath the 24 and
he started to come down and I just couldn't
-- my run was too strong.
I couldn't do anything.
I don't know if I made contact.
I might have.
I didn't think I did.
It happened so fast.
Too many moves and the cars aren't stable
enough to take that.
We just came together and it's disappointing
for everybody.
We're just trying to race and run off a few
laps at the end of the second stage.
I had such a run, I couldn't keep stopping.
Penske and our team, we had an incredible
car for speed week.
It didn't come together.
It's devastating but we'll go to Atlanta.
>> Mike: Two of his teammates, though, run
out front.
Ryan Blaney for team penske and Paul Menard
for the wood brothers.
>> Darrell: He was odds-on favorite to win
this race.
He even -- everybody said who is the best
restrictor plate racer down here right now.
>> Mike: Here comes Ricky stenhouse with Trevor
Bayne.
>> Jeff: Did stenhouse have to jump out of
line there?
It looks like he might be overheating.
I thought I saw steam coming out of the right
side of the window.
>> Darrell: Some steam coming out of the baby.
>> Jeff: Some damage to the nose that could
be contributing.
>> Darrell: They don't run long when they
get hot.
>> Mike: Larry?
>> Larry: The problem being here in daytona
they limit the grill opening.
It can only be 2 1/4 tall.
What he has to watch is the water pressure
gauge.
>> Mike: He's coming in.
He's coming in, Larry.
Eight laps to go in stage two.
Stenhouse looking like a geyser there will
come to pit road.
Ken Harvick has gone to the garage area.
>> Matt: The 4 team has fixed just about everything
on that 4 car, pieced it back together with
parts, but he was missing one important piece
they did not have in the pits.
>> Mike: What was that, Matt?
>> Matt: That would be the door.
It was laying down in turn four.
>> Mike: Jamie?
>> Jamie: Chase Elliott has been checked and
released.
Hard hit.
First off, are you okay?
>> I'm all right.
Had such a fast napa Camaro today and wanted
a shot there at the end.
Tough circumstances, just trying to make -- feel
Blaney out, to see what he was going to do,
how aggressive he wanted to be, had a big
push and got light at the wrong time and didn't
make the right move.
>> Jamie: Thank you.
>> Mike: Chase Elliott out of the 500.
Big steam from stenhouse's car on pit road.
They may or may not return.
The field has four laps to go in this stage.
Regan?
>> Regan: Big steam as you said on Ricky stenhouse
jr.'s car.
They were under the hood, the left front tire
trying to release the pressure from the radiator.
You saw the steam get bigger.
Doug Yates is right down here on top of things
telling them what he wanted them to do.
>> Mike: They want to get to the end of this
stage and make further repairs under caution.
As the sun gets low over turn one, the drivers
like Kurt Busch have this view.
>> Darrell: That is a feel thing, you come
off turn four, you can't see a whole lot.
You just feel your way along.
>> Jeff: You're already trying to do your
best to stay out of the wall in turn four.
It certainly doesn't help when the sun is
right in your eyes but that's part of the
daytona 500 and one of the many challenges
in the race.
>> Darrell: I'm not sure they're looking out
at what's in front of them because they seem
to be looking at what's behind them.
>> Mike: Look at how the race has now changed.
The end of stage two looks like it's going
to be fairly orderly.
Way different to the end of stage one.
>> Jeff: Tell that to Joey Logano.
>> Darrell: A couple of guys, Hamlin, right
up in the middle of things.
There's bubba up in the middle of things.
We still have some guys that are hungry.
>> Mike: Bubba Wallace drops to the inside
of stenhouse.
Fourth if line there.
Matt?
>> Matt: Remember Richard petty's advice to
bubba Wallace, drive smart, don't put yourself
in bad positions, and just be patient.
And he's done that and also on top of that
he has survived a lot of different incidents
today.
His car has not been the same since he had
the issue with the wall and a nudge on the
left front fender.
The car does not like the bottom.
He prefers to migrate up to the top side.
>> Larry: When I see three of our top ten
drivers right now they have all had issues
early.
Denny Hamlin penalized for pitting outside
of his box.
Trevor Bayne had that issue as well on stop
number one.
Two of the three, not that many laps ago,
one lap down, this is the classic case never
give up.
>> Darrell: I was thinking about bubba and
if Richard petty puts his arm around you and
gives you advice, you'd better take it.
The guy that did that for me, junior Johnson.
A lot of guys told me things to do but when
junior Johnson told me something to do I did
it.
>> Mike: A couple of iconic numbers, the 43,
Richard petty motorsports, and 3 of Richard
Childress.
Austin Dillon.
Red light on pit road, two laps before the
end of each stage pit road closes.
Two to go.
Ryan Blaney going to get a stage win or a
challenge here?
>> Jeff: We've seen so far they seem to get
as many points as possible.
I'm wondering did they learn from those experiences,
let's calm down.
We still have a whole race to win.
>> Mike: Now on the last lap of the race,
going to be very hard to deal with.
>> Darrell: Blaney hopes they come to the
end of the stage in the order they're running
right now.
>> Mike: The drivers are all in new rides
this year.
Blaney with team penske.
Darrell Wallace Jr.
For Richard petty.
Almirola in the 10.
>> Jeff: And a big run from the 22, Joey Logano,
to push Paul Menard.
>> Darrell: They get all crazy when it comes
to the end of one of these stages.
>> Mike: And it'll be Ryan Blaney, the winner
of stage two for team penske.
120 laps and two stages complete.
80 laps to go in the daytona 500.
Stage ending pit stops coming up as we celebrate
Ryan Blaney's
>> Mike: Ryan Blaney has won stage two of
the daytona 500.
Five Fords out in front, Blaney, almirola
and Michael Mcdowell.
Pit road will likely open next time around.
As we wait for that to happen, to Matt Yocum
in the Ebay more tors pit box.
>> Matt: The area affected by NASCAR's recent
efforts to level the playing field involves
the impact gun.
In years past the hammer or clutch gun about
13,000 rpm. 3 1/2 pounds heavier, bulkier,
too, and a smaller impact socket which means
the changer has to be even more precise when
he hits the lugs.
What does that mean for the race fan.
More excitement and drama here on pit road.
>> Mike: Pit stops are slower than they were
partly because of one less man to work on
the car and also because of the speck gun
every team at every position must use.
Some teams were spending hundreds of thousands
of dollars on air gun research trying to gain
tenths of a second advantage.
They decided to have an air gun for everyone.
Kurt Busch audio.
>> To the best of your knowledge, how many
cars don't have damage?
>> We have 21 lead laps, guys that haven't
been a factor, 12 or 13.
>> 10-4, thank you.
>> Mike: Pit road is open this time for cars
on the lead lap, 21 of them, Vince.
>> Vince: The 12 of Ryan Blaney far and away
has LED the most laps today, and he has been
very pleased with the car.
The crew chief asked him to get closer to
the wall when he came in on this stop.
It's going to be right sides and fuel, Jamie.
>> Jamie: Menard taking right side.
The balance is really good.
They got hung up on the last stop.
Aric almirola taking four tires to give options.
Matt?
>> Matt: Nice recovery by Joey Logano and
the 22 team.
Right sides only.
His car over that run tight downturns three
and four where it mostly showed up.
>> Mike: Teammates almost got together exiting
pit road as Joey Logano had to sweep around
the outside of Alex bowman and nearly collected
his teammate Blaney.
>> Darrell: Watch this thing.
Come on.
>> Jeff: Let's dial up our stage two winner
Ryan Blaney.
Hey, Ryan, this is Jeff up in the Fox Sports
booth.
You got me?
Hey, Ryan Blaney, Jeff Gordon up here.
You got me?
>> Hey, yeah, I've got you.
>> Jeff: Congrats on that win there for the
stage.
I have to tell you, this race has been insane
in this daytona 500.
Nobody seems to be content wanting to do anything
other than lead.
What do you see that's different leading to
that this year?
>> I think the biggest difference is bigger
runs with this roll package.
I feel the runs are so much larger.
I think that's what is giving people more
confidence.
An early pass, which has been nice to have,
it's been crazy trying to control the race
as the leader.
There are some really fast cars getting big
runs.
It's been wild so far.
And I don't see it calming down here anytime
soon.
>> Jeff: Good luck with that.
Thanks a lot.
>> Mike: Ryan Blaney your stage one winner
or stage two winner, rather.
Picks up a playoff point.
Well done.
I'm very excited to see what these race car
judges have to say about all the improvements
and modifications I've made on this vehicle.
These are all my nitrosis.
In the back, there's actually a crisper.
There's a black flag in your future, buddy.
Well we can put a black flag on here if you
want to.
I'm not sure where we'd mount it.
>> Chris: The daytona 500 on fox is sponsored
by Toyota.
Let's go places.
>> Mike: Getting ready for the restart.
74 laps to go when they take the restart green.
Ryan Blaney elected the outside, teammate
Joey Logano next to him and stablemate Paul
Menard right behind.
How about a little restart strategy.
>> What do we want to do here?
>> We were talking about that.
I think we start up top.
>> I guess, yeah.
Go to the top.
>> Jeff: Basically what that means he's going
to start -- Logano might hesitate a split
second to get Ryan Blaney car, the 12 car,
out ahead of him after they cross the start/finish
line they can come down to the inside lane.
>> Mike: Martin Truex had a tire violation
on the pit stop.
Denny Hamlin back into contention here.
Clint bowyer is down a cylinder on his number
14.
Trying to bring it home.
You'll see the Geico restart zone.
Blaney can take off at anytime in that green
area.
Here we go.
Green flag.
>> Jeff: Blaney didn't get the best stop.
Had to check up a bit and now Blaney is able
to drop down in front of him.
There are the three wood brothers and penske
Fords all lined up.
>> Mike: The first Toyota is Hamlin in fourth
and the first Chevrolet is part-time racer
who says he's down here on vacation.
Brendan Gaughan from Las Vegas in a one-off
start in the 62.
>> Darrell: Probably out there driving in
his flip-flops.
>> Jeff: Denny Hamlin had other thoughts on
breaking up the Fords.
His Toyota getting into third position.
>> Mike: Trevor Bayne behind him and Ryan
Newman then Alex bowman.
Vince?
>> Vince: The one thing about Brendan Gaughan,
he feels comfortable here at daytona.
He was 11th last year in the 500 and he was
seventh here in the summer in July.
And, I'll tell you what, if there's anybody
more relaxed than Brendan Gaughan, I don't
know him.
He gets in the race car and has fun, and he
especially likes it here in daytona.
Having more fun today for sure.
>> Mike: There goes bubba Wallace, to the
outside.
Martin Truex rebounding from a penalty.
For a tire violation.
>> Darrell: The 12, the 22, and the 21 and
now the 6 is in there and you have the 11
might hook up with a teammate and see what
they can do here.
The 11 is fast.
>> Jeff: The 11 of Denny Hamlin was further
back in the pack and wasn't showing much speed,
wasn't making any moves to move forward.
Now he's in third and looks strong again.
>> Mike: He has martin Truex he can work with.
His teammates are either two laps down, Kyle
Busch, or in the garage.
>> Darrell: We talk about Brad keselowski
being the favorite.
I think Denny Hamlin is equally as good as
Brad keselowski when it comes to restrictor
plate races.
>> Mike: How about it, Jamie?
>> Jamie: He has overcome the penalty from
the start of the race, Denny Hamlin in third.
He has some left rear damage from the last
caution.
It just pushed the fender in a little bit.
Good thing for him they pitted, they pulled
the fender out.
It doesn't seem to be an issue.
He's happy with it.
>> Mike: Ryan Blaney may be the leader but
right behind him are four former daytona 500
winners.
That experience is kicking in.
>> Darrell: It is.
It's a long race.
>> Mike: In fourth place, boy, Trevor Bayne
has dodged a couple of big ones today, Regan.
>> Regan: He has had some close calls for
him.
The other thing he was asking for was a tear-off.
We're in that part of the day where through
turns three and four the sun gets very difficult
and it's tough to see if they don't have a
clear tearoff, they can't see what's in front
of them.
This part of the day always bothered me until
we get another 20 laps down.
>> Jeff: You're so right, Regan.
You're blind riding along with Kurt Busch,
and he almost got in the back of that car
in front of him.
>> Mike: That's Jamie Mcmurray just ahead.
>> He has some damage here.
>> Mike: Austin Dillon to the inside in the
3.
How about Joey Logano in second place, Matt?
>> Matt: Mike, also on top of the spotter
stand T.J.
Majors coming onboard.
It's been a seamless transition.
He and Joey spend a lot of time together in
the off-season watching old races including
last year's daytona 500.
T.J.
Sat next to Joey and spotted the video they
were watching just so Joey could learn his
cadence, how he describes things, including
last weekend's clash.
Just trying to work on different details to
make the transition even better.
>> Mike: Every spotter is different in the
way he approaches the job certainly.
69 laps to go, race fans, instead of going
to a commercial break we're going to go Toyota
all out.
Denny Hamlin has rebounded nicely from that
early penalty of being over the line and servicing
the car.
Now runs in third.
Martin Truex, your series champ, didn't win
a stage, but he's in ninth place.
He's a contender.
Trevor Bayne has come to pit road.
Here is Kyle Busch.
And a tough day for him.
Two left-side tire problems for Kyle.
One bringing out a caution.
He's three laps down.
>> Darrell: Remember how surprised Denny Hamlin
was, how well he qualified?
That car has been fast.
If he hadn't had that mistake on pit road,
it took him a while to get back there.
>> Mike: Truex has rebounded to eighth.
Denny Hamlin has the only daytona 500 win
so far.
By inches in 2016.
Now as we continue with Toyota all out we
caught up with Denny Hamlin to learn more
about his start in racing.
>> Since I started, it really started when
I went to a race at Richmond when I was 5
years old.
We had season tickets and would hang them
on the fridge.
I smelled the tires and the fuel and felt
the passion for the racing and immediately
wanted to be a race car driver.
Hopefully this video will inspire the next
kid to go out and chase their dreams.
>> Mike: That's our Toyota all out.
It starts with a boy and a dream and it may
end up in victory lane at the daytona 500.
>> Darrell: He's a great driver and likes
these restrictor plate races.
His day is just beginning.
The 21 car of Menard who was up front forever
or near the front.
He's vbl trouble getting back up there and
it's frustrating him.
>> Jeff: Denny Hamlin could not turn his car
down to follow those leaders.
Allowed the cars to get underneath.
Is able to get to the rear bumper of the 22.
>> Mike: Ryan Newman.
>> Vince: Ryan Blaney has a piece of debris
on the grill.
It's a small piece but they're keeping an
eye on that debris to make sure it doesn't
collect anything else.
Keep an eye on it and the gauges and we'll
keep an eye on the debris.
>> Mike: Thanks, Vince.
Blaney and Logano, Alex bowman, the pole sitter,
and look at fifth place.
Matt Dibenedetto driving the number 32.
Go fast racing and right up there in the front
five.
>> Darrell: We saw him in Bristol.
A great kid, great driver.
Good for him.
>> Jeff: When I saw Alex bowman getting the
opportunity to drive the 88 car, I first immediately
thought of Matt Dibenedetto.
He's been back there racing with Alex bowman
in previous years and he sees one of his buddies
getting an opportunity.
He can get a drive.
If he gets an opportunity, watch out.
>> Regan: The 34 of Michael Mcdowell is working
his way up all day running in the top ten
right now.
Very happy with the race car.
He's had no complaints about it.
>> Mike: Bentley, Michael Mcdowell, a good
combination.
>> Mike: 62 laps to go.
One of the keys to having a group of cars
up front.
>> Larry: We hear the words draft a lot so
we're going to use our Ford performance car
and you can see right there red is high pressure.
We see no red on these cars right here.
It's less pressure and they're running in
the air stream of that lead car.
Why they can run faster.
>> Jeff: Sometimes when you're behind a car,
third or fourth if line you get too close
to that outside wall you don't have the downforce.
>> Darrell: The back of the car is much lower
than it's ever been before.
That increases speeds dramatically and aerodynamic
issues I don't think guys were ready for.
That still can be a problem in this race.
>> Mike: Bubba Wallace currently in sixth
place.
>> Chris: The daytona 500 on fox is sponsored
by the 2018 Ford F-150.
It doesn't just raise the bar, it is the bar.
By credit one bank.
You may be prequalified.
Visit us today.
And by discount tire, changing more than tires.
>> Mike: Ryan Blaney continues to lead.
The ones to watch.
>> Jeff: He might win the daytona 500, dominating
this race.
Ryan Blaney.
>> Larry: He's looking like a seasoned veteran.
A first time winner, D.W.
>> Darrell: I like Joey Logano.
He's won this race before and I think he might
just be lurking.
What do you think?
>> Michael: Denny Hamlin prides himself being
tougher physically and mentally.
He'll battle back from that mistake and win
his second daytona 500 today, Mike.
>> Mike: You took all the low hanging fruit
so I guess I have the field.
>> Jeff: Mike, you took the field?
What?
>> Mike: You took all the front-runners.
>> Darrell: You picked two winners.
Uh, I'll take the field.
>> Mike: A.J.
Allmendinger and Buescher, nose to tail in
line there in front of Aric almirola, the
two teammates of Daugherty racing.
Two cars in the top ten right now.
54 laps to go and another Twitter fan race
in the 500.
That's a Twitter competition where you can
tweet from the chance to win real gear being
used at the 500.
If you tweet right now with the hash tag on
your screen you could be entered for a chance
to win the very sweaty fire suit at the end
of the day.
>> Mike: Did you already yank that crank?
What do you want to do?
Crank it up.
>> Mike: It'll be 50 laps to go next time
by the start/finish line.
Ryan Blaney leading Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin,
Alex bowman, and Matt Dibenedetto, the front
five
>> Mike: 48 laps to go in daytona.
A look at how the Coca-Cola family of drivers
are faring in this year's race.
Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, second and third,
new member Darrell Wallace in sixth, Ryan
Newman seventh.
Austin Dillon and Kyle Larson.
Suarez caught up in the wreck at the end of
the stage.
>> Mike: The attrition rate has been quite
high.
It's been fairly low the last couple of seasons.
But two big pileups, lap 60 and 102 took these
notables out of the race.
Drivers are all okay.
The considers are not.
>> Mike: Green flag pit stops?
>> Larry: Based on where they last pitted,
Mike, we should see green flag pit stops between
170 and 175.
But, right now the window is open.
Could there be planning going on to get that
stop out of the way now that the window is
opening?
You have to have a group, they have to come
together and do the same thing on pit road.
You can't have some doing just two, four,
or just fuel.
>> Jeff: We have not seen many four-tire stops.
Some action is beginning.
>> Mike: As Larry points out, the window is
open.
If you stop thousand you can make it to the
finish.
>> Darrell: What did I do?
>> Mike: Looking ahead to the end of the race
the green/white/checkered rule has been revised
for this year.
If we have a green/white/checkered the next
flag ends the race.
But if he doesn't, there is no limit how many
we could have as we found out in yesterday's
XFINITY series race.
>> Darrell: Wheels are turning right now,
I can tell you that.
>> Mike: Back of the pack, five cars are coming
to pit road.
LED by Ricky stenhouse, Clint bowyer, Brendan
Gaughan and Kyle Busch.
Regan?
>> Regan: Ricky stenhouse Jr.
Hit pit road trying to get another lap back.
The car has been good all day long except
for the slight overheating issue.
Jamie?
>> Jamie: Dillon said handling not bad.
Fuel only for the 3.
>> Mike: Three cars will get off together,
Dillon, stenhouse and Gaughan.
Bowyer hustling up to join them.
Kyle Busch taking on four tires.
Kennington is out of contention.
A lot of damage on his car.
Race fans, Atlanta motor speedway.
It's the quick trip 500.
You can join us next Sunday, February 25th.
2:00 P.M.
Only on fox.
The penalty for Kyle Busch too fast exiting.
>> Darrell: One thing I noticed on Kyle Busch
I thought he left hot.
If these cars are not moving much in the back,
they're so tight in the back.
>> Jeff: We saw Austin Dillon only do fuel
and he's not that far ahead of the pack.
They are single file, really putting fast
speeds and laps together.
You can't afford to do anything under green
flag stops except for fuel only.
>> Mike: The cup race on Sunday.
Great pavement racetrack.
Mile and a half Atlanta motor speedway next
week.
No more leaders coming to pit road so we'll
take you side-by-side., Hamlin's in second.
Moving up high on the inside.
Watch the inside.
Hamlin makes his move!
Denny Hamlin is expected to come out strong
today as his qualifying puts him in the pole
position.
>> Mike: 38 laps to go in daytona for Ryan
Blaney.
Has LED for 89 laps in his Ford fusion.
Joey Logano running his second right in Blaney's
tire tracks these last 10 or 12 laps looking
forward to pit stops.
Denny Hamlin break up that Ford group at the
front is today's clean pass presented by tide.
>> Jeff: Bump drafted Paul Menard.
He moves down.
>> Darrell: He went the wrong way.
>> Jeff: He thought he was going to go with
him.
He suckered him.
>> Mike: We may need to call Mike pereira
to define clean pass after that one.
37 to go.
We know that pit window is open.
The tires get more and more aware.
How long do you want to stay out there?
>> Larry: I still believe in the next eight
to ten laps we'll see green flag pit stops.
Everything we've seen today we've seen sliding
through the pit box, speeding, uncontrolled
tires.
If you have that on what might be the last
stop, your day is done in an attempt to win
the daytona 500.
You can't slide those tires especially if
you're just going to do two.
>> Darrell: I think Joey Logano was tired
of that 12 car leading the race.
He's looked out a couple times.
I'm not sure the 22 doesn't want to jump to
the lead here.
>> Jeff: I think the two hyped him, the 22
of Logano and Denny Hamlin, neither one of
them like to ride behind anybody else.
>> Mike: You're riding along with the pole
sitter.
Mostly in lesser equipment.
This is his first time to be in this position
at daytona 500 up to the front of the field.
>> Darrell: I thought it was the smartest
thing they could have done.
Here he is, got a shot at winning this thing.
>> Jeff: Execute flawlessly and have breaks
go your way.
Think about some of those wrecks he could
have been in but was able to slide through.
>> Darrell: It's his time.
He has the experience, 81 starts.
He knows what it feels like to drive a car
that's not so good.
Now what it feels like to be up front to win.
I think he'll capitalize on it.
>> Mike: 34 laps to go.
Down to Chris myers for a monster energy race
break.
>> Chris: Thanks, Mike.
It's been fun to watch.
Happy daytona day.
As we recap what happened, a quarter of the
cars drivers out of the race.
You win some, you lose some, and you crash
some.
That's been the case as we recap earlier,
one by Kurt Busch this is Ryan Blaney and
stenhouse took out Jimmie Johnson among others.
>> Michael: You can see the impact.
Jimmie Johnson said they're blocking too soon.
I don't like what I've seen out there.
>> Mike: Blaney smack into the wall.
Going over 200 miles an hour.
>> Michael: Another example of a late block
and they run into each other at the front
of the pack.
>> Chris: And Danica Patrick, her NASCAR career
ends with this wreck.
Brad keselowski, Ken Harvick involved as well
in that crash.
Right now with Blaney and two guys who won
the daytona 500, Logano and Hamlin.
The pressure is on young Blaney who has clinched
the most laps.
>> Michael: In first four or five spots, you're
not going to win the race.
You need to figure out strategy Austin Dillon
has been to pit road.
Can his speed keep him up front once everyone
has pitted?
>> Chris: Let's go back up to Jeff, Darrell
and Mike.
>> Mike: Daytona parties from Scarborough,
Maine, to Texas motor speedway all enjoying
the great American race.
The leaders are about to get into traffic
ahead.
>> Darrell: I think something is changing
with that 12 car.
Maybe the sun is going down.
Seemed to run low in three and four.
I don't know if the handling is going away
on that car.
That 22 keeps wanting to look like he might
want to make a pass.
>> Jeff: Blaney made the great call to go
to the outside.
>> Mike: Jamie Mcmurray.
The longest green flag stretch of racing today
as we go side-by-side.
>> Mike: You saw Joey Logano lead that car
on the road.
Joey said he didn't pump the brakes up enough,
too fast entering pit road in segment one.
Starts at the yellow line trying to beat his
teammate Ryan Plainy who has an early pit
stol finally gets slowed down and the jack
drops.
Man.
>> Darrell: Disaster.
Driver error, crew error.
>> Mike: Denny Hamlin leads.
These are Toyota top performer.
And martin Truex Jr. W from -- there's your
top performers.
Or second, third.
>> Larry: He pitted by himself with no help.
>> Jeff: He sure did, Larry.
>> Mike: We cycle back to Ryan Blaney, Truex
and Kurt busch.
>> Mike: 24 laps to go in the daytona 500.
Ryan Blaney has been out front for 100 laps.
One of 12 leaders.
18 lead changes.
Six caution flags so far for 28 laps and 11
out of the race.
Martin Truex in second place not just riding
there.
>> As long as we don't give him no room he
can't leapfrog us.
>> I'm not even going to think about passing
him because I can't.
>> Darrell: Everybody said why didn't you
pass him?
He was faster than me, I couldn't.
>> Mike: Four tires at lap 123.
His most recent stop was gas only.
They had one tire get away and had to serve
a tire violation and restart last.
>> Jeff: He's talked about not having great
speed all three speed week.
Having handling issues along with the speed
of that car, Larry.
>> Larry: Yeah, two completely different pit
agendas when you look at the top two.
Martin Truex Jr., four tires at lap 123, fuel
only 171.
I go back to something Regan Smith asked me
before lap 100.
What was the agenda.
The crew chief for Ryan Blaney did left lap
4, right at lap 123, and rights again 171.
They have not changed lefts since lap 94.
Vince?
>> Vince: And that 78 of martin Truex Jr.
Has had handling issues.
It hasn't been the best handling car.
You noted they haven't been satisfied with
their speed here during speed week either.
The one thing you can say about Truex, he
has to be pleased with where he's positioned
because last year in the four restrictor plate
races he dnf'd in three of the four, had contact
in all four and average finish was 26.
He has to feel pretty good about running second
right now.
>> Mike: I would think so.
Kurt Busch, boy, he's been here before.
Not only did he win the race last year in
this number 41 but second in the 500 three
times helping push a teammate to the win.
>> Jeff: He would love to win it by making
great moves to win it.
>> Darrell: Plus, the sun is going down and
the track is cooling off.
>> Mike: Just inside of 20 laps to go.
>> Mike: Riding with Kyle Larson.
Mark Thompson, age 66, the oldest driver to
start, his final go at daytona.
When the U.S. Military wants to move sensitive
equipment they call mark Thompson.
Here come the leaders.
LED by Ryan Blaney the last driver to lead
100 laps at the daytona 500 was Tony Stewart
in 2005.
The last driver to win and lead over 100 laps,
Dale Earnhardt, 1998.
>> Darrell: Richard petty in 1964.
>> Jeff: Joey Logano had issues, about to
cost him a lap as the leaders are bearing
down on him.
>> Darrell: I said he would be the guy to
shake things up.
Now not so much.
>> Mike: Alex bowman in fourth.
Here's his spotter, Kevin Hamlin.
To hoping they play nice with us.
We need to work together.
>> Mike: Bowman, Newman and bubba Wallace
in Chevrolets.
A little jostling here.
>> Jeff: Logano side drafted the leaders as
they went by and Alex bowman just lost that
help from fellow Chevrolet teammate Ryan Newman.
>> Darrell: Logano can be the spoiler.
Newman got stuck in the back.
14 laps to go.
35 miles to decide the 60th running of the
great American race.
>> Mike: Here comes the lead pack.
Next time they come to the stripe it will
be ten laps to go.
Third generation racer Ryan Blaney in his
first drive as a full team -- trouble, turn
four!
A car spins to the inside.
It's William Byron.
Caution.
>> Caution's out.
>> Darrell: Oh, boy.
Oh, boy.
>> Jeff: That changes some things.
>> Darrell: You foe what it changes?
The 22 will get back on the lead lap.
He has a fast car.
>> Mike: Joey Logano, one lap down.
Byron's car damaged from that earlier crash.
Look for the flames and the sparks.
>> Darrell: Right rear tire.
A lot of body damage.
>> Jeff: The right front blows out as he locks
up the tires.
Sliding on the apron.
>> Darrell: Jeff, I'm Ryan Blaney.
The next closest guy to me is Kurt Busch.
He LED 14.
I had this in the bag.
This changes everything.
This sets up for an incredible finish.
>> Jeff: I like how you think he had it in
the bag.
They were waiting for this to wind out to
make the pass.
>> Mike: And this is their chance.
The best thing Blaney had was Truex on his
bumper.
It's doubly difficult.
Now they'll line up double file for the restart.
>> Jeff: Do I want Kurt Busch pushing me or
Alex bowman?
He can choose if he wants the inside or outside
lane.
>> Mike: Do I want tires or track position?
>> Darrell: I want tires but I'm not going
to give them to you if you're at the front.
>> Larry: We may see some guys, you're not
going to give up track position in the top
six or seven.
>> Darrell: And who do I want behind me, the
Ford, the 41 car, makes the most sense that
he would be willing to help.
>> Jeff: I know you say that but the 88 of
bowman is a very fast car and a pretty fast
pusher.
>> Darrell: These are the things that go through
in your mind, do I want the inside this guy,
that guy, where do I want to restart?
What do I have to do here?
You're asking your crew, a little input here.
>> Jeff: The inside lane seems to have a slight
advantage to get up to speed.
That may be a factor, also.
>> Darrell: If the 78 is not that fast, the
41 behind me.
I should be be in good shape.
>> Mike: So seven cars stay out including
Ryan Blaney.
It's only his fourth daytona 500 and his 91st
cup start.
Whereas right behind him cup champions martin
Truex, 2017.
Kurt Busch is a champion of the series and
of the daytona 500.
He won it last year.
>> Darrell: Mike, Blaney ran second here last
year.
He's pretty good at this racetrack.
>> Mike: And the youth movement, Alex bowman,
replaced Dale Earnhardt Jr., who retired after
2017 and started this race from the pole.
Ask Denny Hamlin who the best restrictor plate
racer in NASCAR is and he'll say Denny Hamlin.
A lot of people agree with him.
>> Jeff: Hard to argue with that.
>> Mike: And Matt Dibenedetto giving this
car a great ride looking for his first ever
top five finish in NASCAR.
Michael Mcdowell with a new team.
Aric almirola new to stewart-haas racing in
seventh.
They all stayed out.
Ryan Newman was the first car off pit road.
Ahead of allmendinger, Darrell Wallace, Brendan
Gaughan.
And Paul Menard.
Joey Logano the free pass car.
Those will be your 15 cars on the lead lap.
We're going to have a fight to the finish
and then tonight 
on FS1 catch "Ufc fight night" Cerrone faces
maderos.
Tonight after the daytona 500 over on FS1
or stream it live on Fox Sports go.
Eight laps to go in the daytona 500.
A quick word from duracell.
>> Darrell: Guys, we're going to go back racing
with seven to go.
>> Larry: I'm back with my race trim.
If you look at the last races, past lap 188
with 12 to go but the last ten laps and four
of our last eight daytona 500s we've had overtime.
>> Darrell: I think back to yesterday, they
had five overtimes.
>> Mike: We listened in to martin Truex and
company.
>> A shoot-out.
>> The same thing as before, trying to establish
the strongest line.
>> Jeff: A lot of the drivers shutting the
engine off saving fuel.
You don't know how many possible restarts
could happen.
Unlimited amounts of green/white/check nerd
this daytona 500 unlike in the past if it
goes to that.
>> Mike: I think Ryan Blaney heard you.
He's elected the inside for this restart.
Pace car is in.
And here we go.
Seven laps to go, green flag.
>> Jeff: Bowman did not get a very good start
there.
That's going to help Blaney.
That inside lane.
>> Darrell: I felt he didn't feel he had the
speed.
>> Mike: Ford, Ford, and two Toyotas.
>> Jeff: Running on the outside with Newman.
Coming to the rear bumper of bowman.
>> Darrell: And they are coming in a hurry.
>> Mike: Hamlin.
>> Jeff: Denny Hamlin.
He might have a shot at Blaney -- three wide!
>> Darrell: Here we go.
Our champion from last year.
>> Mike: Kurt Busch to the bottom gets the
lead.
Aric almirola to second.
It's on.
>> Darrell: He's falling back.
>> Jeff: The drivers set that up well.
Kurt Busch fully took advantage of that by
going the short route.
>> Darrell: Blaney did a good job.
He made a great move to make it three wide
and a great move right there, guys.
>> Mike: A perfectly timed move by Kurt Busch
in the 41 because the only way to pass Blaney
tofs gang up on both sides of him.
>> Jeff: A big push and run.
He's going to get to the outside of 41.
>> Darrell: I think he can make the pass although
he's all by himself.
>> Mike: Almirola stayed with Busch, his teammate
in stewart-haas racing.
>> Jeff: See a big push here to the back of
the 12 of Blaney by Hamlin.
>> Darrell: Hamlin will have to push him down
to the corner if he's going to get back to
the lead.
>> Jeff: Exactly what he's doing.
>> Mike: Chris Buescher is in the front.
>> Jeff: A big block by the 41.
>> Mike: Almirola for the lead.
>> Darrell: Almirola.
>> Jeff: No more teammates here.
>> Darrell: Oh, no -- who is that?
>> Jeff: Man, how did they not wreck right
there?
>> Darrell: Bouncing off each other left and
right.
>> Mike: Up to almirola, four tires on his
pit stop.
>> Darrell: I thought the 11 would give him
a shove.
Maybe not.
>> Mike: When the 10 chose to go with Kurt
Busch that was trouble for Ryan Blaney.
>> Jeff: How about Chris Buescher.
>> Darrell: All of these guys, look at Brendan
Gaughan running seventh.
Here's a run.
Here's a run.
>> Jeff: I think that was a mistake by Kurt
Busch.
>> Mike: That gave Hamlin a chance.
Dibenedetto on the outside getting a show
from Brendan Gaughan.
>> Darrell: Look at that 2 go.
>> Jeff: I think Kurt Busch wanted his teammate
to be behind him so chose to stick to the
bottom.
He's out there all by himself.
>> Mike: Ricky stenhouse, one lap down in
the 17.
>> Darrell: You know what Denny Hamlin is
thinking, if I can get myself in position
I might get by the 12 car.
>> Jeff: I was much more comfortable having
martin Truex Jr.
Behind me.
Hamlin has the speed.
>> Darrell: He's going to have to put a block
on him.
>> Jeff: Got him sideways.
>> Darrell: He touched him and got him loose.
Here we go.
>> Mike: Stacking up.
>> Jeff: Busch coming for Dibenedetto.
>> Mike: Dibenedetto and Gaughan.
Hamlin has Kurt Busch behind him and almirola.
>> Darrell: That 11 car is strong through
the corner.
He gets through the turns stout.
>> Mike: Another lead change.
Two laps to go.
>> Darrell: Hang on to them.
>> Jeff: Incredible the runs that come so
fast.
You cannot protect against that run.
>> Mike: Busch around off the bumper of Blaney!
>> Jeff: Could not avoid this one.
Bowman.
>> Darrell: Stenhouse.
>> Mike: Dibenedetto all torn up.
>> Jeff: We keep seeing these big runs coming
and with so much momentum it's so hard to
block that, but that's what you have to do
to keep the lead if you're going to win the
race.
>> Mike: Kurt Busch turned around looking
for the white flag.
>> Darrell: Did we see this come?
I think so.
>> Mike: Stenhouse.
Brendan Gaughan.
Matt Dibenedetto.
That little team could have use add great
finish here.
>> Darrell: As I look at our top ten, unbelievable,
the guys in the top ten.
Hamlin put a block on the 41.
>> Jeff: The 12 is right in that area, that
left rear that turns them around.
>> Mike: It was on from there.
It has become the war of attrition 500.
>> Jeff: That 41 around like we've seen all
week.
>> Mike: Let's watch from the rear bumper
cam of Denny Hamlin.
>> Bottom, bottom, bottom.
Inside.
Inside.
They're wrecking behind.
Inside, inside.
Caution, caution.
Watch your inside.
>> Jeff: This is all air, folks, air coming
off the front nose of that 12 car.
Pushing on the left side quarter panel of
the 41.
Of course then they finally make contact.
>> Darrell: Oh, my goodness.
>> Mike: It looks as if as many as eight lead
lap cars made it through unscathed.
>> Darrell: Wow.
What a shower of sparks.
>> Mike: Like a really bad video game.
Some of those eight, like Ryan Newman and
maybe allmendinger do have some damage.
>> Darrell: What about these shots.
>> Mike: Martin Truex believes he has a flat
tire and will come in.
Let's ride with him.
>> Stay low.
Stay low.
Come down low.
Come low.
Come low.
Low, low, low, low, low.
You, up.
>> Jeff: Telling him all the right things
to do.
He couldn't get down to get away from them.
>> Check it up, check it up, check it up.
Low on the side.
Keep coming.
Keep coming straight.
They will clear.
>> Mike: That was T.J.
Majors for Joey Logano.
>> Jeff: He did a great job.
When you're in the bank and carrying that
much speed it sends you back up into the banking.
>> Darrell: I don't believe the 22 hit the
41.
He got right on him and it seemed it let him
loose.
The 12, I'm sorry.
>> Mike: I saw six get through without damage.
>> Darrell: That's good because that's all
that's left.
>> Mike: Let's have a look at this from our
Goodyear blimp coverage.
Those who live up to their names make one
for themselves, Goodyear.
More driven.
Watch the 41 in the yellow car, the 12 of
Blaney.
>> Jeff: He backs off, tries not to make contact.
There's a big push that came from teammate
Aric almirola to the rear bumper of Kurt Busch
to give him that momentum to make the pass
for the lead on Denny Hamlin.
>> Darrell: Packing that air.
>> Mike: The 41 of Kurt Busch and that's all
it takes.
>> Darrell: Such a vulnerable spot.
We've seen that in qualifying races.
>> Mike: Brendan Gaughan said he was here
on vacation.
And there goes his shot at a top ten finish.
>> Darrell: Have I ever told you how cautions
breed cautions?
>> Mike: I believe you have, often.
And you're right.
Look at the carcass of the fire flailing around.
Getting through without incident Denny Hamlin,
Aric almirola, Chris Buescher, Austin Dillon,
Paul Menard, Darrell Wallace Jr., and, as
we saw, Joey Logano.
That penalty for Logano turned out to be the
best thing that could have happened for him
otherwise he would have been right up there
in the middle of it.
>> Jeff: You're absolutely right.
>> Darrell: It ain't over yet.
>> Mike: No.
The long day is going to get longer as we
go to NASCAR overtime.
Here's Chris myers.
>> Chris: Thanks, Mike.
The survival 500 continues.
We'll get back to live racing with Michael
Waltrip.
Three separate major wrecks.
>> Michael: Look at that visor cam.
That's how violent it is when you crash at
over 200 miles an hour.
>> Chris: And those that were taken out early
Jimmie Johnson, chase Elliott gets sideways,
going into the wall, Brad keselowski.
>> Michael: Another blocking incident.
They're doing everything to block.
>> Chris: Ryan Blaney LED 118 laps and with
two to go -- now who triggered all of this?
It looked like Blaney into the back of teammate
Kurt Busch.
>> Michael: The perfect block on Kurt Busch.
As Blaney approached from the rear, I think
he just pushed him around with the air.
Look at the melee.
>> Chris: The sparks flying.
We head to overtime with Denny Hamlin who
has won the daytona 500 once before.
Who else are you looking for?
We have some surprise names.
Bubba Wallace sixth, running for Richard petty
motorsports.
He's been a top ten cautiously all afternoon.
>> Michael: Look at the 3 car.
Trying to make something happen.
I love what they did and how they tried to
change the race for them.
Now in the top five.
Look for the 3 car to be strong.
>> Chris: When Kurt Busch won last year he
only LED the last laps.
We might be in for another one of those, Mike.
>> Mike: This new aero package, comes down
to the ground.
Jeff, just pack the air against the quarter
panel, you don't have to touch the other car.
>> Jeff: We heard how unstable they are.
The teams have done a great job making them
stick to the racetrack better.
So far what we've seen but that aggressive
draft willing and bump drafting and the air
moving around the nose of these cars especially
when the spoiler is that low to the ground
can easily turn them around.
>> Mike: Darrell, is anywhere safe?
>> Darrell: No, when you block, you might
get your block knocked off.
The 11 team looks like they have it in the
bag.
>> Mike: Let's find out.
Here is Jamie.
>> Jamie: It's been fun watching you during
these moments, Mike.
At this point what's the ideal scenario for
you on this restart?
>> I guess the ideal scenario is to win it.
You know, get clear early and hopefully maneuver
up and down as we need to through one and
two.
I know Denny is trying to do some coaching.
We've had an up and down day.
The middle was a little rough.
I don't know if I'll sleep tonight but exciting
at this point.
>> Jamie: I'm watching you tap your foot.
What are these moments like right now?
>> I'm enjoying it for a little bit.
Our job is done here.
>> Jamie: Their first race together trying
to make it two here.
>> Mike: Bubba Wallace in his first 500 for
Richard petty who has won this race seven
times.
His dad won the first one.
Pete Hamilton in 1970.
Look at the prerace tweet from Lewis Hamilton
cheering bubba Wallace on today.
>> Darrell: This kid has done a great job
today.
He exceeded my expectations, not running these
500-mile races, getting used to the team and
this car.
He's been extraordinary.
>> Mike: Chris Buescher has one win in the
monster energy series.
Driving for the Daugherty team.
>> Jeff: They have a technical alliance.
Hendrick motorsports and Chris Buescher is
quiet so we don't talk about him a lot.
I wouldn't count him out.
We get set 
for 
NASCAR overtime.
