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Sprint Cup Daytona Week 1 Recap

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Harvick Holds Pack Off to Win Sprint Unlimited Coming into the Sprint Unlimited on Saturday night, no one really knew what to expect. Every time …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2013 Sprint Unlimited at Daytona

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On lap 16, Tony Stewart attempted to change lanes and make a move on race leader Matt Kenseth. While he wasn’t cleared by his spotter, Stewart chose to shift down low which resulted in his left rear corner making contact with the right front of Marcos Ambrose. Stewart’s car got out of shape, made contact with the apron and sent a shower of sparks over several cars that were pursuing him. Jimmie Johnson checked up in the high line, which caused Denny Hamlin to make contact with the five-time champ, turning him down in front of the oncoming pack and ultimately taking out one-third of the field. The accident eliminated defending champion Kyle Busch, two-time Unlimited champion Jeff Gordon, 2006 winner Denny Hamlin and 1999 winner Mark Martin. Just like that, the field was reduced by one-third, many contenders sat idle in the garage and the drafting – along with the racing – became a shell of its former self.

Daytona Brought To You By The Letter “L:” Lame Duck, Lucky Lady, Lots To Prove

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Kevin Harvick spent Saturday night “Happy” in Victory Lane, and why not? He’d won the first Cup race of 2013, established himself as a contender to win a second Daytona 500 and injected a much-needed boost of energy into struggling Richard Childress Racing. But the second he stepped out of that zone, into his media presser that merriness got entangled with a different type of off-track mission – one that involved holding up the middle finger.

“I missed all you guys,” said the winner, a sarcastic joke tinged with reality after walking in. “Because you were all busy being TMZ the other day. So now you all have to talk to me and I can be a complete prick.”

Pace Laps: Sandbagging Central?, The NASCAR Week Ahead And Beach Battles

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*Sprint Cup: Sandbag Central At The Beach?* No, I’m not talking about the soft stuff your NASCAR favorites will be tanning on the next two days, enjoying a well-deserved break at Daytona before practice starts up midweek. I’m looking at strategy, in particular during Saturday night’s Sprint Unlimited that could cause a different look to Sunday’s Daytona 500.

During this weekend’s race, while Kevin Harvick led the most laps it was clear Matt Kenseth had the fastest car. For most of the first segment, his No. 20 Toyota remained in command up front, blocking any challenges while the field struggled to simply stay attached. But as rivals realized Kenseth was a favorite, they also recognized he suffered from a paralyzing disadvantage: both his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates were sitting in the garage, out of the race and unable to help. That left Harvick and company choosing to railroad past during the third and final segment, booting Kenseth from first place on Lap 62 to the outskirts of the top 10.

Wild Card No More: Why NASCAR Will Never Win at Restrictor Plate Races

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“If you ain’t first, you’re last.” We hear it several times a weekend, a statement most drivers believe to its core. Winning is everything, simple as that, and you will never hear drivers, fans, or media say otherwise. It’s what these teams live for.

But NASCAR? Well … they can’t seem to win for losing, especially when it comes to these restrictor plate races. Just think back to last season, when Tony Stewart flipped over during the green-white-checkered finish in last Fall’s wild Talladega ending. Even though Stewart walked away from the wreck completely unharmed thanks, in part, to NASCAR’s safety innovations, there were still fans screaming for the heads of those who thought this type of format was a good idea. It’s unsafe, they said, and we shouldn’t be risking the lives of drivers for entertainment.

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2013 Sprint Unlimited at Daytona

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The good news is that nobody had to worry about points on Saturday night. The bad news is that many teams come to Daytona with three cars: their Sprint Unlimited car, Daytona 500 car and Daytona 500 backup. After a practice wreck, some teams could be left scrambling. Carl Edwards’s team already loaded his Unlimited car on a hauler bound for Charlotte after his practice wreck; they’ll fix it, hang new sheetmetal, and bring it back to serve as the Daytona 500 backup as Edwards was forced to pull his original second car out for Saturday’s race.