5 Points to Ponder: Something to Talk About, Daytona 500 Edition
After a challenging couple of years for NASCAR, the one unmistakable feeling as the green flag flew this past Sunday (Feb. 20) was that stock car racing was back.
After a challenging couple of years for NASCAR, the one unmistakable feeling as the green flag flew this past Sunday (Feb. 20) was that stock car racing was back.
The 2022 Daytona 500 did not disappoint, an action-packed race ending with a rookie in victory lane. Austin Cindric took the checkered flag in just his eighth career NASCAR Cup Series start, capping off a wild finish in which he held off Bubba Wallace by just 0.036 seconds at the line. It was a far cry from rookie teammate Harrison Burton’s afternoon, flipping over on the backstretch in the day’s most serious incident as aggression produced several bump drafts gone wrong.
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Austin Cindric won his first-ever NASCAR Cup Series race in only his eighth career start and second in the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 20 by barely nipping out 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace by a nose. Following him to the line were Chase Briscoe, Ryan Blaney and Aric Almirola, who earned a top-five finish in his last Daytona 500 as a full-time driver.
Cindric is the first rookie to win the Daytona 500 since Trevor Bayne in 2011.
Many drivers go a lifetime without winning NASCAR’s biggest race, but it took Austin Cindric just eight starts to put that notch on his belt. Cindric powered to the front on the final restart and blocked his way to the win as chaos erupted behind him.
One year ago, Brad Keselowski’s frustration was visible.
As the final laps of the Daytona 500 ticked away, Keselowski made a bold move to set himself up for a last-lap pass for the lead on his Team Penske teammate Joey Logano. But when Logano blocked Keselowski’s path forward, Keselowski got hit from behind by Michael McDowell, triggering a frightening crash that knocked out both Penske cars. McDowell went on to win the race, leaving Keselowski without a Harley J. Earl Trophy for at least one more year.
Austin Cindric’s final pit stop couldn’t have been worse.
With Daytona International Speedway’s frontstretch lights illuminating them, the pit crew for Team Penske’s No. 2 Ford was slow and lacked coordination.
They also didn’t even bother to put on safety equipment. One even wore a backpack.
After a flip, multiple multi-car crashes and late-race chaos, Austin Cindric emerged as the 2022 Daytona 500 champion on Sunday (Feb. 20) as he survived …
The 2022 Daytona 500 is here. It took three months and 13 days, but we made it through the offseason, folks. NASCAR Cup Series racing …
NASCAR officials confiscated wheels from Team Penske and RFK Racing at Daytona International Speedway on Friday morning.
NASCAR Cup Series drivers Harrison Burton, Austin Cindric and Todd Gilliland will launch their rookie campaigns this weekend in the Daytona 500.