Race Weekend Central

Stat Sheet: Sparking Numbers From Daytona 500 Weekend 2022

Chase Briscoe leads a pack of cars in the 2020 Daytona 500. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Just like that, another crazy and memorable Daytona 500 weekend is behind us. Daytona International Speedway is a place that is loaded with 60-plus years of history, and history continues to grow on from it with each race that’s held there. New  storylines have come out of this season-opening weekend, from Austin Cindric’s maiden Cup Series win on Sunday to Myatt Snider’s scary flip on Saturday and everything in between.

Couch Potato Tuesday: Bumper-Cam Overreliance Hurts Daytona 500 Broadcast

A pack of NASCAR race cars in the 2022 Daytona 500. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The Daytona 500 is the biggest day of the year for NASCAR.  This year, things were even more important since it was the very first points race for the NextGen car (which must be renamed soon because the name no longer makes sense).  The race ended up being quite a bit different than I thought it was going to be: a lot more like a slower version of last year that somehow ended up with the same number of lead changes

Up to Speed: Brad Keselowski & Austin Cindric Battle at Daytona

#6: Brad Keselowski, RFK Racing, Ford Mustang Castrol Violet Defense

(Photo: NKP)

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 Evades Chaos, Scores 1st Cup Series Win in Daytona 500

2022 Daytona Nxs Austin Cindric Burnout Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

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 final-restart challenges from teammate Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski, Bubba Wallace and others as the field crashed through the Daytona International Speedway trioval behind him. Cindric’s most recent Cup start, at …

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Harrison Burton Flips In Wild Daytona 500 Crash

Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Things were calm for a while in Sunday’s (Feb. 20) Daytona 500. A couple of cautions dotted stage one, but things picked up in a hurry as the segment wound down. Double-file racing prevailed with rookie Harrison Burton leading the outside lane. Burton’s No. 21 was visibly squirrely, and it culminated in Brad Keselowski pushing …

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Harrison Burton, Team Penske Top Daytona 500 Final Practice

#21: Harrison Burton, Wood Brothers Racing, Ford Mustang Motorcraft / Dex Imaging (NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Team Penske and Stewart-Haas Racing ran most of Daytona 500 final practice Saturday (Feb. 19) with all their cars on track. But it was rookie Harrison Burton from Wood Brothers Racing that set the fastest lap, posting the top speed with less than 10 minutes left in a quiet session.

In 21 laps on track, Burton ran a fast time of 47.782 seconds (188.355 mph). He’ll roll off eighth on the grid in the No. 21 while making his first Daytona 500 start.

What They Said: Daytona 500 Media Day Quotes

Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota, Christopher Bell, driver of the #20 DeWalt Toyota, Bubba Wallace, driver of the #23 McDonald's Toyota, Kurt Busch, driver of the #45 Monster Energy Toyota, and Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Express Toyota, drive during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series 64th Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 15, 2022 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Check out what the Daytona 500 competitors had to say Wednesday, Feb. 16, during media day for the 64th annual Great American Race.

2022 NASCAR Preseason Power Rankings: Nos. 30-21

2021 Talladega Ii Cup Bubba Wallace Matt Dibenedetto Pack Racing Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

It’s February, which means the NASCAR Cup Series takes to the track to start the 2022 season this month at Daytona International Speedway. With a wide array of driver and team changes from Silly Season alongside more minor personnel tweaks — or even a few lineups that stayed exactly the same — there’s a lot …

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Out With the Old, In With the New: 2021-2022 NASCAR Silly Season Recap

Next Gen Car Testing Daytona, Spire Motorsports Corey Lajoie, JTG Daugherty Ricky Stenhouse Jr., TrackHouse Racing Ross Chastain and Daniel Saurez, Hendrick Motorsports Dale Earnhardt Jr., Petty GMS Racing Erik Jones, Hendrick Motorsports William Byron, Kaulig Racing Justin Haley and Daniel Hemric NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

If you have watched football for a short duration, it probably did not take you long to realize that the wristband quarterbacks wear carry a portable playbook. This helps the quarterback have access to plays rather than having to memorize a plethora of them. Why am I talking about NFL wristbands? Because as a new …

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Menards Expands Penske Cup Sponsorship for 2022

2021 Kansas Ii Cup Ryan Blaney Car Sean Gardner Getty

(Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Menards will expand its sponsorship of Team Penske to two NASCAR Cup Series cars in 2022, Penske announced Nov. 30. Menards’ colors will adorn Austin Cindric‘s No. 2 in the series in addition to continuing its sponsorship of Ryan Blaney‘s No. 12. Additionally, Menards will sponsor Harrison Burton‘s rookie effort with Wood Brothers Racing in …

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