2021-1 NASCAR Cup Series - Round 25: Daytona

 Stream: https://youtu.be/FazgxEGPTOM

Well it was back to it after a holiday break in July and early August.

Race 1:

8 lap sprint and Tnadz took the pole.

A few laps in, The Bear got a little too close to the 7.

The maelstrom caught up the 26 of Zolecki as well, shutting down points hopes for the opener.

Meanwhile, Tnadz held a comfortable lead to take his first win in quite a while.

Race 2:

The script was flipped for the second sprint as Zolecki grabbed the top spot with The Bear right behind.

They held this formation for the entirety of the race as Tnadz went for a last lap dive.  But he was just short by about a foot at the line.

Race 3:

A repeat of the previous run saw these three at the front for the 16 lapper.

The competition was much tougher this time around but the trio stayed together.  With 5 to go, most of the field came in.

There was a near fatal incident as Tnadz tapped the back of Bear as they approached the pit lane.  No one was taken out but it would be a sign of things to come.

Zolecki went for a ride on entry, dropping precious spots and seconds.

Tnadz, trying to capitalize, did his spin off of the apron upon pit exit.

The Bear followed suit and mowed the lawn too.  The threesome went from podiums to deep into the field.  A sad turnabout for such an intense run up to that point.

The sequel will come about next week at Talladega.

Race 1

Track: DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY® (Night)

Date: 08/11/21

Session: Practice

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	18	K Busch	45.211
2	21	M DiBenedetto	45.259
3	4	K Harvick	45.278
4	88	A Bowman	45.278
5	15	B Poole	45.283
6	96	D Suarez	45.298
7	1	K Busch2	45.357
8	43	B Wallace	45.399
9	061	D Hamilton	45.487
10	9	C Elliott	45.491
11	41	C Custer	45.495
12	6	R Newman	45.495
13	53	G Smithley	45.505
14	19	M Truex Jr.	45.526
15	021	T Bear	45.540
16	20	E Jones	45.545
17	42	M Kenseth	45.554
18	3	A Dillon	45.556
19	37	R Preece	45.558
20	7	J Bilicki	45.660
21	34	M McDowell	45.666
22	26	J Zolecki	45.669
23	66	T Hill	45.670
24	51	J Gase	45.671
25	13	T Dillon	45.748
26	24	W Byron	45.752
27	12	R Blaney	45.807
28	47	R Stenhouse Jr.	45.809
29	62	B Gaughan	45.813
30	17	C Buescher	45.821
31	00	Q Houff	45.833
32	8	T Reddick	45.835
33	2	B Keselowski	45.837
34	22	J Logano	45.927
35	11	D Hamlin	45.929
36	10	A Almirola	45.931
37	48	J Johnson	45.974
38	14	C Bowyer	46.094
39	013	T Nadz	46.903

Weather: Cloudy, 82 °F, Southwest 8 mph

Session: Qualifying

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	013	T Nadz	46.514
2	43	B Wallace	46.885
3	47	R Stenhouse Jr.	46.896
4	37	R Preece	46.957
5	24	W Byron	46.973
6	15	B Poole	47.017
7	4	K Harvick	47.045
8	66	T Hill	47.062
9	1	K Busch2	47.075
10	3	A Dillon	47.080
11	6	R Newman	47.096
12	96	D Suarez	47.107
13	17	C Buescher	47.109
14	7	J Bilicki	47.111
15	14	C Bowyer	47.115
16	2	B Keselowski	47.126
17	10	A Almirola	47.148
18	11	D Hamlin	47.149
19	22	J Logano	47.154
20	021	T Bear	47.167
21	18	K Busch	47.173
22	51	J Gase	47.180
23	62	B Gaughan	47.191
24	19	M Truex Jr.	47.207
25	53	G Smithley	47.214
26	13	T Dillon	47.218
27	41	C Custer	47.220
28	9	C Elliott	47.238
29	88	A Bowman	47.243
30	20	E Jones	47.251
31	48	J Johnson	47.268
32	21	M DiBenedetto	47.274
33	8	T Reddick	47.274
34	34	M McDowell	47.362
35	00	Q Houff	47.432
36	12	R Blaney	47.460
37	42	M Kenseth	47.486
38	26	J Zolecki	47.596
39	0		--
40	0		--
41	0		--
42	025	G Slab	--
43	097	G Slab	--

Weather: Cloudy, 82 °F, Southwest 9 mph

Session: Happy Hour

P

#

DRIVER

TIME

Weather: Cloudy, 67 °F, Southwest 6 mph

Session: Race

OFFICIAL STANDINGS

F	S	#	DRIVER	INTERVAL	LAPS	LED	POINTS	STATUS
1	1	013	T Nadz	196.055	8	8*	185	Running
2	17	10	A Almirola	-0.25	8	0	170	Running
3	3	47	R Stenhouse Jr.	-0.30	8	0	165	Running
4	15	14	C Bowyer	-0.36	8	0	160	Running
5	5	24	W Byron	-0.41	8	0	155	Running
6	11	6	R Newman	-0.46	8	0	150	Running
7	13	17	C Buescher	-0.61	8	0	146	Running
8	18	11	D Hamlin	-6.75	8	0	142	Running
9	10	3	A Dillon	-6.85	8	0	138	Running
10	12	96	D Suarez	-6.96	8	0	134	Running
11	6	15	B Poole	-7.81	8	0	130	Running
12	16	2	B Keselowski	-11.97	8	0	127	Running
13	19	22	J Logano	-12.09	8	0	124	Running
14	4	37	R Preece	-12.41	8	0	121	Running
15	23	62	B Gaughan	-13.49	8	0	118	Running
16	27	41	C Custer	-13.60	8	0	115	Running
17	34	34	M McDowell	-14.43	8	0	112	Running
18	25	53	G Smithley	-14.56	8	0	109	Running
19	36	12	R Blaney	-14.88	8	0	106	Running
20	22	51	J Gase	-15.80	8	0	103	Running
21	26	13	T Dillon	-15.90	8	0	100	Running
22	29	88	A Bowman	-16.33	8	0	97	Running
23	2	43	B Wallace	-16.60	8	0	94	Running
24	9	1	K Busch2	-16.81	8	0	91	Running
25	35	00	Q Houff	-16.95	8	0	88	Running
26	31	48	J Johnson	-18.51	8	0	85	Running
27	32	21	M DiBenedetto	-18.74	8	0	82	Running
28	28	9	C Elliott	-18.75	8	0	79	Running
29	21	18	K Busch	-18.92	8	0	76	Running
30	24	19	M Truex Jr.	-30.21	8	0	73	Running
31	7	4	K Harvick	-36.26	8	0	70	Fuel Lk
32	8	66	T Hill	-1L	7	0	67	Running
33	42	025	G Slab	-1L	7	0	64	Running
34	38	26	J Zolecki	-1L	7	0	61	Running
35	20	021	T Bear	-1L	7	0	58	Running
36	14	7	J Bilicki	-4L	4	0	55	Retired
37	33	8	T Reddick	-5L	3	0	52	Retired
38	30	20	E Jones	-5L	3	0	49	No Fuel
39	37	42	M Kenseth	-5L	3	0	46	Accident

Caution Flags: 0 (0 laps)

Lead Changes: 0 (1 driver)

Weather: Cloudy, 66 °F, West 6 mph

Pitstop Frequency: 1x

AI Strength: 94%

PENALTIES

LAP

#

INFRACTION

PENALTY

Race 2

Track: DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY® (Night)

Date: 08/11/21

Session: Practice

P

#

DRIVER

TIME

Weather: Cloudy, 75 °F, Southwest 12 mph

Session: Qualifying

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	26	J Zolecki	46.152
2	013	T Nadz	46.379
3	021	T Bear	46.605
4	15	B Poole	46.813
5	38	J Nemechek	46.857
6	32	C Lajoie	46.879
7	19	M Truex Jr.	46.888
8	17	C Buescher	46.906
9	21	M DiBenedetto	46.912
10	18	K Busch	46.918
11	34	M McDowell	46.940
12	11	D Hamlin	46.942
13	1	K Busch2	46.943
14	2	B Keselowski	46.959
15	6	R Newman	46.962
16	48	J Johnson	46.968
17	00	Q Houff	46.969
18	27	G Gaulding	46.969
19	20	E Jones	46.993
20	41	C Custer	46.996
21	43	B Wallace	47.001
22	47	R Stenhouse Jr.	47.013
23	8	T Reddick	47.030
24	53	G Smithley	47.035
25	12	R Blaney	47.044
26	88	A Bowman	47.055
27	95	C Bell	47.064
28	42	M Kenseth	47.072
29	22	J Logano	47.074
30	9	C Elliott	47.075
31	14	C Bowyer	47.087
32	37	R Preece	47.116
33	3	A Dillon	47.161
34	24	W Byron	47.170
35	4	K Harvick	47.182
36	10	A Almirola	47.242
37	52	J Yeley	47.245
38	96	D Suarez	47.281
39	025	G Slab	47.387

Weather: Cloudy, 75 °F, Northwest 10 mph

Session: Happy Hour

P

#

DRIVER

TIME

Weather: Cloudy, 60 °F, North 13 mph

Session: Race

OFFICIAL STANDINGS

F	S	#	DRIVER	INTERVAL	LAPS	LED	POINTS	STATUS
1	1	26	J Zolecki	196.004	8	8*	185	Running
2	2	013	T Nadz	-0.02	8	0	170	Running
3	3	021	T Bear	-0.18	8	0	165	Running
4	17	00	Q Houff	-0.28	8	0	160	Running
5	15	6	R Newman	-0.40	8	0	155	Running
6	19	20	E Jones	-0.50	8	0	150	Running
7	7	19	M Truex Jr.	-0.54	8	0	146	Running
8	23	8	T Reddick	-0.61	8	0	142	Running
9	6	32	C Lajoie	-0.70	8	0	138	Running
10	9	21	M DiBenedetto	-0.70	8	0	134	Running
11	21	43	B Wallace	-0.81	8	0	130	Running
12	27	95	C Bell	-0.85	8	0	127	Running
13	12	11	D Hamlin	-0.97	8	0	124	Running
14	25	12	R Blaney	-1.08	8	0	121	Running
15	14	2	B Keselowski	-1.24	8	0	118	Running
16	29	22	J Logano	-1.27	8	0	115	Running
17	18	27	G Gaulding	-1.36	8	0	112	Running
18	16	48	J Johnson	-1.38	8	0	109	Running
19	5	38	J Nemechek	-1.46	8	0	106	Running
20	20	41	C Custer	-1.49	8	0	103	Running
21	11	34	M McDowell	-1.56	8	0	100	Running
22	10	18	K Busch	-1.59	8	0	97	Running
23	4	15	B Poole	-1.67	8	0	94	Running
24	26	88	A Bowman	-1.71	8	0	91	Running
25	8	17	C Buescher	-1.77	8	0	88	Running
26	13	1	K Busch2	-1.81	8	0	85	Running
27	31	14	C Bowyer	-1.93	8	0	82	Running
28	22	47	R Stenhouse Jr.	-1.93	8	0	79	Running
29	39	025	G Slab	-4.75	8	0	76	Running
30	34	24	W Byron	-4.85	8	0	73	Running
31	30	9	C Elliott	-4.95	8	0	70	Running
32	35	4	K Harvick	-5.05	8	0	67	Running
33	24	53	G Smithley	-5.15	8	0	64	Running
34	33	3	A Dillon	-5.34	8	0	61	Running
35	38	96	D Suarez	-5.45	8	0	58	Running
36	28	42	M Kenseth	-5.56	8	0	55	Running
37	36	10	A Almirola	-17.28	8	0	52	Running
38	37	52	J Yeley	-24.61	8	0	49	Running
39	32	37	R Preece	-25.83	8	0	46	Running

Caution Flags: 0 (0 laps)

Lead Changes: 0 (1 driver)

Weather: Cloudy, 60 °F, North 9 mph

Pitstop Frequency: 1x

AI Strength: 94%

PENALTIES

LAP

#

INFRACTION

PENALTY