KYLE BUSCH SURVIVES LATE PUSH; WINS 2ND DAYTONA DUEL

 

Click here to follow us on Twitter @circletrackplus   Click here to like us on Facebook 

 

Photo by Sarah Crabill/NASCAR via Getty Images
Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images

Kyle Busch carried his momentum from last season's championship run into Daytona International Speedway where he took his third career victory in Thursday night's second Can-Am 150. Busch was able to survive a late race push from former Daytona 500 champions Jamie McMurray and Jimmie Johnson to secure his spot up front for Sunday's Daytona 500.

Busch ran up front for majority of a rather uneventful race in Daytona terms until the end.

“It was very calm there for a long time until the last lap then it got crazy,” Busch said. “I’m looking forward to starting the Daytona 500 in the fourth spot but I think I actually will get the outside front row now.”

After failing to secure a late race pass, Jamie McMurray appeared to make contact with then third place Jimmie Johnson which sent Johnson's No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet spinning. The wreck caused major damage to Matt Kenseth, Martin Truex, Jr, and Danica Patrick. 

Kenseth had already earned a spot on the front row for Sunday's race but will likely have to start from the back of the field in a backup car. This scenario would give Busch the second starting spot instead of the fourth starting spot which he earned for the duel victory. 

Like the first duel, there were drivers who were under immense pressure to drive safely in order to make the show on Sunday. BK Racing's stable of Toyotas were the true winners on Thursday night by advancing Matt DiBenedetto's No. 93 and Rob Richardson, Jr's No. 26 entry. 

“Two weeks ago when I got the call to run this race, I was mowing the hay pastures,” Richardson said. “I’m just very blessed to be here.”

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race Number 0
Unofficial Race Results for the Can-Am Duel 2 - Thursday, February 18, 2016
Daytona International Speedway - Daytona Beach, FL - 2.5 Mile Paved
Total Race Length - 60 Laps - 150 Miles

Leader
Fin    Str    Car    Driver    Team    Laps    Pts    Bns    Driver Rating    Status    Tms    Laps
1    2    18    Kyle Busch    M&M's 75 Toyota    60    45    5    127.3    Running    2    35
2    10    1    Jamie McMurray    McDonald's/Cessna Chevrolet    60    39        98.1    Running        
3    5    41    Kurt Busch    Haas Automation/Monster Energy Chevrolet    60    38        79.9    Running        
4    4    19    Carl Edwards    ARRIS Toyota    60    37        100.7    Running        
5    8    95    Ty Dillon(i)    Cheerios Chevrolet    60    0        93.3    Running        
6    11    42    Kyle Larson    Target Chevrolet    60    35        81.8    Running        
7    14    10    Danica Patrick    Nature's Bakery Chevrolet    60    34        77.1    Running        
8    22    14    Brian Vickers    Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet    60    33        56.5    Running        
9    12    93    * Matt DiBenedetto    Dustless Blasting Toyota    60    32        67.1    Running        
10    16    46    Michael Annett    Pilot/Flying J Chevrolet    60    31        44.5    Running        
11    17    38    Landon Cassill    Florida Lottery Ford    60    30        38.8    Running        
12    19    35    * David Gilliland     Ford    60    29        48.3    Running        
13    3    48    Jimmie Johnson    Lowe's Chevrolet    59    28        74.3    Running        
14    21    78    Martin Truex Jr.    Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Toyota    59    27        75.3    Running        
15    15    47    AJ Allmendinger    Kroger/Scott Products Chevrolet    59    26        70.5    Running        
16    1    20    Matt Kenseth    Dollar General Toyota    59    26    1    89.3    Running    1    23
17    6    13    Casey Mears    GEICO Chevrolet    59    24        82.5    Running        
18    18    26    * Robert Richardson Jr.    Stalk It Toyota    59    23        35.8    Running        
19    9    43    Aric Almirola    Smithfield Ford    59    23    1    77.1    Running    1    2
20    13    83    Michael Waltrip    Maxwell House Toyota    59    21        30.2    Running        
21    20    40    * Reed Sorenson    CRC Brakleen Chevrolet    56    20        26.1    Running        
22    7    31    Ryan Newman    CAT Chevrolet    31    19        43.5    Engine        
 Race Comments:    Kyle Busch won the Can-Am Duel #2 at Daytona International Speedway, his third victory in the qualifying event. Prior to the start of the race, the following cars dropped to the rear of the field for the reason indicated: Nos. 42, 83 (back-up car); 14 (Qualifying Time Disallowed); 78 (No Qualifying Attempt).
 Failed to Qualify:    N/A
 Time of Race:    0 Hrs, 46 Mins, 54 Secs.    Average Speed:    191.898 MPH    Margin of Victory:    Caution
 Caution Flags:    1 for 1 laps: Laps: 60-60 (#41, 48, 78, 20, 10, 47 Accident Turn 1 [None]).
 Lead Changes:    3 among 3 drivers: M. Kenseth 1-23; Kyle Busch 24-37; A. Almirola 38-39; Kyle Busch 40-60.
Chase Grid Outlook:     1.Kyle Busch 45 (1 wins);2.J. Mcmurray 39 (0);3.Kurt Busch 38 (0);4.C. Edwards 37 (0);5.K. Larson 35 (0);6.D. Patrick 34 (0);7.B. Vickers 33 (0);8.*. Dibenedetto 32 (0);9.M. Annett 31 (0);10.L. Cassill 30 (0);11.*. Gilliland 29 (0);12.J. Johnson 28 (0);13.M. Truex Jr. 27 (0);14.A. Allmendinger 26 (0);15.M. Kenseth 26 (0);16.C. Mears 24 (0).
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series
Next Race:    Feb. 28, 2016 - Atlanta Motor Speedway
NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications @ P.O. Box 2875, Daytona Beach, FL 32120-2875

 

Categories: