5:30 p.m.
Justin Haley has won the rain-shortened Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway, his first at NASCAR’s top level.
Haley took the lead under warning – Kurt Busch surrendered the top spot when he pitted for tires – and was declared the winner after heavy rain followed two lightning flaws. There were 33 laps left when the 160-lap race was halted.
Haley was 27th when chief Austin Dillon triggered a 17-car crash which took out nearly half the field and the majority of the top contenders. He passed a number of wrecked automobiles and then a few more that made pit stops.
The 20-year-old Haley will not lock in a place in the playoffs, though. He’s a fulltime motorist at the second-tier Xfinity Series and has been making his third Cup Series beginning – all for newcomer Spire Motorsports. The team’s No. 77 Chevrolet could procure a postseason bid, but only as long as it winds up in the top 30 in points.
Nonetheless, it was a fitting end for the final July race at NASCAR’s most famous track.
The event, which was postponed a day because of rain, was plagued with inclement weather and full of unpredictable winners in recent decades. It’s moving to late August at 2020 – the regular-season finale – included in NASCAR’s major schedule shake-up.
William Byron finished second, followed by seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and Ty Dillon. Manufacturer Chevrolet won for the second consecutive week and took the top four places.
Ryan Newman was fifth in a Ford.
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4:30 p.m.
Drivers Bubba Wallace and Daniel Hemric amused fans during two lightning delays by throwing a soccer throughout the trail and in the stands.
Wallace and Hemric each had a few errant throws and got booed a little.
However, it certainly gave fans a reason to stay around for at least an hour with no racing.
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3:18 p.m.
Lighting has halted the NASCAR race at Daytona International Speedway with Justin Haley in the lead.
The 20-year-old Haley is a part-time motorist for newcomer Spire Motorsports. He finished second in Friday night’s second-tier Xfinity Series race whilst forcing for Kaulig Racing. This is his third Cup Series start.
Kurt Busch was leading the 400-mile race after a 17-car wreck. However, Busch ducked onto pit road for fuel under warning. That left Haley front, and as soon as the red flag was pulled due to a nearby lightning strike, it left Busch in 18th. As automobiles were parked and coated on pit road.
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3 p.m.
With dark clouds looming and also the close of the race in sight, pioneer Austin Dillon wrecked almost half the field at Daytona International Speedway.
“The Big One” happened on Lap 119 in Turn 1 and included 17 cars – most of them at the front of the field.
Clint Bowyer was pushing Dillon into front on the outside and made a hard move left to try and pass the pioneer. Dillon turned left in No. 3 Chevrolet, tagged Bowyer and then began spinning and carrying out competitors.
“I guess that he did not need me to pass him,” Bowyer said.
All four Joe Gibbs Racing cars – Deny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr. and defending race winner Erik Jones – were involved. So were Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott.
“I was being aggressive and trying to keep the lead,” Dillon said.” That’s exactly what you get.”
Kurt Busch was able to make it through the melee unscathed.
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