Daytona 500
Rain was once again the name of the game as NASCAR struggled to kick off the 2024 season. For the unofficial start to the season, the Busch Light Clash was moved head 24 hours to get drivers and teams out of town before life-threatening rains and floods were forecasted to move into the area. This week, after delaying the Daytona 500 to Monday afternoon, it dried out, and was finally time to get things underway.
In a race that saw two significant wrecks take out numerous drivers, one red-flagging the action, Hendrick Motorsports came out on top. William Byron and Alex Bowman placed one-two and the race finished under caution.
Rich MARvelous Move of the Race
For being the highly anticipated, official season opener, the Pit Pass Network crew agreed there were more “bonehead” moves than “MARvelous” ones.
However, a race-saving move to close out the second stage stood out as the Daytona 500 Rich MARvelous Move of the Race.
As seen at the :32 mark in the video below, Austin Cindric was working hard to keep Kyle Busch from winning the second stage.
Coming to the stage end, Cindric moved to the top lane to block Busch, ever so slightly making contact. In turn, the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing driver used his years of experience to hold the wheel steady and not cause another way-too-early Big One.
Ryan Blaney, the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Champion and teammate of Cindric, went on to win the stage.
STAGE 2 WINNER: @Blaney
The defending champion ditches his teammate @AustinCindric in Turn 4 to pick up his 3rd career stage victory in the #DAYTONA500
How they all kept without wrecking we'll never know.
The final stage awaits.#NASCAR pic.twitter.com/V7MWM5PWza
— NASCAR on TSN (@NASCARonTSN) February 19, 2024
Kudos to Kyle B. for holding her steady and quick thinking at Daytona International Speedway!
