Matt Kenseth Tops In Frantic, Fiery Daytona 500

Matt Kenseth held off a hard last minute charge from Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and Greg Biffle to score his second win in Monday night’s Daytona 500, becoming the only repeat driver in the “Great American Race” since 2005.

The event, which saw a rain delay from it’s original Sunday date, a Monday night start, a multitude of cautions, and a lengthy red flag condition following a massive fire in the third turn, came down to a Green-White-Checkered finish.  Kenseth got the jump on the final start, pushing out front and picking up his teammate, Biffle, with Earnhardt, Jr. dropping into third.

On the final lap, Earnhardt, Jr. attempted to push Biffle around Kenseth, but made a move himself off the fourth turn.

But Kenseth had the situation covered, crossing under the checkered flag first with Earnhardt, Jr. beating Biffle to the line for second.

” (It) Feels great,” Kenseth said.  “We had a really fast car all day, had a lot of adversity to overcome, a lot of problems with the car.  We were able to get it figured out and had a great pit stop at the end that put us in position, and it feels great.  I wasn’t expecting to win when I woke up this morning, so it feels good to be sitting here. ”

Kenseth said he thought Biffle had one of the strongest cars all week, and he thought the No. 17 team had their car right there as well.

“Our car for some reason was a lot faster out front than it was in traffic,” he said.  ” It took a long time to get to the front.  But like Thursday once we were in the front, it was hard for anybody to get locked onto you.  My car was one of the faster cars, so it was harder for some of the cars to push you and stay locked onto you.

“And I learned a little bit on Thursday that the last couple laps there, and kind of what to do and what not to do and what this car liked.  And we had enough speed once we took the white, I felt sort of okay about it, but I still thought they were going to get a run and pass me.  By the time I got to (turn) 3 and could see they couldn’t get enough speed mustered up to try to make a move.”

“I’m really pleased to be able to get good points tonight,” said Earnhardt, Jr.  “The Roush cars are just really strong.  They’ve shown that all week.  I really didn’t know just how good they were until I got up there those last 60 laps, and I could get in between them, but I couldn’t get in front of them.  Just didn’t have enough car to get around them and get the lead.”

Sunday, the Daytona 500 was rained out.  Monday night, the Daytona 500 was nearly burned out in what will go down as one of the most bizarre occurrences in NASCAR and Daytona 500 history.

Under caution with about 40 laps to go, something appeared to break on the car of Juan Pablo Montoya as he came into the third turn while catching up with the field.  That sent his No. 42 Chevrolet spinning out of control, striking a safety truck and a jet dryer that was working to clean the track.

The impact set off a massive fire, and heavily damaged Montoya’s car, the jet dryer and the safety truck pulling it.

Jet fuel spilled onto the race track and ignited, setting much of the third turn on fire.  Fire crews quickly worked to contain the fire while Montoya and the safety truck driver, identified as Duane Barnes, were moved to safety.  Both were okay, with Montoya being checked and released from the infield care center, while Barnes was taken to Halifax Medical Center, where he was reported to be resting comfortably and being observed.

The resulting red flag would stay out for 2 hours, 5 minutes, and 29 seconds while track workers washed the track down, and made repairs to the racing surface.

The tone for the night was set early, as a massive crash on lap two took out several contenders.

The accident occurred as the pack raced through the tri-oval, when the Chevrolet of Jimmie Johnson was nudged from behind by Elliott Sadler, sending Johnson’s car head-on into the outside wall.  Johnson would spin to the middle of the track, and was struck hard on the driver’s side by David Ragan, who had nowhere to go.

Also gathered up in the accident were Danica Patrick, Trevor Bayne, and Kurt Busch.  Everyone was okay and able to walk away.  Johnson and Ragan were out, while Patrick, Bayne, and Busch spent many laps in the garage for repairs.

Back under green, Biffle would jump out front, pushed by Edwards.  The race would be slowed a few laps later when Ryan Newman cut a tire, sending his car spinning off turn two.

When the race resumed, Denny Hamlin would move out front.  The leaders would settle into a single file formation, with Hamlin holding the top spot for much of the first quarter of the event.

The Chevrolets flexed their muscle coming to the 50 lap mark, as Jeff Burton moved the top spot, with Biffle’s Ford in tow.

Following a brief caution for debris, the Fords decided it was time to lead the chase, with Biffle taking the point, pushed there by Richard Petty Motorsports’ Marcos Ambrose.

The lead pack again moved into single file formation.  It would stay that way until Martin Truex, Jr. pushed his way out front.  He would stay there until the caution flew again on lap 81, when Jeff Gordon’s engine came apart, ending his night.

While most of the field headed to pit road, two-time Sprint Cup Champion Terry Labonte chose to stay out, hoping to be in contention for the half-way leader bonus.

Biffle would retake the lead on the restart, with Labonte dropping into second.  One lap later, Labonte would spin off the fourth turn, bringing out the caution again.

When the green flag flew again, Biffle again would move out front, but could not hold off the charge of Toyota pilots Truex, Jr. and Hamlin.  Truex, Jr. would lead at the half-way mark, picking up the $200,000 bonus.

Hamlin would retake the lead soon after, and again settle into a spot he would hold for more laps than anyone else on Monday night as the lead pack again ran single file.

As the field approached green flag pit stops, Clint Bowyer ran out of gas on lap 128.  His Toyota came to a stop on the apron of the track, bringing out the yellow flag again.

Tony Stewart would inherit the lead, having just made a pit stop when the caution came out.  But his time at the top of the scoring pylon was short lived, as Biffle and Hamlin would push to the front.

With 54 laps to go, action began to heat up, as Biffle, Joey Logano, Earnhardt, Jr., and Kenseth each took a turn leading the pack.

A blown engine and spin by David Stremme would bring out the next caution with 43 laps to go.

While under this caution, the accident between Montoya and the safety truck occurred, bringing out the lengthy red flag.

While under the red, Dave Blaney, Landon Cassill, Tony Raines, and David Gilliland held the top four spots, and stood to score big if the race did not resume.

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With 23 to go, contact between Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. and Aric Almirola sent Almirola down the track in front of Casey Mears, sending Mears spinning, and gathering up Ambrose to bring out the yellow flag.

Kenseth and Biffle again jumped out front on the restart.  But the on track carnage wasn’t over, as the caution flew again for a multi-car crash on the front stretch.

It was triggered when something appeared to break on Jamie McMurray’s car, sending him spinning.  Also involved were Regan Smith, Kasey Kahne, Almirola, Edwards, and Brad Keselowski.

The Fords of Kenseth and Biffle led on the restart, with Hamlin moving to third.  It looked like the Roush-Fenway team mates had the field covered when the final caution of the night came out for a multi-car shunt with four to go.  It was set off when Stenhouse tagged Tony Stewart in the tri-oval, sending both spinning.  Newman, Blaney, Kyle Busch, David Gilliland and David Reutimann were also gathered up.

That set up the final Green-White-Checkered restart, with Kenseth scoring the eventual victory.  Earnhardt, Jr. finished second, with Biffle third, Hamlin fourth, and Burton fifth.

Paul Menard, Kevin Harvick, Edwards, Logano, and Mark Martin rounded out the top ten.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Daytona International Speedway – Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona 500 – Feb. 27, 2012

1.  (4) Matt Kenseth, Ford, 202.
2.  (5) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 202.
3.  (2) Greg Biffle, Ford, 202.
4. (31) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 202.
5.  (9) Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, 202.
6. (37) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 202.
7. (13) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 202.
8.  (1) Carl Edwards, Ford, 202.
9. (12) Joey Logano, Toyota, 202.
10. (22) Mark Martin, Toyota, 202.
11. (30) Clint Bowyer, Toyota, 202.
12. (26) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 202.
13.  (7) Marcos Ambrose, Ford, 202.
14. (32) Bobby Labonte, Toyota, 202.
15. (24) Dave Blaney, Chevrolet, 202.
16.  (3) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 202.
17. (14) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 202.
18. (43) Terry Labonte, Ford, 202.
19. (41) Tony Raines, Ford, 202.
20. (21) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 202.
21. (18) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 202.
22. (39) Landon Cassill, Toyota, 202.
23. (33) David Gilliland, Ford, 201.
24.  (6) Regan Smith, Chevrolet, 200.
25. (36) Casey Mears, Ford, 199.
26. (38) David Reutimann, Toyota, Accident, 196.
27. (10) Elliott Sadler, Chevrolet, 196.
28. (34) Joe Nemechek, Toyota, 194.
29. (20) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, Accident, 189.
30. (11) Michael McDowell, Ford, 189.
31. (19) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, Accident, 188.
32. (23) Brad Keselowski, Dodge, Accident, 187.
33. (27) Aric Almirola, Ford, Accident, 187.
34. (15) AJ Allmendinger, Dodge, 177.
35. (40) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 164.
36. (35) Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevrolet, Accident, 159.
37. (42) David Stremme, Toyota, Engine, 156.
38. (29) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, 138.
39. (28) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 113.
40. (16) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, Engine, 81.
41. (17) Robby Gordon, Dodge, Engine, 25.
42.  (8) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, Accident, 1.
43. (25) David Ragan, Ford, Accident, 1.

Race Statistics

Average Speed: 140.256 mph.
Time of Race: 3 Hrs, 36 Mins, 2 Secs.
Margin of Victory: 0.210 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 10 for 42 laps.
Lead Changes: 25 among 13 drivers.
Lap Leaders: G. Biffle 1-9; R. Smith 10-11; G. Biffle 12-14; P. Menard 15-16; D. Hamlin 17-40; J. Burton 41-57; J. Gordon 58; T. Stewart 59-60; J. Burton 61-67; G. Biffle 68-76; M. Truex Jr. 77-81; G. Biffle 82; T. Labonte 83-85; G. Biffle 86-99; M. Truex Jr. 100-101; D. Hamlin 102-129; G. Biffle 130; M. Martin 131-132; G. Biffle 133-138; D. Hamlin 139-143; J. Logano 144-145; M. Kenseth 146-157; G. Biffle 158; D. Blaney 159-164; M. Kenseth 165-202.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  D. Hamlin 3 times for 57 laps; M. Kenseth 2 times for 50 laps; G. Biffle 8 times for 44 laps; J. Burton 2 times for 24 laps; M. Truex Jr. 2 times for 7 laps; D. Blaney 1 time for 6 laps; T. Labonte 1 time for 3 laps; P. Menard 1 time for 2 laps; J. Logano 1 time for 2 laps; T. Stewart 1 time for 2 laps; M. Martin 1 time for 2 laps; R. Smith 1 time for 2 laps; J. Gordon 1 time for 1 lap.
Top 12 in Points: M. Kenseth – 47; D. Earnhardt Jr. – 42; G. Biffle – 42; D. Hamlin – 42; J. Burton – 40; P. Menard – 39; K. Harvick – 37; C. Edwards – 36; J. Logano – 36; M. Martin – 35; C. Bowyer – 33; M. Truex Jr. – 33.