The Latest: Cup Series race at Daytona begins a day late
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 caution – Kurt Busch surrendered the top spot when he pitted for tires – and was declared the winner after heavy rain followed two lightning flaws. You will find 33 laps left when the 160-lap race has been halted.
Haley was 27th when leader Austin Dillon triggered a 17-car crash that took out almost half the area and the majority of the best contenders. He passed a number of wrecked cars and then several more that left pit stops.
The 20-year-old Haley will not lock in a place in the playoffs, though. He’s a full-time driver at the second-tier Xfinity Series and has been making his third Cup Series start – for newcomer Spire Motorsports. The team’s No. 77 Chevrolet could procure a postseason bid, but only if it winds up in the top 30 in points.
Nonetheless, it was a fitting end for the final July race in NASCAR’s most famous track.
The event, which was postponed a day due to rain, has been plagued by inclement weather and filled with unpredictable winners in the past couple of years. It’s moving to late August in 2020 – the regular-season finale – as part of NASCAR’s major schedule shake-up.
William Byron finished second, followed closely by seven-time Cup winner Jimmie Johnson and Ty Dillon. Manufacturer Chevrolet won for the second consecutive week and took the top four spots.
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 flaws by throwing a soccer throughout the track and in the stands.
Wallace and Hemric each had a couple of throws and got booed a bit.
But it surely gave fans a reason to stick around for more than an hour with no racing.
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3:18 p.m.
Lighting has stopped the NASCAR race at Daytona International Speedway with Justin Haley at the lead.
The 20-year-old Haley is a part-time driver for newcomer Spire Motorsports. He finished second in Friday night’s second-tier Xfinity Series race while forcing for Kaulig Racing. This is his third Cup Series start.
Kurt Busch was leading the 400-mile race after a 17-car wreck. But Busch ducked onto pit road for fuel under warning. That left Haley out front, and when 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 the end of the race in sight, leader Austin Dillon wrecked nearly half the area at Daytona International Speedway.
“The Big One” happened on Lap 119 in Turn 1 and included 17 cars – many of these at the front of the field.
Clint Bowyer was pushing Dillon into front on the outside and made a hard move left to attempt to pass the leader. Dillon turned left No. 3 Chevrolet, branded Bowyer and then started spinning and taking out rivals.
“I guess that he didn’t want me to pass him,” Bowyer said.
All four Joe Gibbs Racing automobiles – Deny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr. and defending race winner Erik Jones – were included. So were Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott.
“I was being aggressive and trying to maintain the guide,” Dillon said.” That’s exactly what you get.”
Kurt Busch managed to get through this melee unscathed.
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