Daytona 500

Trevor Bayne: youngest driver to win the Daytona 500 in NASCAR history.  Soon enough these words will sink in for Bayne, who just turned twenty yesterday.  “I keep thinking I'm dreaming, I really do. We said a prayer before (the race), we pray a lot and we expect a lot of things. This shows how powerful God is. I'm so thankful for the job the guys did on this racecar.  It is unbelievable." said the young driver of the #21 Motorcraft/ Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford.

The 2011 Daytona 500 was a history maker all the way through, ending with sixteen cautions, seventy-four lead changes and twenty-two different leaders. Sixteen being the most cautions ever at the Daytona 500. During caution fifteen, Kyle Busch knew the craziness wasn’t over until the checkered flag dropped. “I told you all through speed weeks, I said, it don’t matter how long you can push because it’s going to be a green, white, checkered. It’s getting crazy and it still ain’t done getting crazy.”

David Ragan had a great running car all day. He led the restart on lap twenty-two, but was black-flagged for changing lanes too soon. Ragan finished in fourteenth place. Thirty-seven was the most laps led, by Ryan Newman. He had a strong car but finished twenty-second. Newman hit the wall on lap 203 and collected Martin Truex Jr. along with him. Only twenty-four out of forty-three cars finished on the lead lap.

Many young drivers wait for their turn to get the stardom they strive for. Trevor Bayne has made an influence on many, not only on this historical day but also for decades on down the road. Veteran racers and rookies will have respect for him as he walks his way through the garage. All that is needed to be said; Trevor Bayne: 35^th Daytona 500 winner.

Picture by Nascar.com

Budweiser Shootout

Coming off turn four on the final lap of the Budweiser Shootout, four drivers in the pursuit of the checkers held a fight for space and speed. Two feet from the astonishing finish, Ryan Newman lead, Denny Hamlin went low, while Kurt Busch was pushed high by Jamie McMurray. Newman lost ground and left no room for Hamlin, briefly forcing him below the double yellow line. Hamlin came back up and held down the checkered flag, Kurt Busch second, Jamie McMurray following in third.

At Daytona drivers are not allowed to go below the yellow line no matter the circumstance. NASCAR decided that a rule is a rule and announced Kurt Busch, driver of the #22 Shell/ Pennzoil Dodge, as the official winner of the 2011 Budweiser Shootout. Putting Denny Hamlin in 12^th position. The win was the first win for Dodge in Budweiser Shootout history.

Lap twenty-seven brought a disappointing end to five driver’s day. Dale Earnhardt Jr. bounced off of Carl Edwards and wreaked, bringing the first big wreck of the night. "There was just too many race cars going for the same piece of real estate." Earnhardt stated during an interview in the garage area. After just eight laps following the caution on lap twenty-seven, Mark Martin drove up under Kyle Busch and made heavy contact leaving only sixteen of twenty-four cars on the lead lap.

          Besides the fact that only half the field was able to finish the shootout, the night in Daytona was a good ole’ race. With 10 different lead changes, two car drafting successes and a surprising ending, Kurt Busch has great momentum for next Sunday at the Daytona 500. “This is unbelievable, I mean to experience victory lane here no matter what the race is, it’s very special.” Busch stated in victory lane. Whether he finishes first or last he is thankful to win in any big or small race at Daytona.

Note: Picture by NASCAR.com