CUP Series Daytona Road Course

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Busch Clash at Daytona

Tuesday, February 9th, 2021

Daytona Road Course, Daytona Beach, FL

  • 9 Ford
  • 4 Toyota
  • 8 Chevrolet

  • Wednesday, February 10th, 2021
  • NASCAR Wire Service - Holly Cain
Kyle Busch wins the Busch Clash at Daytona in wild finish

Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch may carry the nickname "Rowdy" but it was a couple of his competitors acting that way that allowed him to move into the lead out of the final turn and earn his second career Busch Clash victory Tuesday night.

Busch's No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota led only the length of a football field en route to the checkered flag - the only time he was out front all night at the exciting 14-turn Daytona International Speedway Road Course. But it was enough - earning the former champion his first victory with new crew chief, Ben Beshore in the annual non-points exhibition that kicks off Daytona Speedweeks.

Race runner-up Chase Elliott had been fighting with then-race leader Ryan Blaney for the lead as the cars went into the final sequence of turns - called the bus stop. They collided. Blaney's pole-sitting No. 12 Ford hit the wall. Elliott was able to recover enough to head to the finish line but Busch had already gotten around them both to take a .765-second victory.

Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick and William Byron rounded out the top five. Denny Hamlin, who led a race best 21 of the 35 laps, finished sixth, unable to make his way back to the front after a late race pit stop. Alex Bowman, Erik Jones, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Matt DiBenedetto rounded out the top 10.

"I kinda felt like there was an interesting opportunity that was developing there," Busch said of the Blaney-Elliott situation, adding "When that started happening I was hoping they would wreck long enough I could get up there and get by them and win the thing. It's never over until it's over in these kind of things."

Both Elliott, who won the last four NASCAR Cup Series road course events, and Blaney spoke about "going for the win" on that final series of turns. They are close friends off track and said that won't change despite the competitive run for Tuesday's trophy.

They had a conversation on pit road after climbing out of their cars and then came to the infield media center at the same time as well for post-race interviews.

Blaney said he was surprised Elliott was able to even make the race as close as it was, considering Blaney's Ford had fresher tires.

"I hate it happened too, it didn't work out for either of us," said Blaney, who started from the pole position and ultimately ended up 13th. "We were just racing hard and I had a little bit fresher tires there. We saved a set [of tires] and got back to second there. His car was really good, I had to use up a lot to get to him. I tried to protect and drove into that last corner really deep to make sure I didn't get dive-bombed like that. But we just came together."

"Of course he didn't mean to wreck me, but I ended up wrecked," Blaney said later, in the post-race media conference. "I told him if you're going to make a move like that, at least win the race."

Elliott, the reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion, was apologetic for the hard contact - especially because it cost them both a victory. But he said he would do it again to win a race.

"Neither one of us won, that's the big one," Elliott said. "I was close enough to drive it in there. I feel like I'd be mad at myself for not at least trying. Obviously, I don't mean to wreck anybody, especially him - some guys I wouldn't mind, but he's not one of them. Hopefully he's not too mad at me. I feel like you have to go for it in an event like this.

"I can't be sorry about going for the win, but certainly didn't mean to wreck him."

  • Drivers Entered: 21
  • Laps Scheduled: 35
  • Margin of Victory: 0.765 Seconds
  • Time of Race: 1 Hours 30 Minutes 25 Seconds
  • Average Speed: 83.845
  • Cautions: 4 for 8 laps
  • Lead Changes: 13
  • Green Flag Passes: 632 (23.4 passes per green flag lap)

  • DAYTONA Road Course
  • 43rd Annual Busch Clash At Daytona
  • Race Winner: Kyle Busch
  • Age: 35
  • Team : No. 18 - M&M's Toyota
  • Owner: Joe Gibbs Racing
  • Crew Chief: Ben Beshore
  • Kyle Busch won the 43rd Annual Busch Clash At Daytona, his second victory (2012, 2021) in the non-points paying NASCAR Cup Series race.
  • This is the 10th Busch Clash victory for Joe Gibbs Racing - Tony Stewart (2001, 2002, 2007), Denny Hamlin (2006, 2014, 2016), Kyle Busch (2012, 2021), Matt Kenseth (2015) and Erik Jones (2020).
  • Chase Elliott (second) posted his first top-five and fourth top-10 finish in five Busch Clash races at Daytona.
  • Joey Logano (third) posted his seventh top-five finish in 13 Busch Clash races at Daytona.
  • This is the sixth Busch Clash victory for Toyota - 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020 and 2021.
Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott
Daytona Beach, Florida - February 9, 2021 : Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Menards/Great Lakes Flooring Ford, and Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 Llumar Chevrolet, race during the NASCAR Cup Series Busch Clash at Daytona at Daytona International Speedway on February 09, 2021 in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Brian LawdermilkGetty Images

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Busch Clash at Daytona at Daytona Road Course Draftkings results
FINISH & PLACE DIFFERENTIAL POINTS FAST LAP POINTS LAPS LED POINTS TOTAL POINTS
RNK SLRY DRIVER TEAM # MAKE LAPS DR ST FIN FIN PTS PD PTS FST % FST FST PTS LED % LED LED PTS TOT PTS
1 8,900 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing 18 Toyota 35 126.40 16 1 45 15 3 11.11 1.35 1 2.9 0.25 61.60
2 10,500 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports 9 Chevrolet 35 92.50 7 2 42 5 2 7.41 0.90 4 11.4 1.00 48.90
3 8,100 Joey Logano Team Penske 22 Ford 35 79.40 10 3 41 7 1 3.7 0.45 0 0.0 0.00 48.45
5 6,300 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing 8 Chevrolet 35 106.40 6 4 40 2 2 7.41 0.90 1 2.9 0.25 43.15
9 7,700 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports 24 Chevrolet 35 85.40 5 5 39 0 1 3.7 0.45 0 0.0 0.00 39.45
6 9,600 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing 11 Toyota 35 129.60 3 6 38 -3 6 22.22 2.70 21 60.0 5.25 42.95
12 7,900 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports 48 Chevrolet 35 85.30 2 7 37 -5 1 3.7 0.45 0 0.0 0.00 32.45
10 7,200 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports 43 Chevrolet 35 69.80 9 8 36 1 0 0 0.00 0 0.0 0.00 37.00
4 6,100 Ricky Stenhouse Jr JTG Daugherty Racing 47 Chevrolet 35 52.90 20 9 35 11 1 3.7 0.45 0 0.0 0.00 46.45
11 6,900 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing 21 Ford 35 56.70 12 10 34 2 0 0 0.00 0 0.0 0.00 36.00
7 5,700 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing 3 Chevrolet 35 48.50 19 11 32 8 0 0 0.00 0 0.0 0.00 40.00
7 6,600 Aric Almirola Stewart Haas Racing 10 Ford 35 47.50 21 12 31 9 0 0 0.00 0 0.0 0.00 40.00
16 8,600 Ryan Blaney Team Penske 12 Ford 35 80.10 1 13 30 -12 6 22.22 2.70 4 11.4 1.00 21.70
14 5,600 Ryan Newman RFK Racing 6 Ford 35 37.00 11 14 29 -3 0 0 0.00 0 0.0 0.00 26.00
13 9,200 Kevin Harvick Stewart Haas Racing 4 Ford 35 31.70 17 15 28 2 0 0 0.00 0 0.0 0.00 30.00
15 5,900 Chris Buescher RFK Racing 17 Ford 35 50.20 13 16 27 -3 0 0 0.00 0 0.0 0.00 24.00
20 8,400 Brad Keselowski Team Penske 2 Ford 35 70.70 4 17 26 -13 1 3.7 0.45 1 2.9 0.25 13.70
17 5,500 Ty Dillon 23XI Racing 23 Toyota 35 37.50 14 18 25 -4 0 0 0.00 0 0.0 0.00 21.00
18 7,400 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing 1 Chevrolet 35 33.80 15 19 24 -4 0 0 0.00 1 2.9 0.25 20.25
21 5,800 Cole Custer Stewart Haas Racing 41 Ford 32 54.40 8 20 23 -12 1 3.7 0.45 0 0.0 0.00 11.45
19 10,000 Martin Truex Jr Joe Gibbs Racing 19 Toyota 27 84.30 18 21 21 -3 2 7.41 0.90 2 7.4 0.50 19.40