Coke Zero Sugar 400 Tag

By David Morgan, Associate Editor Coming into Saturday night’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, a nerve-wracking night was ahead for those drivers that had yet to lock themselves into the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Now that the checkered flag has fallen on the regular season, Matt DiBenedetto can breathe a sigh of relief knowing he will be one of the 16 drivers battling it out for a championship over the next 10 weeks. DiBenedetto had a slim nine-point advantage when the night began, so it was key for the driverRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer Two multi-car crashes became the end of the road for Jimmie Johnson, Erik Jones and Tyler Reddick making the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. During Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at the Daytona International Speedway, all three had different implications. Those being Jones looking to wrap-up his final year with Joe Gibbs Racing with another playoff berth, Reddick trying to keep the Sunoco Rookie of the Year battle alive and Johnson aiming for one last shot at an eighth Cup title. Due to those accidents, noneRead More

By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service With his NASCAR Cup Series Playoff hopes on the line, Hendrick Motorsports’ driver William Byron earned his first career victory Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 regular season finale. The victory was an automatic berth into the Playoffs for the 22-year old Byron – a hard-fought trophy in a typically full-contact, high-emotion contest on NASCAR’s famed Daytona high-banks to settle the Playoff field. The only two Playoff positions still up for grabs on the night were filled byRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor The NASCAR Cup Series regular season comes to an end right where it all began back in February as Daytona International Speedway is set to host Saturday night’s running of the Coke Zero Sugar 400. With three spots in the Playoffs still up for grabs, those drivers who have yet to lock themselves in will have to make it through the gauntlet at the World Center of Racing to punch their ticket into the postseason. Of the drivers still looking to race their way in, ClintRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer Six drivers made the move to NASCAR’s top division with the goal of winning Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors at season’s end. After this Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway, one man could walk away with the award and that’s none other than Cole Custer. Due to his maiden Cup win at Kentucky Speedway last month, Custer punched his ticket into the playoffs and currently the only rookie to do so with just one regular season race remaining. The scenario is simple,Read More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – To pit or not to pit? That is the question that crew chiefs always face when weather is a factor late in the going. Make the wrong decision and it could cost your driver a chance at a win. Unfortunately for Kurt Busch and Chip Ganassi Racing crew chief Matt McCall, the odds weren’t in their favor in Sunday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, as an untimely lightning strike would be their undoing. Busch was able to escape the “BigRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer Anything can happen at Daytona International Speedway and it usually does. Once again, it was the case in Sunday’s rain-shortened Coke Zero Sugar 400. Only this time, it involved two Ford camp regulars on the bottom of the points table. After dodging the 18-car big one and some pitting before the red flag, both Corey LaJoie and rookie Matt Tifft were in excellent spots for a strong outcome. Then Mother Nature reared its ugly head for good and after 127 laps, they each scored their maidenRead More

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Correspondent Through the carnage and smoke, Matt DiBenedetto emerged unscathed on his way to a Top-10 finish at Daytona International Speedway. With weather in the area, the intensity increased dramatically in the final stage of the Coke Zero Sugar 400. DiBenedetto attempted to stay in line with his fellow Toyota Racing drivers. His No. 95 Procore Toyota Camry was shuffled out of line and he found himself in the middle of the hornets’ nest. On lap 118, contact between Austin Dillon and Clint Bowyer at theRead More

By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – As the dark clouds and lightning descended upon Daytona International Speedway Sunday afternoon, Justin Haley climbed out of his No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet feeling like it was perhaps divine intervention. He was first on the scoreboard at the time Sunday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 was red-flagged for lightning 33 laps short of the intended 160-lap distance. Two hours and 12 minutes later, the 20-year old Indiana native was celebrating his first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup win – inRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – With 42 laps remaining in Sunday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway, dark clouds closed in on the 2.5-mile superspeedway and as it always happens when weather threatens, the intensity ratcheted up and the inevitable “Big One” struck. Austin Dillon and Clint Bowyer had hooked up in the draft to find their way to the front of the field when Bowyer ducked low from second place to try and take the lead for himself. Dillon threw an untimely blockRead More