Page 19 - ARUBA TODAY

A19
SPORTS Monday 10 February 2020
Jones wins crash-fest at Daytona to open NASCAR season

By JENNA FRYER be wrecking all these cars. know how to race. Just
AP Auto Racing Writer You'd think these guys a product of a few bad
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. would be smarter than that. decisions there and we're
(AP) — The first race It's the same thing over and all crashed."
of the NASCAR season over, somebody throws a The cars raced in Sunday's
was a demolition derby stupid block that's never exhibition event are
that turned Daytona going to work and wrecks backups for the Feb. 16
International Speedway half the field. season-opening Daytona
into a giant junkyard. "I don't know. Maybe we 500.
The Busch Clash? More like need to take the helmets The 75-lap event ended up
the Busch Crash. out of these cars and the going 88 laps because of
Erik Jones won Sunday's seat belts out. Somebody the late crashes, making it
race that left a multi-million will get hurt, and then we'll the longest in history.
dollar trail of destruction stop driving like (expletive)." Austin Dillon was second
and masked the fact the Kyle Busch, collected in in the new Chevrolet
Clash was a made-for-TV the accident that ended Camaro and followed Erik Jones celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR
exhibition race. Only 18 Keselowski's day when by Clint Bowyer in a Ford Busch Clash auto race at Daytona International Speedway,
cars were entered and teammate Joey Logano for Stewart-Haas Racing. Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020, in Daytona Beach, Fla.
only six were on track when tried to block Busch, said Kyle Larson was fourth for Associated Press
the checkered flag flew at the crashes are a product Chip Ganassi Racing and
the end of a third overtime. of superspeedway racing. Ryan Newman, in a Roush end and ended up being a him. I didn't care if I was
Jones crossed the finish line "Either you can race or you Fenway Racing Ford, was solid teammate. going to push him into a
in a Toyota with a crumpled can wreck," Busch said. fifth and the last car on the "It's so awesome," Hamlin wreck. I was just going to
hood after a huge push "The reason why we ride lead lap. said. "I knew he needed to push him. It was fun."
from Joe Gibbs Racing in single file (early in the Hamlin in sixth had the only strap in because, that last Jones led just one lap, the
teammate and defending race) is because we don't other car running at the lap, I was going to push last one.q
Daytona 500 winner Denny
Hamlin.
"I've got to give a huge
thanks to Denny there ...
he stuck with us there that
whole last lap," Jones said.
"It wasn't the fastest car I
don't think left in the race,
but we brought it home. I
owe him one for that one,
for sure."
Hamlin was a lap down
after a blown tire on the
previous overtime attempt
caused him to crash half
the cars remaining on
track, but he had enough
speed to push Jones along
the outside and give Gibbs
yet another win. The Gibbs
organization won 19 races
last year, went 1-2-3 in the
Daytona 500 and won the
Cup Series title.
Joe Gibbs is now the all-
time winningest owner in
Busch Clash history with
nine victories.
Brad Keselowski was
among those incensed
by the aggressive late
blocking. The race was
fairly anti-climactic until
two wrecks in the final nine
laps sent it into overtime,
and as Keselowski railed
against the racing that
ended his day, Hamlin got
a flat tire as the leader on a
restart and collected most
of the cars on track.
"Dumb, dumb racing," said
Keselowski, who slapped
the side of an ambulance
with both hands in
frustration. "We shouldn't