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SPORTS Saturday 15 February 2020
Daytona 500 up for grabs as no clear theme has emerged

By JENNA FRYER
AP Auto Racing Writer
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP)
— The first four events lead-
ing into the Daytona 500
have produced four dif-
ferent winners. Ricky Sten-
house Jr. put his new team
on the pole, while Erik Jones
outlasted a crash-fest to
win a qualifying race. Joey
Logano and William Byron
won the qualifying races.
No clear favorite has
emerged for "The Great
American Race." No single
manufacturer has a dem-
onstrated edge going into
NASCAR's version of the
Super Bowl. It was a Toyota
1-2-3 sweep for Joe Gibbs
Racing last year, in part
because of mandated
manufacturer alliances for
drivers to work together,
but there's so far been little
indication the race will play
out the same way Sunday.
Instead, this is a wide-open
field of 40 drivers and all
believe they have a shot
at the life-changing vic-
tory and the record $23.6
million that will be divvied
by among the drivers. And
why not? The unpredict-
ability of Daytona allowed
Justin Haley to gamble on
rain strategy last July and Daniel Suarez (96) and Ryan Blaney wreck as they come out of Turn 4 during the first of two NASCAR Daytona 500 qualifying auto
shock the field with a win races at Daytona International Speedway, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020, in Daytona Beach, Fla.
in his third and final start of Associated Press
the season. racing will look like when the threw a block on reigning Daytona 500 winner, thinks still able to push teammate
Now Haley is back at Day- flag drops on the 62nd run- series champion Kyle Busch smart racing will be criti- Jones to the victory.
tona for his debut in the ning after President Donald that caused a wreck that cal Sunday with drivers The Daytona 500 has not
Daytona 500, just one of Trump, named the grand collected Logano team- having to ignore the way had a back-to-back win-
a handful of drivers in a marshal for the race, gives mate Brad Keselowski. An- they've previously raced ner since Sterling Marlin in
watered-down field that in- the command for drivers to gry words were exchanged, the speedway. 1994 and 1995, and he's
cludes six Cup Series rook- start their engines. The ex- cars destroyed and only six "I think survival will be more one of only three drivers to
ies, a 10-year veteran who hibition Busch Clash was a drivers were running at the talked about this year than accomplish the feat.
had failed to qualify for the demolition derby as drivers end. Keselowski and Lo- any year in the past," Har- "It's tough, but there is more
race in his only other previ- shook off the offseason rust gano are downplaying any vick said. confidence," Hamlin said. "I
ous attempt and a slew of and adjusted to NASCAR's feud, but blocking is a legit- "We have all been pro- think it's been really a great
others chasing the payout new rules package. imate concern for Sunday. grammed to block and do run we've had over the last
that can extend the season The superspeedway rules "At the end of the day, you things with the old pack- eight years in particular.
for any fledgling team. implemented last season block because it works. It age for so many years, and We've been a factor to win
Timmy Hill raced his way put a taller spoiler on the works until it doesn't," Clint this is not the old package. every Daytona 500 it seems
into Sunday's field in a cars and made for unpre- Bowyer said. "That's suc- The runs are happening like for the last decade. I
qualifying race and said dictable closing rates — cessful until it's not, and faster. The cars are kind of come here thinking there's
his Daytona 500 debut will and they were not used in then you're the bad guy. lining up and spin out really no reason that should be
keep tiny MBM Motorsports the Daytona 500. Teams You've wrecked the whole easy to the right when you any different."q
in business for the foresee- raced the package twice field because it was an push them wrong. They are
able future. More impor- at Talladega, and in the untimely block, and you fast compared to where
tant? Hill thinks he's got a July race at Daytona that wrecked everybody, but if we were before."
chance to be competitive was shortened 82 miles by you didn't, you should have Two-time and defending
Sunday. rain. Moments before the and you're going to lose race winner Denny Ham-
"My car is very capable of sky opened, former Dayto- the race. lin is the William Hill betting
running competitively in na 500 winner Austin Dillon "So it's a tricky thing to favorite at 10-to-1 and his
this race," Hill said. "I feel wrecked the favorites with judge. It puts you on the Toyota has indeed been
like we're not just here to an aggressive move as the spot. And it's do or die, and good every time he's hit
participate, we're here to leader. it's a decision that has to be the track. And even after
race." The Busch Clash last week- made that fast." he suffered extensive dam-
But no one knows what that end was similar as Logano Kevin Harvick, the 2008 age in the Clash, he was