Buescher Wins at Daytona, Elliott Misses Playoffs
In a dramatic turn of events at the Daytona International Speedway, Chris Buescher secured his third victory this season in the Coke Zero Sugar 400, the NASCAR Cup Series’ regular-season finale. Buescher’s triumph, aided by his boss – Brad Keselowski, marked a moment of triumph for Bubba Wallace while causing disappointment for Chase Elliott.
The race’s intensity was heightened when Ryan Preece’s barrel-roll accident necessitated three additional laps in NASCAR Overtime. Buescher’s win allowed Wallace to clinch the 16th playoff spot on points. Unfortunately for Elliott, who needed a win to advance, he found himself boxed in by Fords after the restart and was unable to advance.
Buescher and Keselowski, both driving for RFK Racing, led the pack on the last lap, with Keselowski skillfully propelling Buescher to the lead. Buescher secured victory by a mere 0.098 seconds, clinching his fifth career win and first at Daytona.
Wallace secured his playoff spot with a 12th-place finish, relieved that no winless driver below him in the standings could surpass him and knock him out of the top 16.
Elliott’s playoff hopes were dashed as Kevin Harvick and others effectively blocked his path to the front. Elliott gracefully accepted the outcome, acknowledging that his car had secured a playoff spot for the team through owner points.
The race was characterized by intense lead exchanges, with the second stage notably running caution-free until the last lap, when a wreck involving 16 cars unfolded including then-leaders Ryan Blaney and Ty Gibbs. Despite the crash, Gibbs expressed gratitude to Christopher Bell for the pushes that got him to the front row.
As the checkered flag waved, the regular season came to a close – crowning Martin Truex Jr as the regular season champion and locking in the playoff grid. The 16 drivers racing for a championship are William Byron, Martin Truex Jr, Denny Hamlin, Chris Buescher, Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Ross Chastain, Brad Keselowski, Tyler Reddick, Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, Michael McDowell, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Kevin Harvick, and Bubba Wallace.
