2015 Daytona 500
| Race details[1][2][3][4][5] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 1 of 36 in the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season | |||
 | |||
| Date | February 22, 2015 | ||
| Location | Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility 2.5 mi (4.023 km) | ||
| Distance | 203 laps, 507.5 mi (816.742 km) | ||
| Scheduled Distance | 200 laps, 500 mi (804.672 km) | ||
| Weather | Sunny skies with a temperature of 75 °F (24 °C); wind out of the south/southeast at 5 mph (8.0 km/h) | ||
| Average speed | 161.938 mph (260.614 km/h) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Jeff Gordon (W) | Hendrick Motorsports | |
| Time | 44.711 | ||
| Qualifying race winners | |||
| Duel 1 Winner | Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (W) | Hendrick Motorsports | |
| Duel 2 Winner | Jimmie Johnson (W) | Hendrick Motorsports | |
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Jeff Gordon (W) | Hendrick Motorsports | |
| Laps | 87 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 22 |
Joey Logano |
Team Penske | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | Fox & MRN | ||
| Announcers | Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip, and Larry McReynolds (Television) Joe Moore and Jeff Striegle (Booth) Dave Moody (1 & 2), Mike Bagley (Backstretch) and Kyle Rickey (3 & 4) (Turns) (Radio) | ||
| Nielsen Ratings | 7.3/16 (Overnight)[6] 7.7/17 (Final)[7] 13.4 Million viewers[7] | ||
The 2015 Daytona 500, the 57th running of the event, was held on February 22, 2015, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Contested over 203 laps – extended from 200 laps, due to a green–white–checker finish – on the 2.5 miles (4.0 km) asphalt tri-oval, it was the first race of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. Joey Logano won the race, his first win of the season and the second Daytona 500 win for Team Penske, while Kevin Harvick finished second. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin, and Jimmie Johnson rounded out the top five.
Report
Background
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, the most prestigious race in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, USCC, SCCA, and Motocross. The track features multiple layouts including the primary 2.5 miles (4.0 km) high speed tri-oval, a 3.56 miles (5.73 km) sports car course, a 2.95 miles (4.75 km) motorcycle course, and a .25 miles (0.40 km) karting and motorcycle flat-track. The track's 180-acre (73 ha) infield includes the 29-acre (12 ha) Lake Lloyd, which has hosted powerboat racing. The speedway is owned and operated by International Speedway Corporation.
The track was built in 1958 by NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr. to host racing that was being held at the former Daytona Beach Road Course. His banked design permitted higher speeds and gave fans a better view of the cars. Lights were installed around the track in 1998, and today it is the third largest single lit outdoor sports facility. The speedway has been renovated three times, with the infield renovated in 2004, and the track repaved in 1978 and 2010.
New rules
NASCAR implemented a new camera system to officiate pit road.[8] Forty-five cameras monitor pit road and reduce the number of necessary officials on pit road from 24 to ten.[8] The system was beta tested during the ten race Chase for the Sprint Cup last season and "allegedly" detected a high number of infractions such as driving through more than three stalls to get into or exit one's pit stall. Eight officials monitor the system from a truck outside the track and have the final say on imposing a penalty.[8] With only ten officials monitoring pit road now, NASCAR no longer penalizes teams for missing or loose lug nuts. The responsibility for having those lug nuts on the car falls on the teams.[8]
Entry list
The entry list for the 57th running of the Daytona 500 was released on Thursday, February 12, 2015 at 9:22 a.m. Eastern time. Fifty drivers were entered for the race. Joe Nemechek and his No. 87 team later withdrew before qualifying.
Practice
First practice (February 14)
Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 44.413 and a speed of 202.643 mph (326.122 km/h).[10]
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 | Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 44.413 | 202.643 |
| 2 | 9 | Sam Hornish, Jr. | Richard Petty Motorsports | Ford | 44.512 | 202.193 |
| 3 | 6 | Trevor Bayne (W) | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 44.512 | 202.193 |
Source:[11] | ||||||
Second practice (February 14)
Michael McDowell was the fastest in the second practice session with a time of 45.153 and a speed of 199.322 mph (320.778 km/h).[12] Ryan Newman was forced to change engines after blowing one half an hour into the session.[13] He had to start from the rear in one of the Duel races.[13] Martin Truex, Jr. also dealt with engine gremlins due to a crack in his car's oil pan, but did not change engines.[13]
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 95 | Michael McDowell | Leavine Family Racing | Ford | 45.153 | 199.322 |
| 2 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson (W) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 45.155 | 199.314 |
| 3 | 33 | Ty Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 45.158 | 199.300 |
Source:[14] | ||||||
Qualifying
"I wasn't behind the 44 [Sorenson]. He came flying around, come up on the apron, jumps in front of me, then runs over the 51 [Allgaier], stacks us all up and then I run into him. It's idiotic to be out here doing this anyway. There's no sense in being able to try to put on some cute show for whatever the hell this is. Then you have a guy out there doing this in desperation. There's no reason to be out here. These guys have spent six months working on these cars, busting their butts on these cars. But it ain't his fault. It's NASCAR's fault for putting us out in the middle of this crap for nothing. We used to come down here and worry about who would set on the front pole in the biggest race of the year. Now all we do is come down here and worry about how a start‑and‑park like this out of desperation is going to knock us out of the Daytona 500. We've been in meetings for 45 minutes just trying to figure out what in the hell everybody is going to do just so we can make the race. It's stupid. There's no sense in doing this."
The pole qualifying took place at 1:35 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday, February 15, a week prior to the Daytona 500 race itself. After the 2014 Daytona 500, NASCAR eliminated the traditional single car qualifying format for the pole qualifying and introduced a knockout qualifying format commonly used in many series at Phoenix the following week. The restrictor plate track rules, first implemented at the fall Talladega race, was used.
- NASCAR randomly split the field into two groups for session 1 (one group had 25 cars, the other had 24). Each group had its own five minutes of track time. The fastest 24 cars overall from either group will advance to session 2.
- After a ten-minute break, these 24 cars would get five minutes of track time for session 2. The qualifying times from session 1 would reset prior to the start of session 2. The fastest 12 cars in session 2 will advance to session 3.
- Following a seven-minute break, these 12 cars would then compete for the top two guaranteed spots in the final five-minute session. Again, the qualifying times from session 2 would reset prior to the start of session 3.
The top two times in the final qualifying session will be locked in the front row of the Daytona 500 starting grid, while the other 41 starting spots would be determined by the two Budweiser Duels the following Thursday. If a driver fails to make the Top 15 in the Duels, the time that will be used to calculate the four drivers that will qualify based on time, and to grid the seven drivers that take provisional starting positions will be based solely on the fastest time they set, regardless of qualifying session.
In what was his final Daytona 500 start, Jeff Gordon won the pole with a time of 44.711 and a speed of 201.293 mph (323.950 km/h).[16] Gordon felt that in the new qualifying format, "the driver finally gets to play a role". He also stated that he had "a fast race car" and that the pole position was "one of the most gratifying poles I've had, not just because it's my final Daytona".[16] His teammate Jimmie Johnson started right alongside in 2nd. In the first round of qualifying, Clint Bowyer tried to go under Reed Sorenson when he got hit in the rear by Jeb Burton and turned right into Sorenson. Both cars slammed the wall and collected Bobby Labonte and J. J. Yeley. Denny Hamlin may have taken some damage. The session was red flagged with a minute and 22 seconds left. After the red flag was lifted, no one was able to make it back to the line before time expired. Upon exiting his car, Bowyer vented his frustrations at the Daytona qualifying procedure.[15]
The cars of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Denny Hamlin failed post-qualifying inspection and started from the rear of the field in their respective Duel races.[17] Earnhardt's car was found to be too low on the left front – a rule implemented only for restrictor plate tracks[17] – while the panhard rod on Hamlin's car was found to be 3–3.75 inches (76–95 mm) beyond the maximum allowed.[17] Both drivers expressed thoughts on Twitter post-penalties, with both looking forward to moving up the order in the Duels.[17] Both drivers will have no time listed, meaning if either driver does not make the top 15 in the Duels, they would have to start 42nd or 43rd as they would be forced take a provisional and be placed behind all drivers with a legal time.
Qualifying results
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Practice (post-qualifying)
Third practice (February 18)
Kyle Busch was the fastest in the third practice session with a time of 44.826 and a speed of 200.776 mph (323.118 km/h).[19] During this session, there was a four car wreck on the backstretch that involved Michael Annett, Jeb Burton, Denny Hamlin and Danica Patrick.[20] It started when Hamlin pulled out of line and Patrick tried to follow him, but made contact with the right-front corner of Hamlin's car when she over-corrected and hit the wall. Michael Annett tried to go high around Patrick on the outside when he got turned by Jeb Burton. Patrick, Annett and Burton all switched to backup cars.[20] After the incident, Patrick stated that her car "sort of just started turning toward the right, the back end was coming around and it swapped ends" and that Hamlin was trying to "make a third lane in the middle and it felt like it must have caught my bumper".[20] Hamlin felt that Patrick had intended to block his path, stating that a driver has "to give a little bit of extra room in practice" and that if he "had to guess, she probably saw in her mirror that I was going down there and tried to stay in front of me".[20]
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 44.826 | 200.776 |
| 2 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson (W) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 44.881 | 200.530 |
| 3 | 6 | Trevor Bayne (W) | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 44.988 | 200.053 |
Source:[21] | ||||||
Fourth practice (February 18)
Alex Bowman was the fastest in the fourth practice session with a time of 44.889 and a speed of 200.495 mph (322.665 km/h).[22]
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | Alex Bowman | Tommy Baldwin Racing | Chevrolet | 44.889 | 200.495 |
| 2 | 5 | Kasey Kahne | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 44.897 | 200.459 |
| 3 | 6 | Trevor Bayne (W) | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 44.913 | 200.387 |
Source:[23] | ||||||
Fifth practice (February 19)
Kyle Larson was the fastest in the fifth practice session with a time of 46.705 and a speed of 192.699 mph (310.119 km/h).[24] This session had only five drivers take part in it doing single car runs.
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 42 | Kyle Larson | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 46.705 | 192.699 |
| 2 | 35 | Cole Whitt | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 47.192 | 190.710 |
| 3 | 46 | Michael Annett | HScott Motorsports | Chevrolet | 47.344 | 190.098 |
Source:[25] | ||||||
Budweiser Duels
Race One
First half
Start
The first race started at 7:19 p.m. Eastern time when Jeff Gordon led the field to the green. Matt Kenseth took the lead with the bottom lane to lead lap one. The first caution of the race flew on lap 17 after Casey Mears blew an engine in turn 1. Kenseth and Gordon swapped the lead on pit road, and Gordon exited as the leader for the restart on lap 24. Michael Annett was forced to drop to the end of the longest line because his crew was over the wall too soon.
Trouble in the tri-oval
Kenseth used the bottom line and jumped in front of Gordon to take back the lead on lap 26, just ahead of the race's second caution when Johnny Sauter crashed in the tri-oval, following contact with A. J. Allmendinger, while Aric Almirola also picked up some damage to his car.[26]
Sauter stated that he was "just riding along" and that he was "trying to mind my business" before the contact with Allmendinger, with the point of impact being "in the left rear quarter panel". He also stated that it was "a bummer deal" for himself and his BK Racing team.[26] Sauter and Allmendinger did however, make the starting lineup for the race, on their qualifying speeds. Allmendinger apologised for the contact with Sauter, while stating that his JTG Daugherty Racing car was fast, while also criticizing the racing that was occurring, stating that he "was trying to stay out of trouble and got put in the middle and I was trying to bail out of the middle".[26] Michael McDowell dropped to the end of the longest line, for the restart on lap 33, after his crew was over the wall too soon.
Second-half
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. used a slight push from the bottom line to take the lead on lap 35. Kenseth took the lead back from Earnhardt on the bottom to take back the lead on lap 39. On lap 43, Earnhardt used a slingshot move to overtake Kenseth for good. The third caution of the race flew on lap 51 when Trevor Bayne got loose, came down on Kyle Larson and hit the wall in turn 1. During this period, Ty Dillon broke his gear shifter. The race restarted with five laps to go and Earnhardt, Jr. held off Jeff Gordon to win race one.[27] Earnhardt praised the work of his spotter TJ Majors in victory lane, stating that he "gave me the information I needed to make the moves I needed" and that he was "looking forward to getting to Sunday and trying to get another Daytona 500 win".[27] Dillon, finished 16th after the gearshift issues, and was able to make the field. He described the result as "hard to explain" and that he had "been coming here since I was a kid watching my grandfather's cars race".[27] Ron Hornaday, Jr. and Justin Marks failed to make the race.[28]
Race One results
| Pos | Grid | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 | 88 | Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (W) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 60 |
| 2 | 1 | 24 | Jeff Gordon (W) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 60 |
| 3 | 10 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 60 |
| 4 | 15 | 14 | Tony Stewart | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 60 |
| 5 | 20 | 15 | Clint Bowyer | Michael Waltrip Racing | Toyota | 60 |
| 6 | 14 | 4 | Kevin Harvick (W) | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 60 |
| 7 | 3 | 5 | Kasey Kahne | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 60 |
| 8 | 5 | 1 | Jamie McMurray (W) | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 60 |
| 9 | 23 | 40 | Landon Cassill | Hillman-Circle Sport LLC | Chevrolet | 60 |
| 10 | 22 | 35 | Cole Whitt | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 60 |
| 11 | 12 | 27 | Paul Menard | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 60 |
| 12 | 19 | 95 | Michael McDowell | Leavine Family Racing | Ford | 60 |
| 13 | 11 | 23 | J. J. Yeley | BK Racing | Toyota | 60 |
| 14 | 17 | 46 | Michael Annett | HScott Motorsports | Chevrolet | 60 |
| 15 | 18 | 42 | Kyle Larson | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 60 |
| 16 | 4 | 33 | Ty Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 60 |
| 17 | 2 | 20 | Matt Kenseth (W) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 60 |
| 18 | 21 | 29 | Justin Marks | RAB Racing | Toyota | 60 |
| 19 | 9 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Ford | 60 |
| 20 | 8 | 43 | Aric Almirola | Richard Petty Motorsports | Ford | 60 |
| 21 | 24 | 30 | Ron Hornaday, Jr. | The Motorsports Group | Chevrolet | 60 |
| 22 | 7 | 6 | Trevor Bayne (W) | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 60 |
| 23 | 13 | 47 | A. J. Allmendinger | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 27 |
| 24 | 6 | 83 | Johnny Sauter | BK Racing | Toyota | 27 |
| 25 | 16 | 13 | Casey Mears | Germain Racing | Chevrolet | 17 |
Source:[29] | ||||||
Race Two
First-half
Start
Before the start, Josh Wise stalled at the entrance of pit road and took his car to the garage. This ultimately eliminated him from racing in the Daytona 500. The second race started 18 minutes late at 9:19 p.m. with Jimmie Johnson leading the field to the green flag. Kyle Busch took the lead on lap one. The first caution of the race flew on lap 19 for a spin by David Ragan, exiting turn 4. Ragan had cut across the nose of Justin Allgaier and got turned down onto the apron, making contact with the inside wall. Kyle Busch was first off pit road, but he was caught speeding on pit road and was forced to drop to the end of the line, allowing Johnson to retake the lead for the restart, on lap 25. Allgaier was also sent to the rear, as his pit crew came across the wall too soon.
Second half
The second caution of the race flew on lap 37 for a multi-car wreck in the tri-oval. It started exiting turn 4 when Jeb Burton turned down into Sam Hornish, Jr. who turned into Alex Bowman. Austin Dillon destroyed his splitter driving through the grass trying to avoid the wreck, which caused the race to be red flagged for five minutes. The race restarted with 20 laps to go. With 14 laps to go, Kurt Busch was given a drive-through penalty for passing below the double yellow line. The third caution of the race flew with three laps to go for a four car wreck in turn 3. Denny Hamlin gave Danica Patrick a push which turned her around and collected Brian Scott and Bobby Labonte.
Finish
In a green–white–checker finish, Johnson held off a last lap charge by Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards to win the race.[30] Johnson defined the Speedweeks at Daytona as "awesome" for his Hendrick Motorsports team, sweeping the Duels and the front row for the Daytona 500. Johnson also called his car as "mad fast".[30] Patrick confronted Hamlin on pit road after the race.[30] After the confrontation, Patrick told reporters that she had "no explanation for that", while also stating Hamlin was in the wrong by believing "that he's taking the air and getting it off the spoiler, and he's not squared up either".[30] Michael Annett, Ryan Blaney, Landon Cassill, Ty Dillon, Michael McDowell, Reed Sorenson, Mike Wallace, Cole Whitt and J. J. Yeley raced their way into the Daytona 500.[31] Bobby Labonte also made the race, via the provisional for past series champions. Alex Bowman, Burton, Ron Hornaday, Jr., Justin Marks, Scott and Wise all failed to make the race.
Race Two results
| Pos | Grid | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson (W) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 64 |
| 2 | 2 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 64 |
| 3 | 3 | 19 | Carl Edwards | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 64 |
| 4 | 6 | 16 | Greg Biffle | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 64 |
| 5 | 5 | 78 | Martin Truex, Jr. | Furniture Row Racing | Chevrolet | 64 |
| 6 | 9 | 21 | Ryan Blaney | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 64 |
| 7 | 20 | 44 | Reed Sorenson | Team XTREME Racing | Chevrolet | 64 |
| 8 | 23 | 66 | Mike Wallace | Premium Motorsports | Toyota | 64 |
| 9 | 17 | 29 | Justin Marks | RAB Racing | Toyota | 64 |
| 10 | 15 | 10 | Danica Patrick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 64 |
| 11 | 13 | 31 | Ryan Newman (W) | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 64 |
| 12 | 14 | 41 | Kurt Busch | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 64 |
| 13 | 18 | 38 | David Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 64 |
| 14 | 21 | 34 | David Ragan | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 64 |
| 15 | 4 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 64 |
| 16 | 8 | 17 | Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 64 |
| 17 | 16 | 62 | Brian Scott | Premium Motorsports | Chevrolet | 64 |
| 18 | 24 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 64 |
| 19 | 10 | 55 | Michael Waltrip (W) | Michael Waltrip Racing | Toyota | 64 |
| 20 | 11 | 32 | Bobby Labonte | Go FAS Racing | Ford | 60 |
| 21 | 7 | 9 | Sam Hornish, Jr. | Richard Petty Motorsports | Ford | 36 |
| 22 | 19 | 26 | Jeb Burton (R) | BK Racing | Toyota | 36 |
| 23 | 12 | 7 | Alex Bowman | Tommy Baldwin Racing | Chevrolet | 36 |
| 24 | 22 | 98 | Josh Wise | Phil Parsons Racing | Ford | 1 |
Source:[32] | ||||||
Starting lineup
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24 | Jeff Gordon (W) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Fastest in pole qualifying |
| 2 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson (W) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Second fastest in pole qualifying |
| 3 | 88 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. (W) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Duel race #1 winner |
| 4 | 18 | Matt Crafton[N 2] | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 2nd in Budweiser Duel 2 |
| 5 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 3rd in Budweiser Duel 1 |
| 6 | 19 | Carl Edwards | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 3rd in Budweiser Duel 2 |
| 7 | 14 | Tony Stewart | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 4th in Budweiser Duel 1 |
| 8 | 16 | Greg Biffle | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 4th in Budweiser Duel 2 |
| 9 | 15 | Clint Bowyer | Michael Waltrip Racing | Toyota | 5th in Budweiser Duel 1 |
| 10 | 78 | Martin Truex Jr. | Furniture Row Racing | Chevrolet | 5th in Budweiser Duel 2 |
| 11 | 4 | Kevin Harvick (W) | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 6th in Budweiser Duel 1 |
| 12 | 21 | Ryan Blaney | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 6th in Budweiser Duel 2 |
| 13 | 5 | Kasey Kahne | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 7th in Budweiser Duel 1 |
| 14 | 44 | Reed Sorenson | Team XTREME Racing | Chevrolet | 7th in Budweiser Duel 2 |
| 15 | 1 | Jamie McMurray (W) | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 8th in Budweiser Duel 1 |
| 16 | 66 | Mike Wallace | Premium Motorsports | Chevrolet | 8th in Budweiser Duel 2 |
| 17 | 40 | Landon Cassill | Hillman-Circle Sport LLC | Chevrolet | 9th in Budweiser Duel 1 |
| 18 | 51 | Justin Allgaier | HScott Motorsports | Chevrolet | 9th in Budweiser Duel 2 |
| 19 | 35 | Cole Whitt | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 10th in Budweiser Duel 1 |
| 20 | 10 | Danica Patrick[N 3] | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 10th in Budweiser Duel 2 |
| 21 | 27 | Paul Menard | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 11th in Budweiser Duel 1 |
| 22 | 31 | Ryan Newman (W)[N 4] | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 11th in Budweiser Duel 2 |
| 23 | 95 | Michael McDowell | Leavine Family Racing | Ford | 12th in Budweiser Duel 1 |
| 24 | 41 | Regan Smith[N 5] | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 12th in Budweiser Duel 2 |
| 25 | 23 | J. J. Yeley | BK Racing | Toyota | 13th in Budweiser Duel 1 |
| 26 | 38 | David Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 13th in Budweiser Duel 2 |
| 27 | 46 | Michael Annett | HScott Motorsports | Chevrolet | 14th in Budweiser Duel 1 |
| 28 | 34 | David Ragan[N 3] | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 14th in Budweiser Duel 2 |
| 29 | 42 | Kyle Larson[N 3] | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 15th in Budweiser Duel 1 |
| 30 | 3 | Austin Dillon[N 3] | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 15th in Budweiser Duel 2 |
| 31 | 33 | Ty Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 16th in Budweiser Duel 1 |
| 32 | 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 16th in Budweiser Duel 2 |
| 33 | 43 | Aric Almirola | Richard Petty Motorsports | Ford | Qualifying Speed |
| 34 | 55 | Michael Waltrip (W) | Michael Waltrip Racing | Toyota | Qualifying Speed |
| 35 | 20 | Matt Kenseth (W) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | Qualifying Speed |
| 36 | 83 | Johnny Sauter[N 3] | BK Racing | Toyota | Qualifying Speed |
| 37 | 6 | Trevor Bayne (W)[N 3] | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | Provisional |
| 38 | 9 | Sam Hornish Jr. [N 3] | Richard Petty Motorsports | Ford | Provisional |
| 39 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Ford | Provisional |
| 40 | 47 | A. J. Allmendinger[N 3] | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | Provisional |
| 41 | 13 | Casey Mears | Germain Racing | Chevrolet | Provisional |
| 42 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | Provisional |
| 43 | 32 | Bobby Labonte[N 3] | Go FAS Racing | Ford | Past Champion's Provisional |
| Did not qualify | |||||
| 44 | 7 | Alex Bowman | Tommy Baldwin Racing | Chevrolet | |
| 45 | 62 | Brian Scott | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | |
| 46 | 26 | Jeb Burton (R) | BK Racing | Toyota | |
| 47 | 29 | Justin Marks | RAB Racing | Toyota | |
| 48 | 98 | Josh Wise | Phil Parsons Racing | Ford | |
| 49 | 30 | Ron Hornaday Jr. | The Motorsports Group | Chevrolet | |
Source:[35] | |||||
Suspension of Kurt Busch
"Given the serious nature of the findings and conclusions made by the Commissioner of the Family Court of the State of Delaware, NASCAR has indefinitely suspended driver Kurt Busch, effective immediately. He will not be allowed to race nor participate in any NASCAR activities until further notice. Kurt Busch and his Stewart-Haas Racing team are fully aware of our position and why this decision was made. We will continue to respect the process and timetable of the authorities involved."
Kurt Busch was suspended by NASCAR on February 20, 2015 due to his then ongoing legal battle with possible domestic violence charges.[34] NASCAR released an official statement, which was later confirmed at a press briefing with executive vice president Steve O'Donnell. Regan Smith replaced Busch for the Daytona 500 and, per NASCAR's rules regarding post-qualifying driver changes, was required to start at the rear of the field.[34]
Practice (post-Duels)
Sixth practice (February 20)
Jeff Gordon was the fastest in the sixth practice session with a time of 46.613 and a speed of 193.079 mph (310.731 km/h).[36]
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24 | Jeff Gordon (W) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 46.613 | 193.079 |
| 2 | 55 | Michael Waltrip (W) | Michael Waltrip Racing | Toyota | 46.757 | 192.485 |
| 3 | 78 | Martin Truex, Jr. | Furniture Row Racing | Chevrolet | 46.791 | 192.345 |
Source:[37] | ||||||
Seventh practice (February 20)
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was the fastest in the seventh practice session with a time of 46.295 and a speed of 194.405 mph (312.865 km/h).[38]
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 88 | Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (W) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 46.295 | 194.405 |
| 2 | 5 | Kasey Kahne | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 46.505 | 193.528 |
| 3 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson (W) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 46.609 | 193.096 |
Source:[39] | ||||||
Final practice (February 21)
Denny Hamlin was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 44.531 and a speed of 202.106 mph (325.258 km/h).[40]
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 44.531 | 202.106 |
| 2 | 5 | Kasey Kahne | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 44.549 | 202.025 |
| 3 | 16 | Greg Biffle | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 44.587 | 201.853 |
Source:[41] | ||||||
Prior to the race
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With nine laps to go in the Alert Today Florida 300 Xfinity Series race on the day before the Daytona 500, Kyle Busch crashed into the inside retaining wall between the tri-oval and turn 1.[42] He was taken to the nearby Halifax Health Medical Center after sustaining a right leg injury,[42] ruling him out of the Daytona 500.[42] The wall he hit lacked a SAFER barrier, drawing much criticism from different drivers.[42] Ty Dillon, who finished third, was unaware of Busch's injury at the end of the race, while also adding that it was coming "to the point now in NASCAR we should have SAFER barriers at a place like this".[42] Runner-up Chris Buescher echoed Dillon's comments, stating that the sport "needs to be as safe as possible" and that if "it means lining the inside walls as well, it's probably a good idea".[42]
With the sidelining of Kyle Busch, the Daytona 500 was the first race since the 2001 NAPA 500 at Atlanta – where Kurt Busch failed to qualify – not to feature a Busch brother in the starting lineup. Matt Crafton replaced Kyle Busch for the Daytona 500, while David Ragan replaced him thereafter.[33]
Race
First-half
Start
The race started under clear skies at 1:31 pm Eastern time. Polesitter Jeff Gordon led the first lap in his final Daytona 500, but was quickly passed by his teammate Jimmie Johnson on lap 2. Johnson then maintained control of the lead until lap 15 when he was shuffled up to the outside lane and Gordon took back the lead. The first caution flag of the race flew on lap 18 when Landon Cassill blew an engine exiting turn 2. Michael Annett, J. J. Yeley and Casey Mears all stayed out to lead a lap when Gordon and the others pitted. Cole Whitt was forced to drop to the rear for having too many men over the wall.
The race restarted on lap 25 with Gordon in the lead. The second caution of the race flew on lap 41 when Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth got into the wall exiting turn 4; Stewart's car was loose exiting the turn and got turned by Ryan Blaney into the wall. Kenseth, braking to avoid contact with Blaney, got turned into the wall by Michael Waltrip. Kenseth pitted and lost two laps, while Stewart was forced to go to the garage.[43] Stewart took responsibility for the incident, stating that "when it got three-wide that particular lap, it got away from me", and that when he had decelerated, he "couldn't even get the front end caught up".[44]
Green flag run
The race restarted on lap 46 and Joey Logano used the high line to overtake Gordon for the lead on lap 47 with Johnson and Earnhardt Jr. close behind. On lap 53, Gordon took back the lead from Logano. Gordon, Earnhardt Jr., Martin Truex Jr. and Kasey Kahne broke away from the pack single file, remaining that way for the next 15 laps. Thereafter, the field became largely a single-file train running up next to the wall. Nearing the end of the fuel run, the field began to bunch up and two lines of cars formed up behind Gordon. Earnhardt Jr., Kahne and Truex Jr. moved side-by-side behind Gordon, allowing the pack to catch up to the leaders again. Gordon continued to maintain the lead until the next green flag pit-stop sequence that began on lap 85; he surrendered the lead on lap 87 to make his stop and Carl Edwards assumed the lead. Denny Hamlin took the lead after driving past teammate Edwards on pit road the next lap. Johnson was forced to serve a drive-through penalty for his crew being over the wall too soon. Edwards, Bobby Labonte, Kyle Larson, Truex Jr. and Mike Wallace all served drive-through penalties for speeding. After stops were complete, Gordon reassumed the lead on lap 90.
Second-half
Halfway
Debris in the tri-oval brought out the third caution of the race on lap 105, as a hose-piece was seen near the start-finish line. After pit stops, Gordon continued to lead over Hamlin, Casey Mears and Kahne. A. J. Allmendinger stayed out to lead a lap before pitting. Justin Allgaier dropped to the rear for an uncontrolled tire and Aric Almirola dropped to the rear for too many men over the wall. The race restarted with 90 laps to go with Gordon leading. Hamlin took the lead from Gordon with 88 laps to go, but he was passed one lap later by Logano who drove under him on the inside line. Three laps later, Earnhardt Jr. took the lead and remained at the head of the train until Logano drove under him for the lead with 55 laps to go. Green flag stops began with 49 laps to go, and Logano surrendered the lead to pit with 47 laps to go and Greg Biffle assumed the lead. Larson locked up his brakes entering pit road and plowed some of the infield grass getting down to pit road speed. After the pit stop sequence, Logano reassumed the lead, as Yeley served a drive-through penalty for speeding on pit road.
Fourth caution
Johnson took back the lead with 42 laps to go. Brad Keselowski's engine expired with 40 laps to go, causing Jamie McMurray and Ryan Newman to collide, and this brought out the fourth caution of the race.[45] Keselowski told reporters that the blown engine was caused by "something in the oil pan, broke something important", while stating that he was "starting to get position", ahead of the final 100 miles of the race.[45] Roughly half of the field pitted for fuel under the caution, with the other half staying out for track position, but without assurance that they had enough fuel to make it to the end of the race. Reed Sorenson was forced to drop to the rear of the field for speeding.
Fourth quarter
"What an amazing moment. Wow. To win this race is just amazing. I have the best team on pit road for sure. These guys are awesome. My spotter did a great job giving me the information I need to get our front and stay out front before that last caution and be able to have a good restart there at the end. That feeling of winning the Daytona 500, I can't explain how cool this is. I said in an interview that this was our worst racetrack last year and we worked really hard to figure out how we could get better at it and all the hard work got us the win today. It feels just like the way you dream it. This is better than Disney World in here!"
The race restarted with 35 laps to go. Johnson had the lead, but was quickly passed by Edwards. Two laps later, Johnson retook the lead from Edwards on the outside. With 32 laps to go, the field went three-wide multiple rows back. The fifth caution of the race flew with 25 laps to go when Blaney's car blew an engine on the back straight. A number of the drivers who did not pit under the previous caution pitted under this caution.
Restart with 19 laps to go
The race restarted with 19 laps to go. Two laps later, the field was racing three-wide multiple rows from the lead to the tail. Hamlin drove underneath Johnson for the lead, but was immediately passed by Truex. Hamlin took the lead with eleven laps to go, using the middle lane. Logano took the lead on the following lap, leading the next seven laps until Allgaier and Ty Dillon wrecked in the tri-oval, which caused the sixth caution of the race and forced a green–white–checker finish. During the cleanup, the red flag was displayed for almost seven minutes, as Allgaier's car had dumped a large amount of oil on the race track.
Finish
The race restarted with two laps to go with Logano leading. On the final lap, a large pileup occurred on the back straight involving polesitter Gordon, along with Sorenson, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Allmendinger and Trevor Bayne. With the leaders entering turn 3, the caution was displayed. Logano coasted across the finish line to score the victory, his first Daytona 500 victory and the second for car owner Roger Penske. At the age of 24, Logano was the second youngest winner of the Daytona 500, with only Bayne – aged 20, in the 2011 race – winning at a younger age.[47]
Race results
| Pos | Grid | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 203 | 47 |
| 2 | 11 | 4 | Kevin Harvick (W) | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 203 | 42 |
| 3 | 3 | 88 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. (W) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 203 | 42 |
| 4 | 42 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 203 | 41 |
| 5 | 2 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson (W) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 203 | 40 |
| 6 | 41 | 13 | Casey Mears | Germain Racing | Chevrolet | 203 | 39 |
| 7 | 9 | 15 | Clint Bowyer | Michael Waltrip Racing | Toyota | 203 | 37 |
| 8 | 10 | 78 | Martin Truex, Jr. | Furniture Row Racing | Chevrolet | 203 | 37 |
| 9 | 13 | 5 | Kasey Kahne | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 203 | 35 |
| 10 | 8 | 16 | Greg Biffle | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 203 | 35 |
| 11 | 26 | 38 | David Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 203 | 33 |
| 12 | 38 | 9 | Sam Hornish, Jr. | Richard Petty Motorsports | Ford | 203 | 32 |
| 13 | 27 | 46 | Michael Annett | HScott Motorsports | Chevrolet | 203 | 32 |
| 14 | 30 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 203 | 30 |
| 15 | 33 | 43 | Aric Almirola | Richard Petty Motorsports | Ford | 203 | 29 |
| 16 | 24 | 41 | Regan Smith | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 203 | 0 |
| 17 | 28 | 34 | David Ragan | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 203 | 27 |
| 18 | 4 | 18 | Matt Crafton | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 203 | 0 |
| 19 | 36 | 83 | Johnny Sauter | BK Racing | Toyota | 203 | 0 |
| 20 | 40 | 47 | A. J. Allmendinger | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 203 | 25 |
| 21 | 20 | 10 | Danica Patrick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 203 | 23 |
| 22 | 19 | 35 | Cole Whitt | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 203 | 22 |
| 23 | 6 | 19 | Carl Edwards | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 203 | 22 |
| 24 | 43 | 32 | Bobby Labonte | Go FAS Racing | Ford | 203 | 20 |
| 25 | 21 | 27 | Paul Menard | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 203 | 19 |
| 26 | 34 | 55 | Michael Waltrip (W) | Michael Waltrip Racing | Toyota | 203 | 18 |
| 27 | 15 | 1 | Jamie McMurray (W) | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 203 | 17 |
| 28 | 31 | 33 | Ty Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 203 | 0 |
| 29 | 32 | 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 203 | 15 |
| 30 | 37 | 6 | Trevor Bayne (W) | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 203 | 14 |
| 31 | 23 | 95 | Michael McDowell | Leavine Family Racing | Ford | 203 | 13 |
| 32 | 14 | 44 | Reed Sorenson | Team XTREME Racing | Chevrolet | 203 | 12 |
| 33 | 1 | 24 | Jeff Gordon (W) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 203 | 13 |
| 34 | 29 | 42 | Kyle Larson | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 202 | 10 |
| 35 | 35 | 20 | Matt Kenseth (W) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 202 | 9 |
| 36 | 16 | 66 | Mike Wallace | Premium Motorsports | Chevrolet | 199 | 8 |
| 37 | 18 | 51 | Justin Allgaier | HScott Motorsports | Chevrolet | 197 | 7 |
| 38 | 22 | 31 | Ryan Newman (W) | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 184 | 6 |
| 39 | 12 | 21 | Ryan Blaney | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 175 | 0 |
| 40 | 25 | 23 | J. J. Yeley | BK Racing | Toyota | 161 | 0 |
| 41 | 39 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Ford | 160 | 3 |
| 42 | 7 | 14 | Tony Stewart | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 72 | 2 |
| 43 | 17 | 40 | Landon Cassill | Hillman Smith Motorsports | Chevrolet | 18 | 0 |
|
Source:[3] | |||||||
Race statistics
- 27 lead changes among 12 different drivers
- 7 cautions for 26 laps; one red flag for 6:42
- Time of race: 3 hours, 8 minutes, 2 seconds
- Average speed: 161.938 mph (260.614 km/h)
- Joey Logano took home $1,586,503 in winnings
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Race awards
- Coors Light Pole Award: Jeff Gordon (201.293 mph. 44.711 secs.)
- 3M Lap Leader: Jeff Gordon (87 Laps)
- American Ethanol Green Flag Restart Award: Sam Hornish Jr.
- Duralast Brakes "Brake in The Race" Award: Jeff Gordon
- Freescale "Wide Open": Joey Logano
- Ingersoll Rand Power Move: Michael Annett (16 positions)
- MAHLE Clevite Engine Builder of The Race: Roush-Yates Engines (#22)
- Mobil 1 Driver of The Race: Joey Logano, driver rating of 125.3
- Moog Steering and Suspension Problem Solver of The Race: Casey Mears (crew chief Robert "Bootie" Barker, 0.112 seconds)
- NASCAR Sprint Cup Leader Bonus: No winner: rolls over to $20,000 at next event
- Sherwin-Williams Fastest Lap Award: Carl Edwards
Media
Television
Since 2001, (except for 2002, 2004 and 2006) the Daytona 500 has been carried by Fox. The booth crew has remained the same since the beginning with longtime NASCAR lap-by-lap commentator Mike Joy, two time Daytona 500 winning crew chief Larry McReynolds and 1989 Daytona 500 champion Darrell Waltrip. Pit road was manned by Jamie Little, Chris Neville, Vince Welch and Matt Yocum.
| Fox Television | |
|---|---|
| Booth announcers | Pit reporters |
| Lap-by-lap: Mike Joy Color-commentator: Larry McReynolds Color commentator: Darrell Waltrip | Jamie Little Chris Neville Vince Welch Matt Yocum |
Radio
The race was broadcast on radio by the Motor Racing Network and simulcasted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. MRN Radio has covered the Daytona 500 since 1970. Joe Moore and Jeff Striegle covered the race from the booth. Longtime turn announcer – and prodigy of MRN co-founder Ken Squier – Dave Moody was the lead turn announcer. He called the race from atop the Sunoco sign outside the exit of turn 2 when the field was racing through turns 1 & 2. Mike Bagley worked the backstretch for the Daytona 500 from a spotter's stand on the inside of the track. Kyle Rickey called the race when the field was racing through turns 3 & 4. On pit road, MRN was manned by lead pit reporter and executive director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame Winston Kelley. Kelley was joined on pit road by Steve Post, Alex Hayden and Woody Cain.
| MRN Radio | ||
|---|---|---|
| Booth announcers | Turn announcers | Pit reporters |
| Lead announcer: Joe Moore Announcer: Jeff Striegle | Turns 1 & 2: Dave Moody Backstretch: Mike Bagley Turns 3 & 4: Kyle Rickey | Winston Kelley Steve Post Alex Hayden Woody Cain |
Standings after the race
|
 Joey Logano left Daytona International Speedway as the points leader for the first time in his career
|
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The qualifying times for Denny Hamlin and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. were disallowed post-qualifying, for technical infractions. They started from the rear of the field in their respective Duel races.[17]
- ↑ Kyle Busch qualified and raced the car in the Budweiser Duel, but was injured during the Alert Today Florida 300 Xfinity Series race, held the day before the Daytona 500. Matt Crafton started from the rear of the field due to a driver change.[33]
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 Danica Patrick, David Ragan, Kyle Larson, Austin Dillon, Johnny Sauter, Trevor Bayne, Sam Hornish Jr., A. J. Allmendinger and Bobby Labonte all started from the rear for switching to backup cars after their respective Duel races.
- ↑ Ryan Newman started from the rear for an unapproved engine change.
- ↑ Kurt Busch qualified and raced the car in the Budweiser Duel, but was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR due to ongoing allegations of domestic violence. Because of this driver change, Regan Smith started from the rear.[34]
References
- ↑ "2015 NASCAR Schedule" (PDF). NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. August 26, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
- ↑ "Daytona International Speedway". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. January 3, 2013. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Daytona 500 Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. February 22, 2015. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
- ↑ "Points standings" (PDF). jayski.com. NASCAR Statistics. February 22, 2015. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
- ↑ "Manufacturer standings" (PDF). jayski.com. NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications. February 23, 2015. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
- ↑ Paulsen (February 23, 2015). "Daytona 500 Overnights Up, But Still Low". SportsMediaWatch.com. Sports Media Watch. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Paulsen (February 26, 2015). "Daytona 500 Up Big, But Ties Second-Worst Rating Since '91". SportsMediaWatch.com. Sports Media Watch. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Long, Dustin (January 16, 2015). "Explaining New Pit Road Camera System". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
- ↑ "Entry List". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. February 12, 2015. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
- ↑ Estrada, Chris (February 14, 2015). "Ricky Stenhouse Jr. fastest in first Daytona 500 practice". nascartalk.nbcsports.com. NBC Sports. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
- ↑ "First Practice Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. February 14, 2015. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
- ↑ Ryan, Nate (February 14, 2015). "Start time, TV info and lineup for NASCAR Sprint Unlimited at Daytona". nascartalk.nbcsports.com. NBC Sports. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Estrada, Chris (February 14, 2015). "Ryan Newman loses motor, Martin Truex Jr. suffers oil leak in second Daytona 500 practice (UPDATED)". nascartalk.nbcsports.com. NBC Sports. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
- ↑ "Second Practice Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. February 14, 2015. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Utter, Jim (February 15, 2015). "Clint Bowyer goes off on NASCAR about Daytona group qualifying". ThatsRacin.com. The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Pistone, Pete (February 15, 2015). "Daytona 500 Pole to Gordon". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 Pistone, Pete (February 15, 2015). "Earnhardt Jr., Hamlin Fail Inspection". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
- ↑ "Qualifying Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. February 15, 2015. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
- ↑ Estrada, Chris (February 18, 2015). "Kyle Busch tops first of today’s two Daytona 500 practice sessions". nascartalk.nbcsports.com. NBC Sports. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 Gluck, Jeff (February 18, 2015). "Danica Patrick, Denny Hamlin in Daytona practice crash". usatoday.com. Gannett Satellite Information Network, Inc. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
- ↑ "Third Practice Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. February 18, 2015. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
- ↑ Estrada, Chris (February 18, 2015). "Alex Bowman leads fourth Daytona 500 practice; Danica 19th-fastest in backup car". nascartalk.nbcsports.com. NBC Sports. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
- ↑ "Fourth Practice Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. February 18, 2015. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
- ↑ Long, Dustin (February 19, 2015). "Kyle Larson leads Thursday practice session". nascartalk.nbcsports.com. NBC Sports. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
- ↑ "Final Practice Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. February 19, 2015. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 Pennell, Jay (February 19, 2015). "Sauter, Allmendinger, Bayne wreck in first Budweiser Duel". FoxSports.com. Fox Sports Interactive Media, LLC. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 Pistone, Pete (February 19, 2015). "Earnhardt Jr. Takes First Duel". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
- ↑ Bowles, Tom (February 19, 2015). "Dale Earnhardt, Jr. takes first Budweiser Duel; Gordon 2nd". Frontstretch.com. Frontstretch. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
- ↑ "Duel 1 Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. February 19, 2015. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 30.3 Pistone, Pete (February 19, 2015). "Second Duel to Johnson". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
- ↑ Fryer, Jenna (February 19, 2015). "Earnhardt Jr. and Johnson win Daytona 500 qualifying races". racing.ap.org. The Associated Press. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
- ↑ "Duel 2 Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. February 19, 2015. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 Gluck, Jeff (February 21, 2015). "Matt Crafton will drive for Kyle Busch in Daytona 500". usatoday.com. Gannett Satellite Information Network, Inc. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
- ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 34.3 Moody, Dave (February 20, 2015). "BREAKING NEWS: Kurt Busch Suspended By NASCAR". GodfatherMotorsports.com. Godfather Motorsports. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
- ↑ "Official starting lineup" (PDF). Jayski's Silly Season Site. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
- ↑ Bonkowski, Jerry (February 20, 2015). "Jeff Gordon paces first of two Friday Sprint Cup practices". nascartalk.nbcsports.com. NBC Sports. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
- ↑ "Sixth Practice Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. February 20, 2015. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
- ↑ Bonkowski, Jerry (February 20, 2015). "Dale Earnhardt Jr. is fastest in Friday’s second Sprint Cup practice". nascartalk.nbcsports.com. NBC Sports. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
- ↑ "Seventh Practice Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. February 20, 2015. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
- ↑ Bonkowski, Jerry (February 21, 2015). "Hamlin, Kahne lead the way in final Daytona 500 practice". nascartalk.nbcsports.com. NBC Sports. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
- ↑ "Final Practice Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. February 21, 2015. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
- ↑ 42.0 42.1 42.2 42.3 42.4 42.5 Bruce, Kenny (February 21, 2015). "Kyle Busch taken to hospital after hard hit at Daytona". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
- ↑ Bonkowski, Jerry (February 22, 2015). "Stewart, Kenseth, Blaney in first wreck of Daytona 500". nascartalk.nbcsports.com. NBC Sports. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
- ↑ Pistone, Pete (February 22, 2015). "Stewart's Daytona Woes Continue". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
- ↑ 45.0 45.1 Estrada, Chris (February 22, 2015). "Brad Keselowski blows engine with 40 laps to go at Daytona; McMurray, Newman involved (VIDEO)". nascartalk.nbcsports.com. NBC Sports. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
- ↑ Pistone, Pete (February 22, 2015). "Logano Wins Daytona 500". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
- ↑ "Joey Logano wins Daytona 500". ESPN (ESPN Internet Ventures). Associated Press. February 22, 2015. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2015 Daytona 500. |
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NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2015 season |
Next race: 2015 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 |
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