Kyle Busch wins 2nd Daytona Duel in front of last-lap crash
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – An extremely calm second Daytona qualifying race got crazy on the last lap.
Leader Kyle Busch blocked Jamie McMurray, who was looking for a way to pass. As McMurray moved up the track to try to go to Busch’s outside, he cut in front of Jimmie Johnson, who went spinning.
Johnson’s spin collected Kurt Busch, Martin Truex, Matt Kenseth, AJ Allmendinger and Danica Patrick. With the race already on the final lap, Busch was the winner while McMurray finished second. Kurt Busch was able to carry on and finished third.
[Related: Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins first qualifying race on anniversary of father’s death]
The biggest loser in the crash was Kenseth. The 2003 Sprint Cup champion qualified second during Sunday’s front row qualifying for the Daytona 500 and had his starting position guaranteed if his car finished the race intact. It did not. The front of his car was demolished after running into the back of Truex.
Kenseth will have to drop to the back of the field at the beginning of the 500 because he needs a backup car. Johnson, Truex and Allmendinger likely will too.
Robert Richardson made the race based on his Sunday qualifying speed after Matt DiBenedetto, who had already qualified for the race via his speed on Sunday, was the highest-finishing non-charter driver.
McMurray appeared to have a run on Busch on the final lap because Busch opened up a large gap on the rest of the field. The gap happened when Casey Mears ran out of gas with two laps to go while running second. As the cars behind him scrambled to avoid him, Busch pulled away from everyone else.
With the effects of the draft, McMurray, Johnson and the rest of the field closed on Busch quickly. But McMurray’s car stalled out when he got to Busch’s bumper.
Here’s the race’s finishing order. The drivers in this Can-Am Duel race will start on the outside of each row.
1. Kyle Busch (4th)
2. Jamie McMurray (6th)
3. Kurt Busch (8th)
4. Carl Edwards (10th)
5. Ty Dillon (12th)
6. Kyle Larson (14th)
7. Danica Patrick (16th)
8. Brian Vickers (18th)
9. Matt DiBenedetto (20th)
10. Michael Annett (22nd)
11. Landon Cassill (24th)
12. David Gilliland (DNQ)
13. Jimmie Johnson (26th)
14. Martin Truex Jr. (28th)
15. AJ Allmendinger (30th)
16. Matt Kenseth (2nd)
17. Casey Mears (32nd)
18. Robert Richardson (40th)
19. Aric Almirola (34th)
20. Michael Waltrip (36th)
21. Reed Sorenson (DNQ)
22. Ryan Newman (38th)
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
