DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — A look at the winners and losers from Saturday night’s Cup regular regular season finale at Daytona.
WINNERS
Ryan Blaney — He went from 13th to first in the final two laps to win. He gained five playoff points for the victory. By vaulting from fifth to second in the season standings at the end of the regular season, he gained four additional playoff points. So, he scored nine playoff points Saturday night. A big night for Blaney.
Blaney goes from 13th to first to win Daytona
Ryan Blaney recaps a “wild” final two laps at Daytona, going from 13th to first to secure the win, and he describes his team’s strategy throughout the race for his second win of the season.
Daniel Suarez — While he came .031 seconds short of his first win of the season, he tied his best result of the year with the second-place finish.
Suarez ‘proud of the effort’ at Daytona
Daniel Suarez felt he needed to set himself up better for the win at Daytona but was happy with the speed his team brought to finish runner-up in the Coke Zero Sugar 400.
Justin Haley — He led on the final lap in his bid to win his second career Cup race. Haley finished third. He had not finished better than 10th this season and had an average finish of 22.2 entering Saturday night’s race.
Haley ‘got too far out front’ to secure win
It was a season’s-best finish for Justin Haley, who found himself in position for the win at Daytona, but he “got too far out front” to hold off the pack and settles for a third-place finish.
Cole Custer — He led at the beginning of the final lap before falling back to fourth. Still, it was his best finish of the season and only his second top-10 of the year. He had an average finish of 24.8 entering the race.
Alex Bowman earned the final playoff spot after several drivers needing a win to make the playoffs could not keep Ryan Blaney from winning.
Erik Jones — Was at the front until a shove by Kyle Larson got him out of shape and he fell back. Jones rallied to place fifth to tie his season-best result. He had an average finish of 20.1 entering the race.
Blaney dashes several playoff dreams at Daytona
Watch the finish to the NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400.
Alex Bowman — After he was collected in an early crash and finished 36th, he needed someone who was already in the playoffs to win to advance. Blaney’s victory allowed Bowman to secure the final playoff spot.
Bowman ‘in a tough spot’ after Daytona wreck
Alex Bowman’s shares his perspective after being caught up in an early Stage 1 crash that puts his playoff hopes in jeopardy.
LOSERS
Denny Hamlin — His car was damaged in an early crash and he finished 25th. That dropped him from third to sixth in the season standings, costing him five playoff points — the equivalent of a win.
RFK Racing — The organization is shut out of the playoffs after Chris Buescher (seventh), Ryan Preece (14th) and Brad Keselowski (18th) failed to win.
Kyle Busch — His car was damaged in an early crash and he finished 33rd. Busch will miss the playoffs for a second consecutive year and his winless streak goes to 83 races.
Daytona delivers early drama with Stage 1 Big One
A dozen cars are collected early at Daytona International Speedway as Bubba Wallace, Kyle Busch, Alex Bowman, and others suffer major damage.
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