The second stop to Daytona International Speedway saw speed in both Richard Petty Motorsports cars. Brian Scott topped the only practice and raced the No. 44 Safeway/Shore Lodge Ford within the Top-15 during the 400-mile night race, but unfortunately, Scott got caught up in the “Big One." Coming off a XFINITY Series victory the night before, Aric Almirola raced as high as second in the No. 43 Smithfield Ford. He fell back late in the race due to overheating and didn’t have time or space to work through the field. He finished 15th.
Aric Almirola, No. 43 Smithfield Ford
Aric Almirola was confident going into the Coke Zero 400 on Saturday night. After a win in the XFINITY Series and a strong Sprint Cup Series practice the day before, Almirola had a good feeling about the No. 43 Smithfield Ford. He took the green flag in the 14th position, and the field quickly went three wide with Almirola in the middle. Not long into the race, Almirola reported that a hose had come loose and was hurting his speed. The team took an extended pit stop during the Lap 20 Competition Caution to fix the hose and quick work kept Almirola on the lead lap.
He restarted in the 30th position and within seven laps had driven his way through the field and up to 16th place. Having found success in the XFINITY Series race on the bottom lane, Almirola quickly got to the yellow line and settled in. When green flag stops started to play out, Crew Chief Trent Owens brought the No. 43 Smithfield Ford to pit road on Lap 65 for right-side tires only. Great strategy by the team had Almirola in the eighth position when the stops cycled through.
At the halfway mark, Almirola was in third place. He rode with the leaders until he was shuffled to the back of the field because of big moves in the draft around him. Almirola was patient and strategically worked his way back to the front, making it back to as high as the ninth position. With the typical Daytona melees and shuffles, Almirola found himself in the 17th position at the drop of the green flag for the overtime finish. Pushing the car in front of his as hard as he could to move up in the field, Almirola took the checkered flag in 15th place.
“What a great weekend we had in Daytona,” said Almirola. “I got a win in the XFINITY Series, and we had a really fast No. 43 Smithfield Ford Fusion tonight. My car was handling well, and I could run with the leaders. But, crazy things happen in the draft and before you know it you’ve been shuffled back. That’s why it’s such a wildcard race. I’m proud of my team and how hard they worked to give me a fast Ford Fusion, and I think we’ll bring another fast one to Kentucky next weekend. We tested there earlier this year, and the track is very different with the repave. It’ll be interesting to see how that race unfolds, but I’m looking forward to it.”
Brian Scott, No. 44 Safeway/Shore Lodge Ford
Brian Scott and the No. 44 Safeway/Shore Lodge team returned to Daytona International Speedway this weekend for the annual Fourth of July Coke Zero 400. After being forced to a backup car at the Daytona 500 in February at the first trip to the 2.5-mile tri-oval, Scott was eager to get back to the restrictor plate track and return home with a solid finish.
It was a rainy weekend in central Florida, with both practices on Thursday being rained out.
NASCAR rescheduled practice for Friday morning, and after running in the draft for most of practice, Scott and the No. 44 Ford Fusion were at the top of the speed charts heading into qualifying. Scott qualified 30th to start Saturday night’s race under the lights.
Scott had a solid start to the 160-mile race, running in the Top-20 for the first half. The first 89 laps saw only one competition caution, with the rest of the race staying green. That is, until “The Big One” struck, collecting Scott and 11 other competitors. Unfortunately, the damage was too severe for the No. 44 team to fix the car and bring Scott back to racing. Scott finished 37th.
“I didn’t see a lot,” Scott said. “I was on the outside and our lane seemed to get a good run entering Turn 1, and I saw guys check-up and hands out the windows so I started checking up. Then, the check-up kept going, and it became an accordion effect. We were in the wall and jacked up, and I guess the No. 4 car came up under me and drove underneath my car and then I was up in the air. It was a pinball effect. It is an unfortunate end. You always seem to get those big ones here at the Fourth of July race. Sometimes there is nothing you can do. There was no chance to ever miss that for our No. 44 Safeway Ford Fusion."
RPM Release.
Aric Almirola, No. 43 Smithfield Ford
Aric Almirola was confident going into the Coke Zero 400 on Saturday night. After a win in the XFINITY Series and a strong Sprint Cup Series practice the day before, Almirola had a good feeling about the No. 43 Smithfield Ford. He took the green flag in the 14th position, and the field quickly went three wide with Almirola in the middle. Not long into the race, Almirola reported that a hose had come loose and was hurting his speed. The team took an extended pit stop during the Lap 20 Competition Caution to fix the hose and quick work kept Almirola on the lead lap.
He restarted in the 30th position and within seven laps had driven his way through the field and up to 16th place. Having found success in the XFINITY Series race on the bottom lane, Almirola quickly got to the yellow line and settled in. When green flag stops started to play out, Crew Chief Trent Owens brought the No. 43 Smithfield Ford to pit road on Lap 65 for right-side tires only. Great strategy by the team had Almirola in the eighth position when the stops cycled through.
At the halfway mark, Almirola was in third place. He rode with the leaders until he was shuffled to the back of the field because of big moves in the draft around him. Almirola was patient and strategically worked his way back to the front, making it back to as high as the ninth position. With the typical Daytona melees and shuffles, Almirola found himself in the 17th position at the drop of the green flag for the overtime finish. Pushing the car in front of his as hard as he could to move up in the field, Almirola took the checkered flag in 15th place.
“What a great weekend we had in Daytona,” said Almirola. “I got a win in the XFINITY Series, and we had a really fast No. 43 Smithfield Ford Fusion tonight. My car was handling well, and I could run with the leaders. But, crazy things happen in the draft and before you know it you’ve been shuffled back. That’s why it’s such a wildcard race. I’m proud of my team and how hard they worked to give me a fast Ford Fusion, and I think we’ll bring another fast one to Kentucky next weekend. We tested there earlier this year, and the track is very different with the repave. It’ll be interesting to see how that race unfolds, but I’m looking forward to it.”
Brian Scott, No. 44 Safeway/Shore Lodge Ford
Brian Scott and the No. 44 Safeway/Shore Lodge team returned to Daytona International Speedway this weekend for the annual Fourth of July Coke Zero 400. After being forced to a backup car at the Daytona 500 in February at the first trip to the 2.5-mile tri-oval, Scott was eager to get back to the restrictor plate track and return home with a solid finish.
It was a rainy weekend in central Florida, with both practices on Thursday being rained out.
NASCAR rescheduled practice for Friday morning, and after running in the draft for most of practice, Scott and the No. 44 Ford Fusion were at the top of the speed charts heading into qualifying. Scott qualified 30th to start Saturday night’s race under the lights.
Scott had a solid start to the 160-mile race, running in the Top-20 for the first half. The first 89 laps saw only one competition caution, with the rest of the race staying green. That is, until “The Big One” struck, collecting Scott and 11 other competitors. Unfortunately, the damage was too severe for the No. 44 team to fix the car and bring Scott back to racing. Scott finished 37th.
“I didn’t see a lot,” Scott said. “I was on the outside and our lane seemed to get a good run entering Turn 1, and I saw guys check-up and hands out the windows so I started checking up. Then, the check-up kept going, and it became an accordion effect. We were in the wall and jacked up, and I guess the No. 4 car came up under me and drove underneath my car and then I was up in the air. It was a pinball effect. It is an unfortunate end. You always seem to get those big ones here at the Fourth of July race. Sometimes there is nothing you can do. There was no chance to ever miss that for our No. 44 Safeway Ford Fusion."
RPM Release.
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