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NASCAR: Winners And Losers At Daytona

By Cole Mentzel

Feb 21, 2016; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Carl Edwards (19), Kevin Harvick (4), Jaime McMurray (1), Ryan Blaney (21), Brad Keselowski (2) and Kyle Larson (42) during the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 21, 2016; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Carl Edwards (19), Kevin Harvick (4), Jaime McMurray (1), Ryan Blaney (21), Brad Keselowski (2) and Kyle Larson (42) during the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 21, 2016; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Chase Elliott (24) leads Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88) during the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 21, 2016; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Chase Elliott (24) leads Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88) during the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /

Loser: Hendrick Motorsports

Hendrick Motorsports has been dominant at restrictor plate tracks recently. Since 2013, they have won five out of 13 total races at Daytona and Talladega, including the last five poles.

But their dominance hasn’t just been featured in starts and finishes. HMS has been seen owning lines at both tracks, with an example being the 2015 Daytona night race, when all four drivers ran 1-4 for quite some time throughout the course of the event.

That simply wasn’t the case for one of NASCAR’s best teams during the Daytona 500.

Pole-sitter Chase Elliott (37th) led the first three laps of the race before giving up the lead to Dale Earnhardt Jr. and taking a ride into the grass just 17 laps later, ending his chances at a good finish. Earnhardt Jr. (36th) led 15 laps and was making progress late in the race before spinning out and slamming into the wall.

As for the other two HMS drivers who did not wreck, Jimmie Johnson’s (16th) crew went over the wall too soon, causing a penalty and Kasey Kahne (13th) never could get any real runs going.

For a team that has had tons of power at Daytona in the past, the luck was just not on their side. Fortunately for them, there’s 25 races left until the Chase, and with some of the best resources in NASCAR, they will see better weeks.

Next: One Great Save

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