NASCAR: Bubba Wallace, 9 others penalized before Daytona 500
By Asher Fair
Bubba Wallace and nine others will be sent to the rear of the field for the start of today’s 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season-opening Daytona 500.
Like many expected, the starting lineup for the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, which was provisionally set in Wednesday’s single-car qualifying session and Thursday’s Bluegreen Vacations Duels, won’t look exactly like it was originally slated to.
That is because one-quarter of the drivers in the 40-car field for this afternoon’s 200-lap race around the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) high-banked oval in Daytona Beach, Florida will be sent to the rear on the pace laps for various issues.
These 10 drivers are Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron, 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace, Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr., Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer, Stewart-Haas Racing rookie Chase Briscoe, Richard Petty Motorsports’ Erik Jones, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Ross Chastain, Front Row Motorsports rookie Anthony Alfredo and Kaulig Racing rookie Kaz Grala.
They were slated to start in second, sixth, 24th, 26th, 27th, 30th, 31st, 34th, 36th and 40th place, respectively.
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Byron, Keselowski, Custer, Briscoe, Chastain, Alfredo and Grala will have to drop to the rear as a result of going to backup cars. Wallace will have to drop to the rear after his #23 Toyota failed pre-race inspection twice, which also resulted in the ejection of his car chief.
Truex will have to drop to the rear as a result of a radiator/oil cooler change, while Jones will have to drop to the rear as a result of an engine change. Unfortunately for Jones, he will also have to start next Sunday’s race at the Daytona International Speedway road course at the rear of the field as a part of his penalty.
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Tune in to Fox right now for live coverage of the 63rd annual Daytona 500 from Daytona International Speedway. Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman is set to start the race from the pole position, with the green flag set for 3:05 p.m. ET.