NASCAR THIS WEEK 8 - THE DERRICK. / The News-Herald Wednesday, Febuary 19, 2020

SPEED FREAKS QUESTIONS & ATTITUDE A few questions we had to ask ourselves Compelling questions ... and maybe a few actual answers Aside from the obvious, your review of ? THREE THINGS TO WATCH How do you describe Ryan GODSPEAK: As a whole, Newman’s wreck to a non-fan? pretty tense racing. The 1. Denny double? rain postpone- First, these things are more likely ment was a bummer after a The Daytona 500 offers few to happen at Daytona (and Tal- week’s buildup. clues on how the NASCAR ladega) because of engine rules KEN’S CALL: It was enjoy- season will go for drivers, so specific to those two huge tracks. able watching some of the keep an eye on , The rules are designed to keep new guys (Reddick, Bell, who came out of the chute speeds from soaring to 210 and etc.) and non-superstars with the big prize at Daytona. beyond, but they also serve to (Chastain, Stenhouse) get While Hamlin has won time equalize the field and create large some attention. and again at Daytona, he has packs of , racing for the sport’s not fared well at Las Vegas biggest prize — and by the way Anything from Speedweeks Motor Speedway during they’re still approaching 200 mph. that might carry over to the his career. The record book It’s a recipe for scary crashes. western swing? shows 16 starts and no wins. GODSPEAK: As we all know, Racing has only What happens now? the Daytona 500 is a unique three wins at the 1.5-mile “Sin animal, but I think the City” track since 1998. Hopefully, Ryan Newman will heal rookie class showed some to 100%. NASCAR’s R&D wizards of their skill. They were not 2. Regular racing will spend many hours dissecting afraid to mix it up with the the crash and looking for ways to veterans. There were several drivers lower the risk of serious injury in KEN’S CALL: Godwin makes in Daytona who suggested case of a similar wreck. And maybe a good point (no, really!). the NASCAR season actually someday someone will design a Particularly the three starts at Las Vegas, because way to race at Daytona/Talladega newcomers who won a lot it is a normal-sized course. that appears a bit more sane, yet in Xfinity. They’re not over Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won the keeps much of the drama. their heads. Daytona 500 and he said Daytona and Tal- Ken Willis, ken.willis ladega are out of the norm. @news-jrnl.com GODWIN’S PICKS “We work these speedway FOR LAS VEGAS races different,” said Sten- house, who drives the No. 47 CUP STANDINGS WINNER: . REST OF TOP 5: , 1. Denny Hamlin 50 , , 3. Ford & 2. Ryan Blaney 43 Denny Hamlin 3. Kevin Harvick 39 FIRST ONE OUT: Christopher Chevrolet has not seen Denny Hamlin stands on his No. 11 Toyota in Victory Lane after 4. 38 Bell much success in NASCAR’s winning the Daytona 500. [N-J/DAVID TUCKER] 5. Ryan Newman 36 DARK HORSE: premier series over the last 6. 35 DON’T BE SURPRISED IF: two seasons, so it redesigned big news. Ford and Toyota that was in 2015. He now 7. Chase Elliott 34 Harvick flexes muscles in the front and rear of its 2020 drivers have won the last six wheels a Ford. 8. 33 an early statement race for Camaro hoping for improve- races in the desert. Kevin 9. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 32 Stewart-Haas Racing. ment. If a Chevy driver wins Harvick was the last Chevy Godwin Kelly, godwin. 9. 32 at Las Vegas, that would be driver to win at Vegas and [email protected] 11. Clint Bowyer 31 12. 30 BY THE NUMBERS 12. 30 14. Corey LaJoie 29 1 15. 28 Lap by President Donald 16. 26 Trump at Daytona before 17. Matt DiBenedetto 25 race DAYTONA 18. 24 6 19. Michael McDowell 23 Air Force Thunderbirds in 20. 22 Daytona 500 flyover THREE THINGS WE LEARNED 7 Races held during Daytona 1. Safety first WHAT’S ON TAP Speedweeks (All times Eastern) 40 Ryan Newman’s horrifying Cars in Daytona 500 field wreck and removal from CUP SERIES: 400 125,000 the car after the last lap of SITE: Estimated attendance for the Daytona 500 is a good (1.5-mile quad-oval) Daytona 500 (day 1) example of how far safety TV SCHEDULE: Friday, practice procedures have come over ( 1, 4 p.m. and 7:30 the last 20 years. Newman’s p.m.). Saturday, qualifying (Fox M O T O R M O U T H S No. 6 Ford slammed into Sports 1, 2:30 p.m.). Sunday, race PODCAST the wall then was struck by (Fox , coverage begins at 3 p.m., another car. He was listed in green flag at 3:30 p.m.) Whose turn to squeegee serious condition with non- Ryan Newman crashes violently while approaching the out the Pod? We now have a life-threatening injuries. checkered flag on the final lap of the Daytona 500. [NEWS- XFINITY: Boyd Gaming 300 season unfolding! JOURNAL/DAVID TUCKER] SITE: Las Vegas Motor Speedway 2. Daytona 24 TV SCHEDULE: Friday, practice Tune in online at in the presidential limou- the fourth driver to do it (, 2:30 p.m.). Satur- www.news-journalonline. The Daytona 500 was raced sine before heading back to since the race started in day, qualifying, 1 p.m.), race (Fox com/daytonamotormouths over two days. The 40-car Washington, D.C. 1959. The last driver to do it Sports 1, 4 p.m.) field logged 20 laps on was over the Sunday before NASCAR’s 3. Elite company 1994-95 seasons. The others GANDER RV & OUTDOORS TRUCK biggest race was postponed are and Cale SERIES: Strat 200 by a series of showers. Denny Hamlin’s victory put Yarborough. SITE: Las Vegas Motor Speedway President Donald Trump him in elite company as a TV SCHEDULE: Friday, qualifying gave the command to fire back-to-back Daytona 500 Godwin Kelly, godwin. (, 5 p.m.), race (Fox engines and took a pace lap champion. He became only [email protected] Sports 1, 9 p.m.)

2 0 2 0 C U P S E R I E S April 5: Bristol June 21: Chicagoland Sept. 6: Darlington SCHEDULE AND WINNERS April 19: Richmond June 27: Pocono Sept. 12: Richmond Feb. 9: Clash at Daytona (Erik Jones) April 26: Talladega June 28: Pocono Sept. 19: Bristol Feb. 16: Daytona 500 (Denny Hamlin) May 3: Dover July 5: Indianapolis Sept. 27: Las Vegas Feb. 23: Las Vegas May 9: Martinsville July 11: Kentucky Oct. 4: Talladega March 1: Fontana May 16: All-Star Race at Charlotte July 19: New Hampshire Oct. 11: Charlotte March 8: Phoenix May 24: Charlotte Aug. 9: Michigan Oct. 18: Kansas March 15: Atlanta May 31: Kansas Aug. 16: Watkins Glen Oct. 25: Texas March 22: Homestead-Miami June 7: Michigan Aug. 23: Dover Nov. 1: Martinsville March 29: Texas June 14: Sonoma Aug. 29: Daytona Nov. 8: Phoenix

KEN WILLIS’ TOP 10 NASCAR DRIVER RANKINGS

KYLE BUSCH KEVIN MARTIN CHASE ERIK JONES BRAD JOEY DENNY RYAN JIMMIE No changes HARVICK TRUEX JR. ELLIOTT Got a KESELOWSKI LOGANO HAMLIN BLANEY JOHNSON here after a Will finish Now 0-for-60 The Daytona Speedweeks Mr. Hunch Again, made On first- Had a shot at Now he can pack-race second at at Daytona/ 500 is no trophy likes him in no new name basis Harley J. really start Vegas Talladega friend to him Vegas friends in with Harley his final Daytona J. Earl campaign 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10