Coke Zero 400: 5 takeaways from NASCAR at Daytona
Did the Coke Zero 400 prove Ricky Stenhouse Jr. needs more credit? Here’s what we learned from the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona.
The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series never disappoints when it comes to Daytona International Speedway, and Saturday’s Coke Zero 400 was no exception. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. swiped his second win in overtime, surprising a packed house full of race fans.
Not only that, but Stenhouse led a front pack largely comprised of names you don’t hear talked about as often, including David Ragan, Michael McDowell and Paul Menard. Where were most of the big names? Well, unfortunately in pieces thanks to Daytona’s other reputation for bumping, banging and wrecking.
It was definitely an interesting way for NASCAR to celebrate 4th of July weekend, capped off with what appeared to be all the fireworks in the state of Florida.
Here’s what we learned from the Coke Zero 400:
1) Ricky Stenhouse Jr. needs more credit
Raise your hand if you thought Ricky Stenhouse Jr. would be a multiple race winner this season. No, we didn’t either. But Stenhouse and his Roush Fenway team have obviously figured out how to make things work on restrictor plate tracks between this and his other victory at Talladega. He’s now one of only five drivers who have more than one win in the 2017 NASCAR season.
Will he be a championship contender? Maybe and maybe not. But there’s no reason he couldn’t make things very interesting in the Chase.
2) David Ragan needs a better car
Can someone give David Ragan a hug? Ragan, who’s been NASCAR’s “super sub” filling in for so many drivers and is universally regarded as one of the sport’s nicest guys, was thisclose to a win on Sunday night. He had the lead of the Coke Zero 400 with two laps to go but didn’t block low and Stenhouse got around him.
Afterward, Ragan told NBCSN that his car just wasn’t good enough low. Can we get this guy a car that works in both directions so he can get to Victory Lane?
3) EVERYTHING GETS WRECKED
This is why we can’t have nice things. There were more than a dozen cautions — a new record for this race — affecting 27 drivers in the Coke Zero 400. The race started with 40 drivers, so do the math. That’s only 13 people who got through without some form of damage.
Among those crunched were Martin Truex Jr. (who said on-air he doesn’t think he’s finished this race in five years), Matt Kenseth (currently the last driver into the Chase on points) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (who had perhaps his best opportunity to get a win in his retirement season).
There are always wrecks in NASCAR, but it was particularly heartbreaking to see some of these accidents, as they took out people with so much on the line, often without them actually doing anything.
4) Sometimes, it’s not all about time
In racing, we’re conditioned to count every second, and usually with very good reason (it’s a race after all!). But Ryan Newman’s team took the opposite approach in the Coke Zero 400, pitting a bit later than the field and slowing their roll in the pits. As Newman said in his post-race TV interview, the only thing he didn’t get was a Coke slushie. But it paid off for him as he came home fifth.
5) It’s not always where you finish
Jimmie Johnson could have taken Saturday night off, technically, since he finished the Coke Zero 400 exactly where he started it: in 12th. Being outside the top 10 isn’t a great thing on paper, yet it actually wound up being a huge plus for Jimmie, because the finish catapulted him into second place in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series points standings. You never want to be racing just for points, but sometimes you do appreciate the points you can get.
Next: Coke Zero 400 full video highlights
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