Ryan Reed Wins Xfinity Race in a Daytona Wreck-fest

AP Photo

DAYTONA BEACH, FL – RIS – Ryan Reed held off a gaggle of fast cars to win the Powershares QQQ 300 NASCAR Xfinity race at Daytona International Speedway.  It was the second career victory for Reed and the first for Roush Fenway Racing in two years.

Kasey Kahne finished second in a Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, which had five cars in the field and a rough day because of all the accidents. Austin Dillon was third in a Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, and Brad Keselowski was fourth in a Team Penske Ford. Fifth was Richard Chdress’s Brenden Gaughan in a Chevrolet. Scott Lagasse was sixth and the highest finishing Toyota driver.

“I’ve had so many people tell me how amazing that first win was (back in 2015),” Reed said. “That win drove me to get back to Victory Lane. It feels so great to be back here winning again. That race was so intense and the final lap to see the checkered flag wave was just amazing.”

Reed scored the first win for the organization since Chris Buescher’s victory in 2015, snapping a 54-race drought. He led four times for nine laps including the last two

Scott Lagasse Jr., Joey Gase, Garrett Smithley, William Byron and Harrison Rhodes completed the first 10 finishers.

The race was plagued by numerous multi-car accidents that resulted in 10 caution flags as well as a red flag period. Among those that found themselves out of the race with damage from the day’s many accidents were Elliott Sadler, Daniel Suarez, Darrell Wallace, Erik Jones, Justin Allgaier and Brennan Poole.

Sadler led 40 laps and won the first two stages of the race but was knocked out of the race in an accident after contact from Austin Dillon on lap 104.“I know that wasn’t intentional but man we had a great car today,” Sadler said. “Just so disappointed for my guys and this team that works so hard. But we had a car that was just so good today.” Dillon was able to continue and score the third place finish.

"The owners don't want to see that many cars wrecked,” Dillon said.

Wallace echoed the sentiment the intensity level might have been too high too soon.

“We kind of figured that it would be different, but I thought everybody would still be somewhat smart and mindful of not tearing up your equipment early and let’s go after it with three to go,” he said. “But there are different mentalities out there and that’s what causes chaos.  That’s all right.  It’s the first race of the year.  We’ll get all of the bugs out of the way.  We’ll be all right.”

The NASCAR XFINITY Series now heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway next Saturday afternoon.

 

Unofficial Race Results for the 36Th Annual Powershares QQQ 300
Race Length - 124 Laps - 310 Miles

Fin, Str, Driver, Car, Laps, S 1, S 2, Pts, Status, Tms, Laps, Playoff Pts
1) 2, Ryan Reed, No. 16 Lilly Diabetes Ford, 124, , 4, 47, Running, 4, 9, 5
2) 9, Kasey Kahne(i), No. 88 Hellmann's Chevrolet, 124, 2, 6, 0, Running, 3, 13, 
3) 16, Austin Dillon(i), No. 2 Rheem Chevrolet, 124, 10, 2, 0, Running, 4, 27, 
4) 6, Brad Keselowski(i), No. 22 Discount Tire Ford, 124, , 5, 0, Running, 6, 18, 
5) 18, Brendan Gaughan, No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet, 124, 9, 7, 38, Running, 2, 16, 
6) 25, Scott Lagasse Jr, No. 24 FDOT Toyota, 124, , , 31, Running, , , 
7) 35, Joey Gase, No. 52 Donate Life FL Chevrolet, 124, , , 30, Running, , , 
8) 26, Garrett Smithley, No. 0 Flex Shot Chevrolet, 124, , , 29, Running, , , 
9) 17, William Byron #, No. 9 Liberty University Chevrolet, 124, , , 28, Running, 1, 1, 
10) 34, Harrison Rhodes, No. 01 Flex Tape Chevrolet, 124, , , 27, Running, , , 
11) 14, Matt Tifft #, No. 19 Tunity Toyota, 124, 6, , 31, Running, , , 
12) 23, Dakoda Armstrong, No. 28 WinField United Toyota, 124, 8, 8, 31, Running, , , 
13) 31, Brandon Hightower, No. 40 Premier Recycling Toyota, 124, , , 24, Running, , , 
14) 13, Michael Annett, No. 5 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet, 124, , , 23, Running, , , 
15) 8, Blake Koch, No. 11 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevrolet, 124, 5, 10, 29, Running, , , 
16) 29, Ross Chastain, No. 4 Flex Seal Chevrolet, 124, , , 21, Running, , , 
17) 39, Mario Gosselin, No. 90 OrlandoLongwoodAutoAuction/JeffRevisWrecker Chev, 124, 7, , 24, Running, , , 
18) 36, Ray Black Jr, No. 07 Scuba Life Chevrolet, 124, , , 19, Running, , , 
19) 5, Ty Dillon(i), No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet, 124, 4, 3, 0, Running, , , 
20) 7, Tyler Reddick, No. 42 Broken Bow Records Chevrolet, 122, , 9, 19, Running, , , 
21) 28, Ryan Sieg, No. 39 Booyah Mortgage Chevrolet, 116, , , 16, Engine, , , 
22) 30, Anthony Kumpen, No. 46 Lease Plan Chevrolet, 111, , , 15, Overheating, , , 
23) 22, Aric Almirola(i), No. 98 Fresh From Florida Ford, 108, , , 0, Vibration, , , 
24) 11, Elliott Sadler, No. 1 OneMain Financial Chevrolet, 106, 1, 1, 33, Accident, 3, 40, 2
25) 24, JJ Yeley, No. 14 Superior Essex Toyota, 103, , , 12, Accident, , , 
26) 3, Brennan Poole, No. 48 DC Solar Chevrolet, 59, 3, , 19, Accident, , , 
27) 27, Benny Gordon, No. 44 Florida Lottery Toyota, 35, , , 10, Accident, , , 
28) 32, Chris Cockrum, No. 25 Advanced Communications Group Chevrolet, 32, , , 9, Accident, , , 
29) 1, Brandon Jones, No. 33 Nexteer Automotive Chevrolet, 28, , , 8, Accident, , , 
30) 15, Justin Allgaier, No. 7 Brandt Professional Agriculture Chevrolet, 28, , , 7, Accident, , , 
31) 4, Daniel Hemric #, No. 21 Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff Chevrolet, 28, , , 6, Accident, , , 
32) 19, Erik Jones(i), No. 20 Hisense Toyota, 28, , , 0, Accident, , , 
33) 12, Darrell Wallace Jr, No. 6 Leidos Ford, 28, , , 4, Accident, , , 
34) 21, Daniel Suarez(i), No. 18 Juniper Toyota, 28, , , 0, Accident, , , 
35) 37, Jeremy Clements, No. 51 RepairableVehicles.com Chevrolet, 23, , , 2, Accident, , , 
36) 10, Spencer Gallagher #, No. 23 Allegiant Airlines Chevrolet, 22, , , 1, Accident, , , 
37) 20, Cole Custer #, No. 00 Haas Automation Ford, 22, , , 1, Accident, , , 
38) 38, Clint King, No. 78 Warehouse Design Inc Chevrolet, 22, , , 1, Accident, , , 
39) 40, Jeff Green, No. 8 Circle Track Warehouse Chevrolet, 22, , , 1, Accident, , , 
40) 33, David Starr, No. 99 Striping Technology Chevrolet, 4, , , 1, Engine, , ,

(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series
# = Rookie
Time of Race: 02 Hrs, 38 Mins, 47 Secs.
Average Speed: 117.141 MPH
Margin of Victory: 0.218 Seconds
Race Comments: Ryan Reed won the PowerShares QQQ 300 at Daytona International Speedway, his second victory in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. Prior to the start of the race, no cars dropped to the rear of the field.
 Failed to Qualify: (4) 89 Morgan Shepherd, 74 Mike Harmon, 97 Stephen Leicht, 13 Mark Thompson.
 Caution Flags: 10 for 42 laps: Laps: 5-8 (Fluid On Track [8]); 19-22 (#40 Spin Frontstretch [8]); 24-27 (#42,0,16,23,07,00,51,5,2,98,39,14,22,8,9,44,24,46,78,62 Incident Backstretch [Red 18:22] [None]); 30-34 (No. 7, 33, 20, 18, 6, 25, 21, 01, 40, 19, 24, 11 Incident Turn 4 [Red Flag 27:51] [39]); 40-42 (Debris Turn 4 [42]); 60-65 (#48, 22, 11 Incident Turn 3 [5]); 68-71 (Debris Backstretch [19]); 79-81 (#19 Spin Turn 2 [24]); 105-109 (No. 16,2,07,1,62,5,14,11,9,18,46,39,4,42,0,52 Incident Backstretch [19]); 119-122 (#07, 9, 24, 5 Incident Backstretch [19]).
 Lead Changes: 23 among 7 drivers:  0; R. Reed 1; B. Keselowski(i) 2-10; K. Kahne(i) 11; E. Sadler 12-30; B. Gaughan 31-35; W. Byron # 36; B. Gaughan 37-47; E. Sadler 48-65; A. Dillon(i) 66-79; B. Keselowski(i) 80-81; A. Dillon(i) 82; B. Keselowski(i) 83-86; A. Dillon(i) 87-97; B. Keselowski(i) 98; A. Dillon(i) 99; B. Keselowski(i) 100; E. Sadler 101-103; K. Kahne(i) 104-111; R. Reed 112; K. Kahne(i) 113-116; R. Reed 117-121; B. Keselowski(i) 122; R. Reed 123-124.
Coors Light Pole Award: Brandon Jones, No. 33 184.472 mph
Mahle Clevite Engine Builder of the Race: Roush Yates Engines, No. 16 
Mobil 1 Driver of the Race: Ryan Reed, No. 16 
Sunoco Rookie of the Race: William Byron, No. 9

Ron Fleshman With John Davison

RIS NASCAR Editor.  Has been with RIS since the middle 90's. Writes on each of the three main series of NASCAR.

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Volume 2016, Issue 8, Posted 8:07 PM, 02.25.2017