The NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series set a new record for the amount of caution periods and the amount of caution laps run in a single race during Friday’s NextEra Energy 250 at Daytona.
The race, which was won by No. 16 Hattori Racing Toyota driver Austin Hill, saw 11 separate yellow flag periods to bring on a total of 55 caution laps.
A yellow flag came out just three laps into the race when the No. 54 DGR-Crosley Toyota of Natalie Decker went down a tire before a cut fuel line caused the truck to burst into flames. At the same time, her DGR-Crosley teammate David Gilliland also went down a tire and was forced to come to pit road.
The first major pileup occurred on Lap 54, with 12 trucks collected in large coming together at Turn 4. Another major 10 truck wreck occurred not long after on Lap 99, which forced the race into overtime and set up a two-lap shootout that guaranteed additional carnage.
The first attempt at NASCAR overtime saw the No. 12 Chevrolet of Austin Wayne Self and the No. 29 Chevrolet of Bobby Gerhart come together, forcing a re-do. The second attempt was more successful, though, with Hill taking the lead when the green came back out and brilliantly defending against the No. 5 Ford of Graham Enfinger to take the win.
Just nine trucks finished the race after numerous multi-car wrecks, fires and mechanical failures slowly dwindled the field down as the night wore on.
Ross Chastain crossed the finish line in his No. 23 Chevy just behind Enfinger to complete the top 3, with Chevy’s Spencer Boyd and Ford’s Matt Crafton making up the top five. Angela Ruch, who was competing in her second ever NASCAR Truck Series event and her first since 2010, survived numerous wrecks to put up a surprise Top 10 finish for Chevrolet, finishing 8th.
Six of the nine trucks that finished were Chevrolets.
Comment
Not a good record to hold. Demolition Derby at 200 mph.