Editor’s word: Cody Ware, driver of the No. 51 Ford Mustang for Rick Ware Racing, is writing a , giving a peek into the NASCAR life throughout Speedweek. That is Thursday’s entry.
I wrote this in two elements as a result of I knew it will be a decent turnaround after racing in . So, Half 1 is, “?”
The Duel is exclusive to Daytona, and there are a number of layers to peel again, together with inside our personal race group, Rick Ware Racing.
The Duel is comprised of dual 150-mile warmth races that set the sphere for the Daytona 500. The for the 2 Duel races are based mostly on time trials from the night time earlier than. These qualifying in odd-numbered positions go within the first Duel, and people qualifying in even-numbered positions go within the second Duel. The 45 drivers going for the 40 out there spots in Sunday’s Daytona 500 are basically break up in half. How properly you end within the Duel determines , or for those who begin the Daytona 500 in any respect.
There are 36 chartered groups, which means these 36 groups have a assured beginning spot within the Daytona 500. The 4 remaining spots are reserved for open groups, and this yr, 9 drivers are in open vehicles.
My No. 51 Jacob Development/Components Plus/Pronto Auto Service Heart Ford Mustang Darkish Horse is a chartered entry. The No. 01 DuraMAX/Take 5 Oil Change Ford Mustang Darkish Horse of my teammate, Corey LaJoie, is an open entry.
There are 4 guys who didn’t have a factor to fret about of their respective Duel races. Chase Briscoe, the pole winner, and Austin Cindric, who certified second, locked into the Daytona 500 by securing the entrance row. In the meantime, Martin Truex Jr., and Jimmie Johnson have been the highest-qualifying open drivers on Wednesday, which granted every of them a Daytona 500 beginning spot. That left two spots out there for the seven different drivers. The best-finishing open driver in every Duel rounded out the ultimate two spots. 5 drivers went residence.
So, how’d we do? Properly, that’s Half 2.
I needed to start out up entrance on Sunday, however not on the expense of beating up my racecar within the Duel. I additionally needed assist my teammate make the Daytona 500.
We had a 50/50 shot of ending up in the identical Duel and, fortunately, that’s the way it shook out. Corey and I have been each within the second Duel. I wanted to race properly, deliver residence a clear racecar and assist push Corey to the entrance. Corey wanted to be the highest-finishing open driver in our Duel. He was in a race inside a race, going up towards the 21 different vehicles in our Duel however, extra particularly, racing towards his fellow open drivers — Johnson, Anthony Alfredo and B.J. McLeod.
Corey is a very good superspeedway racer and didn’t want my assist in any respect. He was in command all through the race and put his automobile the place it wanted to be. He completed sixth and locked himself into the Daytona 500 because the highest-finishing open driver.
As for me… properly, I used to be taking a look at being proper there within the top-10 with him. However coming to the checkered flag, a automobile on the surface of me obtained unfastened and turned down into my door. That despatched me spinning, the place one other automobile got here throughout my nostril and hit me fairly good. It was a very irritating finish to what was shaping as much as be an excellent night time.
That was undoubtedly the quickest racecar we’ve ever had right here at Daytona. I believe the single-car pace, though we didn’t get to indicate it qualifying, was there. And to get taken out on the final lap was simply painful. So, a variety of combined feelings.
We’re going to repair the automobile. We’ve obtained actually good, devoted individuals at Rick Ware Racing who’re going to get the automobile prepared in time for ultimate follow on Saturday. Nevertheless it’s nonetheless actually irritating. It’s by no means good whenever you’re tearing up racecars, particularly for a non-points race, so we’ll simply bounce again and maintain digging towards Sunday.
