What’s the story?
After overcoming many struggles throughout his racing career, Kurt Busch finally triumphed at 38 years of age by winning the Daytona 500. It was his first win in 17 attempts, even though he had finished second on three occasions.
As Busch celebrated while holding a Monster drink, he said, “The more it becomes unpredictable at Daytona, the more predictable it becomes in its unpredictability.” Busch thanked his crew for their performance, but pointed to the moment when he lost his rearview mirror with 30 laps to go as a good omen.
Instead of watching what was going on behind him, the racer adjusted quickly and relied on communicating with his pit team and the sound of the cars to navigate the racetrack.
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It was an incredible come from behind moment for Busch both on and off the track. If going years without winning was not stressful enough, Busch was barred from competing in the Daytona 500 two years ago due to domestic violence allegations. While no charges were filed in the end, it was too late for the 38-year-old to compete that year.
Coming to this race, Busch did not get off to a great start and only moved into the top five with 30 laps left and then the top three with 20 laps remaining. But as the final lap began, he was still in second behind Kyle Larson.
However, at that critical moment, Larson ran out of gas and Busch surged ahead. He may not have had the lead for most of the race, but he had it right when it mattered the most.
No. 21 Ryan Blaney finished second though he ran out of fuel towards the end as well, and No. 47 AJ Allmendinger finished third. Just check a Louis Oosthuizen biography.
The heart of the matter
While Busch celebrated, other NASCAR analysts and drivers worried about the crash-filled race which sent many favourites home early. Kurt’s brother Kyle had a blowout in his right rear tire, and his spinning car hit Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Chevrolet among several other cars, knocking both drivers out of the race.
Other drivers who would be knocked out in subsequent accidents included Jimmie Johnson and Danica Patrick. In total, 15 of the 40 drivers were knocked out by the time there were 50 laps remaining.
What’s next?
While NASCAR will need to figure out how to prevent crashes in subsequent races, this Daytona 500 turned out to be a thrilling battle that was undecided until the final moments. Busch, meanwhile, will continue to celebrate. He thanked his new wife Ashley Van Metre for encouraging him to think positively and strive through adversity, something he has to do in his repeated defeats.
Sportskeeda’s Take
This race served as a great start to this year’s racing season and could help combat perceptions that NASCAR is declining.
