Daytona Beach, FL (SportsNetwork.com) – Tony Stewart was involved in a multi-
crash in the early going of Sunday’s Daytona 500, ending his shot to win
NASCAR’s most prestigious race for the first time in 17 attempts.
Stewart, the driver/co-owner of the No. 14 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing
and a three-time Sprint Cup Series champion, bumped into Ryan Blaney and then
made contact with the wall along the frontstretch on lap 41 of this 200-lap,
500-mile race. Stewart said on his team radio that he “got loose.” He
sustained cosmetic and suspension damage to the front end of his car,
requiring him to head to the garage for lengthy repairs.
Matt Kenseth, a two-time winner of the Daytona 500, ran into the back of
Blaney and suffered damage to the right front of his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing
Toyota. Kenseth’s team made repairs on pit road, but he fell three laps
behind.
Brad Keselowski had slight damage to the front end of his No. 2 Team Penske
Ford, but Keselowski managed to stay on the lead lap.
The first caution in the Daytona 500 happened on lap 19 when Landon Cassill
blew an engine, putting him the first driver out of the race.
