News

Track:    Daytona International Speedway
Race:     Gander RV Duels at Daytona
Date:     February 14, 2019

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No. 2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang – Brad Keselowski

Start: 5rd
Finish: 21st
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 58/60
Laps Led: 0 

Notes: 

• A pit road penalty ruined Brad Keselowski’s chances for a good finish in the first Gander Outdoors Duel Thursday evening at Daytona International Speedway. 
• The driver of the Discount Tire Ford Mustang started fifth in the 60-lap race.  He was stuck in the bottom lane during the opening laps and fell back to 14th position before he squeezed back in line.  Keselowski made a scheduled pit stop under green on lap 12 for fuel only but NASCAR officials ruled he pitted outside the box, resulting in a one-lap penalty.
• For the remainder of the race Keselowski ran just outside the lead draft. He stayed out of trouble and logged a 20th-place finish, completing 58 of 60 laps. 

Quotes: "Looks like just a discrepancy over what the rules are and we got the bad end of it tonight. It is what it is. We will start the Daytona 500 from the back and have to go from there. The good news is that Daytona is a place where you can move up. It is just going to take us awhile to get there."

No. 12 Menards/PEAK Ford Mustang – Ryan Blaney

Start: 8th
Finish: 6th
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 60/60
Laps Led: 0

Notes:

• Ryan Blaney finished sixth in the second Gander RV Duel at Daytona International Speedway following a last lap of jockeying for position.
• Blaney started eighth and quickly found his way to the rear bumper of teammate Joey Logano’s Ford Mustang on the outside groove. He reported his Menards/PEAK Ford Mustang was a little loose on the entry of the turns. Blaney came to the attention of crew chief Jeremy Bullins for fuel-only and a wedge adjustment on lap 13. He managed to rejoin behind Logano for the remaining 45-plus laps to the finish.
• The front pack of 10 or so cars remained single file until the final lap when Logano made a successful move for the lead. Blaney attempted to save glued to the rear bumper of his Ford Mustang, but was stalled out by Denny Hamlin. He would eventually come home in the sixth position.
• Blaney will start Sunday’s "Great American Race" from the 14th starting position.

Quote: "We were all just kind of hanging out, riding around. I got passed by a couple of cars on that pit stop. Riding in fifth behind Joey [Logano] and we were just waiting to make our move, didn't really know what anyone else was going to do and I didn't want to dump him. We waited until last lap entry to Turn One and I was able to push him from fourth all the way to the lead, bad thing was just that I had no one behind me. I almost got to third but the 11 stopped me just so easy. If I would've had a push I probably could've gotten it done. People don't want to just watch that train up at the top, so now that we're through the Duels I'm hoping for some side by side racing in the 500."

No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang – Joey Logano

Start:  3rd                           
Finish: 1st
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 60/60
Laps Led: 1      

Notes:

• Joey Logano made a daring last-lap pass to bring home the victory in the second Gander RV Duel at Daytona on Thursday night after starting the event third in his No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang.
• In the opening 10-laps, Logano reported the handling of his Ford Mustang had built loose after initially feeling tight, which he attributed to being on the splitter. On lap 12, the team elected to pit with the rest of the Ford competitors, taking fuel and making a chassis adjustment on the left rear.
• At lap 23, Logano reported that the loose condition had continued to build after the pit stop, making it difficult to stay on the bottom of the track with the Shell-Pennzoil Mustang. However, at lap 33, Logano reported that the handling of his Ford Mustang had started to come back to him, building slightly tighter where he was originally struggling.
• In the closing stages, Logano and teammate Ryan Blaney began experimenting with where they could build runs on the leaders with their Ford Mustangs. Coming to the white flag, Logano and Blaney built the perfect run to propel the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang from fourth to the lead into turn 1.
• The victory secured Logano a share of the series point lead heading into Sunday’s ‘Great American Race’ where he’ll seek his second victory in the prestigious event.

 
Quote: "It was good teamwork behind me with Blaney.  He did a great job all the way through the race being able to be my wing man all the way through it.  You never know when roles are reversed.  It changes back and forth a lot of times. We happened to be the lead guy and he was able to work with me really well, help me form the run, complete the pass, win the race.  That teamwork is what has made us strong at the speedways.  We have to continue that selflessness all the way through. Sometimes you get to be the lead guy, sometimes you're the pusher.  Just kind of depends.  Mustangs are fast.  That showed in this race and in the previous race earlier today. I think it showed in the Clash that Fords are doing good. I'm excited about that piece.  Our team is continuing the momentum from the championship.  I think that's a really good thing. I always say it's an important race to win obviously, but it's the heat race.  The feature comes Sunday.  That's the one that really pays a lot more than this one in a lot of different ways.  I look forward to that."