nascar death on pit road 2021 nascar death on pit road 2021

Chase Elliott won the first stage while Kyle Busch won the second stage. In the final pit stop of the season, Hamlin's pit crew conducted a 12.1 second pit stop that would have allowed Hamlin to exit pit road with the lead. Praying everyone is ok, I just couldnt stop., The Indianapolis 500 Tragedy Rarely Talked About After an Errant Tire Killed a Fan in the Stands. When back on the track, Elliott attempted to retaliate by getting into the side of then race leader Harvick and then running Harvick's preferred line, thus slowing him down. Ben Rhodes placed third and was followed by Corey Heim and Ty Majeski. Rowdy shared his love with the people around him and was loved in return.". Ray Albert used the name Ray Darney when driving a race car. Defending winner Denny Hamlin would both win stages 1 and 2. One of the most important was the introduction of a pit road speed limit. Sure, it wasn't perfect. Martin Truex Jr. earned the pole position for the start of the race, where he led the first five laps. John Wes Townley stands on pit road before a NASCAR Nationwide series auto race. Pit strategy came into play for the start of the race, allowing Tyler Reddick to win both stages while Martin Truex Jr. suffered tire issues and Brad Keselowski spun into the wall. The argument continued for several minutes continuing inside Elliott's hauler. Elliott was awarded the win, giving Chevrolet its 800th win in NASCAR and Hendrick Motorsports its 268th win, tying Petty Enterprises for the most wins by team in NASCAR history. Near the end of the 1987 NASCAR Cup Series season on the road course at Riverside, Bill Elliotts crew was in the middle of a pit stop when Michael Waltrip and Jim Robinson made contact on pit road. In the second Duel, there were multicar wrecks on lap 36 and with three laps to go in the race; the latter caution sent the race into an overtime finish. Joey Logano won the second stage and dominated the final stage. NASCAR implements pit road changes following death Related Dale Earnhardt's Gruesome Death and How It Changed NASCAR Forever Tommy Cole, Bill Elliott's jack man, was hit and sent flying. Kyle Larson was the only driver to challenge Truex for the lead as lapped traffic caused issues. A red flag occurred for nearly eight minutes following a turn 4 incident that involved four vehicles on lap 221. Aric Almirola got turned after contact with Stewart Friesen (who was making his first Cup Series start), involving multiple other drivers. In overtime, Chase Briscoe was penalized for not stopping after missing a corner while battling Denny Hamlin for the lead and then spun Hamlin (Briscoe said after the race that he wasn't told about the penalty.) If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. The race was postponed from Saturday to Sunday due to rain. After a long red flag, NASCAR declared the race official and Wallace won his first career Cup Series race along with Stage 2 of the race. Allmendinger driving for Kaulig Racing at Daytona road course Cup race", "Matt Mills to make Cup debut at Kansas Speedway with B.J. Joey Logano pulled away from Kurt Busch, but was run down and passed by Christopher Bell, who would win the race for his first career Cup Series win. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Rip to an absolute legend. Speedway owner Robert Hart called Crews a "true friend.". Martin Truex Jr. would win the second stage and led the most laps. Kurt Busch spun while leading and then made contact and spun Brad Keselowski the following lap. This article lists drivers who have been fatally injured while competing in or in preparation for (testing, practice, qualifying) races sanctioned by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). Brad Keselowski would hold off Chase Elliott to win the first stage while Kyle Larson won the second stage. Nascar death on pit road - ysvohu.betterpoint.eu In 1989, Elliott endured injuries early in the season but still managed to finish sixth in the points. Hamlin won both stages and led the most laps in the race. The race went under a red flag for 20 minutes to repair damage to the track surface. Kyle Busch said Saturday he had reached out to Elliott to offer advice and assistance. After the race, Currey expressed his concern for what happened on Twitter: Not the day we wanted at @NashvilleSuperS. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Heres a look back at that tragic day and how it changed NASCAR forever. He said he expects Elliott to be out at least a month. The 43-year-old contractor died on September 2, 1988, thirteen days after his accident. On the final lap of the first stage, Joey Logano spun and went airborne, flipping onto its roof. It changed NASCARs mindset toward the safety of pit crews and, as a result, has prevented further catastrophic accidents and deaths from happening. Lapped traffic came in play at the end as Ryan Blaney was able to run down Larson and pass him for the lead and pull away to his fifth career win. Italics Pole position set by final practice results or owner's points. Kyle Busch went on to win the race. The 66-year-old garage owner hit a guard rail but died of a heart attack. [193], Denny Hamlin was awarded the pole. The Washington . (You know who you are.) This list shows NASCAR Cup Series fatalities. Anthony Alfredo spun and collected Christopher Bell, sending the race to overtime. At the end of the second stage, Brad Keselowski made contact with Austin Dillon and sent Dillon spinning into the wall, ending his race. Already subscribe? A. J. Allmendinger took advantage and took the lead and held off Ryan Blaney for his second career Cup victory and the first Cup win for Kaulig Racing. That was the right decision for both safety and the competition side.. The 31-year-old driver died on September 26, 1975, six days after his accident. Tyler Reddick got into the wall while Aric Almirola had to slow for a lapped car and got hit by Kyle Busch. Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Kyle Larson suffered a blown engine and fall out of the race on only the third lap. He suffered a broken arm and spent the night in the hospital. A caution came out for rain with 21 laps to go and for a multicar wreck with 14 laps to go. The NASCAR community is in mourning after William "Rowdy" Harrell, a pit crew member for Hendrick Motorsports, was killed in a head-on car collision alongside his new bride while on their. Drivers walk away from savage crash in Truck race at Charlotte He was the happiest person youd ever meet, and that was only reinforced by his wife Blakley. Chris Buescher won Stage 1 for his 2nd stage win of the season and the first since February at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Mike Rich, a crew member from Melling Racing, was changing Elliott's right rear tire at the time when he became pinned under Rudd's car as a result of the collision. Saturday: Partly cloudy with a high of 65. Andrews said Hendrick Motorsports has applied to NASCAR for a waiver that would allow Elliott to participate in the Cup Series playoffs if he qualifies. Kevin Bellicourt, previously the crew chief for, On January 28, 2021, it was announced that Frank Kerr would be the crew chief for the No. Andrews said he didnt anticipate a Hendrick Motorsports policy change regarding non-racing activities drivers are allowed to participate in. Brad Keselowski got into the wall along with Daniel Surez, whose car caught fire. The first-year Trackhouse Racing team, co-owned byPit Bull, continues to progress faster than expected. Kyle Larson started on the pole for the race. Busch would be unable to continue the race. In a one lap dash to end the second stage, Hamlin slid into Truex and it allowed William Byron to win the stage. Busch is competing in all three national series races this weekend at Las Vegas. In the closing laps, several laps were taken off of the distance due to darkness looming. RELATED VIDEO: Newlyweds, 30 and 33, Die in Plane Crash on Scenic Colo. Honeymoon They Were Documenting Online. [227], Round 36: NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race, Kyle Larson won the pole position for the race. Logano led the most laps in the race. This article lists drivers who have been fatally injured while competing in or in preparation for (testing, practice, qualifying) races sanctioned by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). But, as it turns out, the stock car racing sanctioning body has been implementing speed limits for more than 30 years, and it all dates back to the 1990 Atlanta Journal 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. All Rights Reserved. In the second stage, Truex would lose the lead to Daniel Surez while Larson would wreck again, ending his race and collecting Ryan Blaney, Kyle Busch, Austin Dillon, Alex Bowman, Ryan Preece, and Michael McDowell. Kyle Busch won the first stage while Kurt Busch won the second stage. Winds 20-30 mph. In the front of the pack, Bill Elliott darted down pit road, the television cameras trained on him as he pitted. "All in all," summed up NASCAR Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O'Donnell, "I'd give it a thumbs up with some things to learn.". Crash, Georgia Couple Were on 'Dream' 50th Anniversary Trip When They Were Killed in Montana Amtrak Crash, Iconic TV Couples: Our Favorite Love Stories from 'Friends, This Is Us' and More, On the 110th Anniversary of Titanic's Sinking, Revisit Chilling Tales of Life and Death from the PEOPLE Archives, Diplo's Plane Door Opens En Route to Texas, Plus More Celebs Who've Shared Their Scary Plane Stories. On the restart, Larson would hold off teammate Chase Elliott for his second straight win and third of the season for Hendrick Motorsports' 270th Cup win. Kevin Harvick had to pit early in the first stage due to a flat tire. Martin Truex Jr. dominated by leading the most laps and winning both stages. 5 Chevy Lumina to slam into the back of Bill Elliott's parked No. Race fans have looked forward to this weekends lineup of NASCAR races at Nashville since it was announced as a part of the 2021 schedule. Rookie racer Orr killed in crash", "Dale Earnhardt death overshadows Waltrip win at Daytona", "Midget accident results in death of Jim Knowlan", "Stock car mishap proves fatal to Gwyn Staley", "R. I. race driver among 5 killed in weekend speedway accidents", "Waltrip takes first in rain-shortened race", "Ex-Daytona driver loses 10-year race for his life", "Race driver Richie Evans killed in Martinsville wreck", "Druar, Lancaster driver, dies after two-car crash", "Gaines dies in violent crash during practice at Charlotte", "Injured driver dies from Charlotte crash", "Three-car crash claims life of driver Booher", "Racing minister dies during NASCAR event", "Autopsy shows race car driver suffered from heart disease", "Sportsman driver dies in fiery crash in Winston 100", "NASCAR driver Wrich dies from crash injuries", "I-44 Speedway death under investigation", "Hutto's death felt in his real, racing families", "Veteran Modified driver killed at Thompson", "NASCAR driver Carlos Pardo dies in fiery wreck", "Heart attack claims driver Gene Lovelace", "NASCAR officials will investigate driver's death", "Al Papini III, in memory of the weekend warrior", "Investigation continues into fatal crash at speedway in Roseville", "Despite recent crash, Roseville's speedway has first-rate safety record", "Veteran race car legend Leon Gonyo has stroke during victory lap", "Driver dies after crash at Devil's Bowl Speedway", "Cause of death released for driver Ron Casey", "Racer dies at Devil's Bowl Speedway in his first race in 20 years", "Racing cars kill officer at track; weekend toll 4", "2 mechanics and inspector killed at Darlington race", "Racing History Minute - 1965 Motor Trend 500 from Riverside Raceway", "Petty chokes tears, describes accident which killed kin", "16 spectators hurt at auto race as car goes through fence", "Race mishap claims steward in Western Grand National", "One spectator killed after crash at Ohio speedway", Midwest Roadside Safety Facility designers of the SAFER Barrier, D-BOX eNASCAR International iRacing Series, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_NASCAR_fatalities&oldid=1138170183, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 8 February 2023, at 11:28. I know him and sweet Blakley Harrell will always have a special place in my heart. The Cup Series also raced on dirt for the first time since, Owing to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, only 8 of the 36 points races were held with practice and qualifying; the remaining events were held as one-day shows. [222], Denny Hamlin was the pole sitter for the race. NASCAR officials announced Sunday morning that they will not penalize Noah Gragson for his actions in Saturday's Xfinity Series race, ruling that pit-road contact between his car and Daniel. They never made it. Kyle Busch won the first stage while Kyle Larson won the second stage. He ran two races for Spire Motorsports in 2021. Ryan Newman and Ross Chastain both got in the wall in separate accidents. Although todays pit crew members must still contend with a variety of hazards as a part of their jobs, they are much better protected than they were just 30 years ago. On Sunday, NASCAR has its own Super Bowl: the Daytona 500. This forced the Hendrick cars to pit under green, forcing them a lap down. Kyle Larson dominated the majority of the race by winning both stages. After Kyle got into the wall, Kurt was able to pull away and win the race. [2] Following the 2021 Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway on October 31, Chevrolet claimed its 40th Manufacturer's Championship and its first since 2015. Buescher led early in the second stage, but Martin Truex Jr. took the lead and dominated most of the remainder of the stage. He became the second driver after Joey Logano in 2015 to win three consecutive "post-season" races. A dozen drivers shifted lanes to avoid him, but NASCAR didn't throw the caution flag. Harrell, 30, and his wife Blakley, 23, died on Tuesday night in the Florida Keys, just three days after their wedding, according to the team. The NASCAR playoffs ended with the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway on November 7 with Larson earning his first Cup Series championship after a 10-win season. Race started on Saturday, but finished on Sunday due to rainfall after over 50 laps. 43 with Richard Petty Motorsports", "Leavine Family Racing sold; purchased by Spire Motorsports", "Corey LaJoie to drive for Spire Motorsports", "Spire Motorsports names crew chiefs Ryan Sparks and Kevin Bellicourt for 2021 Cup teams", "Steve Letarte to fill in as crew chief for Corey LaJoie; Ryan Sparks to miss Homestead due to COVID-19 protocols", "Jamie McMurray to run Daytona 500 for Spire Motorsports", "Charlotte post-race inspection complete", "Stewart Friesen driving for No. NASCAR Crash Course: The death of dirt racing at Bristol was greatly In the end, it was a familiar face making it to victory lane as Kyle Busch made history, winning the 100th Xfinity Series race of his career. Austin Hill won at Daytona. Choose wisely! In addition, this was the final season to have races covered by NBCSN, which shut down at the end of the year and had its coverage of NASCAR and all other sporting events taken over by USA Network. John Hunter Nemechek won last weekend at Auto Club Speedway. Late in the race, Truex Jr. wrecked while leading. A witness started performing CPR on Crews before paramedics arrived. Ryan Newman and Kevin Harvick both spun into the wall after having flat tires. [186] It was the first year that the race was run on the road course, and the second Cup Series race run on the track's road course layout. He sustained severe head and chest injuries from the accident and died of cardiac arrest minutes later at a local hospital during surgery for his injuries. Per reports, Kruczek and Green had issues on the track all weekend, culminating in both being disqualified from Saturday's race, which Kruzcek won, after the two reportedly made contact toward the end of the event. Drivers make one slight mistake when traveling at speeds of almost 200 mph, and it can end in serious consequences, even death. Logano would dominate the final stage and hold off Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in overtime to become the series' seventh different winner of the season. In addition, the tapered spacer was reduced decreasing horsepower from 520 to 470. An AP article entitled "What a Mess: NASCAR worried about first Bristol dirt race" described DefCon-5 concerns about a race some in NASCAR felt never should have run. Elliott made his way back to the front, but spun after contact with Hamlin. Crews whispered about a tire debacle on par with the 2008 Brickyard 400, blowouts every few laps that turned off NASCAR fans to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for good. Elliott won the first stage while Denny Hamlin would win the second stage. But as Sunday, March 28 dawned, there was a last-minute push to shovel it elsewhere: your local cemetery. A caution would have benefitted them by having part of the field a lap behind. Sign up for daily stories delivered to your inbox. Who had a good race: Reigning series champion Zane Smith, who is the points leader this season, has opened the season with a win and a runner-up finish. Keselowski spun early while leading as teammate Joey Logano won the first stage. Would you like to receive our daily news? In the first segment, Larson passed and held off Brad Keselowski for the $1million and his second All-Star Race win. The heat qualifying races were also cancelled. [211], Chase Elliott was awarded the pole. "I was one advocating for single-file restarts," second-place finisher Ricky Stenhouse Jr said. As he approached his pit stall during one stop, three of his crew members darted out in front of the car, expecting to get to the other side of the car and start changing the tires. Roberts died on July 2, 1964, thirty-nine days after his accident. 51 car is officially listed on paper as Petty Ware Racing because they have a long-term partnership with, Entries were fielded in a collaboration with. On January 5, 2021, team owner John Cohen announced that NYRT will compete full-time as an open team. Bubba Wallace spun, bringing out a caution, and Buescher spun on the following restart after contact with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Erik Jones and Daniel Surez would both be involved in an accident soon after. NASCAR pit road speed limits for 2021 season By Staff Report NASCAR.com Published: 766 days ago 1 Minute Read Brian Lawdermilk Getty Images Your browser does not support the audio element.. The fatal crash occurred on 9:40 p.m. when a 2020 Toyota Corolla driven by Harrell passed over the center line on U.S. 1 near Lower Matecumbe Key, according to a report from the Florida Highway Patrol obtained by The Miami Herald. Bristol dirt: the aftermath. The NASCAR community is in mourning after William "Rowdy" Harrell, a pit crew member for Hendrick Motorsports, was killed in a head-on car collision alongside his new bride while on their honeymoon. He lost his life several years later in another accident at age 32. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nascar | pageType: stories | Chase Elliott would take the lead from Matt DiBenedetto and hold off Christopher Bell for his second win of the season and his seventh road course win, putting him third behind Tony Stewart (8) and Jeff Gordon (9). Consisted mostly of Bristol dirt, Just not meant to be. The fact that Ive won here twice in Xfinity definitely makes it a lot easier. Officials leaned on expertise from dirt veterans like Ricky Stenhouse Jr.and Kyle Larson to fine-tune the track. [198], Brad Keselowski was awarded the pole. Larson would lead 257 of the 334 laps to win his eighth race of the season and be the first to advance into the Championship 4. 88 fueler Jacob Conley wrote on Facebook, "Life is such a fragile thing and it can change in an instant. In overtime, Austin Dillon held off Bubba Wallace to win the second Duel. Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, Photo by Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, Photo by Matt Sullivan/NASCAR via Getty Images, Photo by Alan Smith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, Photo by Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR, Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/NASCAR via Getty Images. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/eZuJy4strm, "There are sandstorms down in Arizona where I can see better than that" -@Alex_Bowman "You cannot see anything. Watch as the second half of the field stacks up on pit road at Indianapolis, injuring a crew member for Ryan Blaney's team.-----Subscribe to NASCAR on Y. Early in the race, Kurt Busch cut a tire and slammed the wall. "Honestly, I don't even know what I'm doing!" Danger is an inherent part of NASCAR. . Jae C. Hong - staff, AP Ryan Blaney won the first stage. We'll just leave these here. Wind gusts will top 20 mph. Thankfully, NASCAR was listening and learning, flipping the script of this 250-lap experiment. The racing organization implemented significant changes the following year. Richs death was a wake-up call to NASCAR, which had experienced a similar pit road fatality at Atlanta 11 years earlier. Ty Majeski placed fifth, giving him finishes of sixth or better in the first two races of the season. So, it had to be frustrating for Bell to lose it, all on his own, and take out Larson in the process. It's no wonder that, by lap 200, the track PA announcer made it official: Bristol Dirt would return in 2022. The hauler will be a little quieter on race day and the van rides too but the light Rowdy shined on so many people will not burn out anytime soon. With Hill out of commission, the team held a tryout at the shop to find a new right rear tire changer for the 1988 season. The New Smyrna World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing kicked off nine straight nights of racing Friday at the track. [190], Denny Hamlin was awarded the pole, but had to start at the rear due to an unapproved adjustment. We dont want to get in the middle of that as the league. Dale Earnhardt's death at the Daytona 500 - Revisiting the - ESPN.com Bryon won the first stage while Tyler Reddick won the second stage. [4] The 2021 season represented a new era as several mainstays of the sport were absent. Kyle Busch, who started on the pole, led 84 of 134 laps to win Friday nights NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. NASCAR celebrates Black pit crew members ahead of - FOX 5 Atlanta In the second stage, the rain picked up, and the ensuing spray created visibility issues. Truex, along with Denny Hamlin dominated, but Hamlin won both stages and led the most laps. they did not die of the injuries they may have sustained in the ensuing accident, and those who managed to stop their cars but succumbed to a medical condition a little later. Larson led at the end of stage two. Now, with one race under their belt, NASCAR can make further adjustments. No penalty for Noah Gragson after Atlanta pit-road incident | NASCAR .mw-parser-output .motorsport-season-nav{margin:auto;width:min-content;text-align:center;border:1px solid #a2a9b1;background-color:#f8f9fa;padding:0.5em;font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .motorsport-season-nav-header,.mw-parser-output .motorsport-season-nav-subheader{border-bottom:1px #aaa solid;padding:0 1em}.mw-parser-output .motorsport-season-nav-header{font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .motorsport-season-nav-body{display:flex;align-items:flex-start}.mw-parser-output .motorsport-season-nav-label,.mw-parser-output .motorsport-season-nav-links{flex:1 1 auto;padding:0.2em 0.1em}.mw-parser-output .motorsport-season-nav-label{text-align:right}.mw-parser-output .motorsport-season-nav-label:after{content:":"}.mw-parser-output .motorsport-season-nav-links+.motorsport-season-nav-label{flex-grow:0}.mw-parser-output .motorsport-season-nav-links{text-align:left}@media only screen and (min-width:769px){.mw-parser-output .motorsport-season-nav{float:right;margin:0.5em 0 0.5em 1em;min-width:19em}}, The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series was the 73rd season for NASCAR professional stock car racing in the United States and the 50th season for the modern era Cup Series. He also served as a pit crew member in two championship seasons for JR Motorsports. Chris Buescher had the dominant car early and won the first stage, while Hamlin struggled to get to the front of the field. His car slammed into the outside wall, allowing Bowman to pass Larson back and win his third race of the season. Ill take it one lap at a time, one day at a time. The member who took the brunt of the impact was front tire changer Jeremy Geiter, who appeared to jump when the car arrived and bounced off the side, went airborne, and landed hard on the ground. Dale Earnhardts Gruesome Death and How It Changed NASCAR Forever. On the last lap, Brad Keselowski attempted to pass Logano on the backstretch with help from a push from Michael McDowell, but the push incidentally spun Keselowski into Logano's left rear quarter panel, causing a fiery crash sending Keselowski into the catchfence and collecting Wallace, Logano, Austin Cindric, Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, Ryan Preece, and Ross Chastain. The 43-year-old baptist minister, who lost control of his car and wrecked, had coronary disease, which may have caused or contributed to his death. 48 for 2021 season", "NASCAR Update: Driver Contracts Beyond the 2020 Season", "NASCAR: The drivers already under contract for 2021", "Tyler Reddick confirms return to RCR for 2021 Cup Series", "Randall Burnett Missing Phoenix Due to COVID Protocols", "Jones lands iconic No. Following a restart with eight laps to go, Ryan Blaney gained the lead and held off Byron and Kyle Larson to win the race, his second win of the season. But with Larson in the first pit stall and Larson's pit crew conducting a 11.8 second pit stop (the second fastest time for the crew in the season), Larson was able to exit pit road with the lead. Nascar death on pit road - vkzkb.pizzeria-kandel.de I feel awful about what happened on pit road. The race came down to fuel mileage. 41 of, On January 20, 2021, it was announced that Schlter Systems would be the primary sponsor for seven races on Corey LaJoie's No. Unfortunately, pit road accidents are part of racing. Several weeks later at the Cup Series season finale in Atlanta, Bill Elliott appeared to have the best car of the day, leading 94 of the 328 laps of the Atlanta Journal 500. (2017). While the implementation of a speed limit was a huge improvement for the safety of pit crew members, NASCAR has instituted additional protocols through the years. Unapproved adjustments came in distant second, at about 20% of all penalties. 6-keys: media/spln/nascar/reg/free/stories, By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the. The 60-year-old real estate agent hit a wall but died of a heart attack. 2:04 pm ET. Alex Bowman took the lead from Larson and was then passed by Chase Elliott. On lap 464, Chase Elliott was forced to pit from the lead when he had a flat tire from damage he received when Kevin Harvick got into his rear quarter panel. Christopher Bell goes around and Kyle Larson has nowhere to go. Hell have to contend with reigning series champion Joey Logano, who won this race last year, and Ross Chastain, who finished in the top three in both Las Vegas races last year. [196], Martin Truex Jr. was awarded the pole. [187], In the Bluegreen Vacation Duel, Aric Almirola held off Joey Logano to win the first Duel. Kurt Busch would stay out and win the second stage. While speeds on pit road are much slower, a mistake between a car and a pit crew member can also equal disastrous results.