Photo Credit: Noel Lanier
Throughout the race, Kasey Kahne could be found no where near the front of the field leading laps with his JR Motorsports teammates. However on the final restart with three laps to go, Kahne cut his way through the traffic after starting third and at the line, was only 0.021 seconds ahead of Regan Smith en route to grabbing the victory in the Subway Firecracker 250. It marks Kahne’s eighth Nationwide Series victory and first victory of the season.
So how did the fuel milage games and final lap dash affect the points?
The Picks
Ashley McCubbin picked Kasey Kahne, Regan Smitn and Kyle Busch. Busch finished 17th after pitting with three laps to go for fuel. Points: 47+44+28=119
Tayler Stiles picked Chase Elliott, Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson. Elliott finished 21st after running out of fuel with three laps to go, while Larson finished fifth after trying to make a run at Smith down the backstretch on the final lap. Points: 25+28+40=93
Kreistina Blinova picked Jeffrey Earnhardt, Landon Cassill and Elliott Sadler. Earnhardt finished 33rd after getting out of the car at lap 54 due to a injury this week, while Cassill finished 30th with Sadler in 21st after a late race spin. Points: 11+14+24=49
Ronald Costigan picked Chase Elliott, Joey Logano and Kyle Busch. Logano finished sixth after a pit road speeding penalty mid-race. Points: 25+38+28=91
Marshall Gabell picked Joey Logano, Kyle Busch and Brendan Gaughan. Gaughan finished 28th after spinning and hitting the wall with seven laps to go. Points: 38+28+17=83
Justin Tucker picked Regan Smith, Elliott Sadler and Kyle Busch. Points: 44+24+28=96
Kyle Magda picked Regan Smith, Elliott Sadler and Darrell Wallace Jr. Wallace finished seventh after spinning mid-race and damaging the front end slightly. Points: 44+24+37=105
Terry Wagner picked Chase Elliott, Elliott Sadler and Joey Logano. Points: 25+24+38=87
Christina Cordner picked Brian Scott, Ty Dillon and Brendan Gaughan. Scott finished 16th after pitting late due to fear of running out, while Dillon finished 11th after getting shuffled back some spots with Elliott ran out. Points: 29+33+17=79
Billy Stiles Jr. picked Kasey Kahne, Chase Elliott and Regan Smith. Points: 47+25+44=116
Billy Zardo picked Ty Dillon, Chase Elliott and Kyle Busch. Points: 17+25+28=70
Robert Hill picked Brian Scott, Trevor Bayne and Ryan Sieg. Bayne finished a solid ninth while Sieg shocked everyone with a third. Points: 29+36+41=106
Joni Stiles picked Ty Dillon, Kasey Kahne and Chase Elliott. Points: 17+47+25=89
Tyler Sontag picked Chase Elliott, Joey Logano and Kyle Busch. Points: 25+38+28=91
Jeni Harris picked Regan Smith, Chase Elliott and Darrell Wallace Jr. Points: 44+25+37=105
Daytona Results
- Ashley McCubbin – 119
- Billy Stiles Jr. – 116
- Robert Hill – 106
- Kyle Magda and Jeni Harris – 105
- Justin Tucker – 96
- Tayler Stiles – 93
- Ronald Costigan and Tyler Sontag – 91
- Joni Stiles – 89
- Terry Wagner – 87
- Marshall Gabell – 83
- Christina Cordner – 79
- Billy Zardo – 70
- Kreistina Blinova – 49
Nationwide Series Points
- (Points Leader Post Road America) Ashley McCubbin – 358+119=477
- Kyle Magda – 340+105=445
- Billy Stiles Jr. – 327+116=443
- Justin Tucker – 345+96=441
- Ronald Costigan – 348+91=439
- Tyler Sontag – 343+91=434
- Joni Stiles – 328+89=417
- Marshall Gabell – 331+83=414
- Tayler Stiles – 318+93=411
- Christina Cordner – 332+79=411
- Jeni Harris – 302+105=407
- Terry Wagner – 317+87=404
- Billy Zardo – 328+70=398
- Robert Hill – 287+106=393
- Kreistina Blinova – 255+49=304
Combined Points
- (Points Leader Post NCWTS Kentucky) Ronald Costigan – 1046+91=1137
- Kyle Magda – 1022+105=1127
- Ashley McCubbin – 1007+119=1126
- Justin Tucker – 1025+96=1121
- Billy Stiles Jr. – 996+116=1112
- Tyler Sontag – 945+91=1036
- Marshall Gabell – 949+83=1032
- Tayler Stiles – 936+93=1029
- Terry Wagner – 936+87=1023
- Robert Hill – 915+106=1021
- Christina Cordner – 935+79=1014
- Kreistina Blinova – 955+45=1000
- Joni Stiles – 894+89=983
- Jeni Harris – 826+105=931
- Billy Zardo – 854+70=924
