NXS: Busch, Jones, Gaughan, Elliott Caught Up Big One at Daytona

With the laps winding down in the Alert Today Florida 300 at Daytona International Speedway, the intensity climbed with everybody wanting to score the victory in the race.

The second big wreck of the event would take place with nine laps to go when Kyle Busch would give Erik Jones a shot, resulting in Jones coming down across the field. Busch would then slide through the infield grass, making heavy contact with a wall that is not covered by a SAFER barrier. Busch was awake and alert following the wreck as he was loaded into an ambulance before being taken to Halifax Medical Center.

“Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 54 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), sustained a compound fracture of the right lower leg in an accident during Saturday’s NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway,” Joe Gibbs Racing released in a statement. “Additionally, Busch suffered a mid-foot fracture of his left foot in the accident.”

When Jones slid into the path of the field, he would collect Chase Elliott, J.J. Yeley, Brendan Gaughan, Brian Scott, Elliott Sadler, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Mike Wallace, Austin Dillon and Aric Almirola. Dillon fought back to finish fourth, while Almirola finished eighth.

“I think someone was trying to give someone a push and it got him squirrely,” Elliott commented. “This is news to me. I saw them checking up and started slowing down. Man, I hate it. The guys were doing a good job getting back together.”

Elliott had already been involved in a wreck earlier in the event, but was able to fight his way back up to the top-15.

“Just a product of this racing. It’s just very tight,” Elliott continued. “We’re not allowed to lock bumpers so guys just keep pounding away at each other’s bumper and eventually, it gets someone squirrely and that happens.”

About the Author

Ashley McCubbin

Joining OnPitRoad.com mid-2013 season, Ashley McCubbin is now the Managing Editor and contributes to each racing division as needed. Since studying journalism at the University of Guelph-Humber, Ashley has published articles on a couple of different websites, while serving as a public relations representative for different short track teams. Born in North York, Ontario, Ashley currently lives in Bradford, Ontario and spends her weekend at the local short tracks in the area. She has spent her entire life at the short track level, falling in love with the sport at the age of five. Beyond her love of short track racing, she also has grown an interest for both NASCAR and the IndyCar Racing Series. She also enjoys taking photos and working on websites, while playing a couple rounds of Candy Crush afterwards.

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