Top Dog: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Guess what? NASCAR is back, baby. As I get older, I find myself anticipating February throughout the winter months with more excitement each year. With NASCAR kicking off its 75th anniversary season, many things will feel special this year. And what a way to light the fire.
Five years, seven months. That was the last time Ricky Stenhouse Jr. tasted victory lane. That came at the exact venue that NASCAR visited this week, Daytona International Speedway, when Stenhouse earned his second career win in the July 400-mile race. Afterward, he proclaimed a now-popular phrase, “America, 1776, we are the champs!”
Now, Stenhouse can say that again, but with a much more colossal victory. The 11th-year driver outlasted the field to capture the victory in the 65th Daytona 500 on Sunday (Feb. 19).
“This Kroger/Cottonelle team worked really hard this season,” an elated Stenhouse told FOX Sports. “[We had] great pit stops, Hendrick engines, glad a Chevrolet won. This is unbelievable. This was the sight of my last win back in 2017. We had a couple of shots last year to get a win and fell short. It was a tough season, but we got it done, Daytona 500.”
Stenhouse had been quietly overlooked all week, but made it count when it mattered most. He restarted sixth on the first overtime attempt, pushed Joey Logano to the lead on the backstretch and quickly took the lead as the Big One unfolded behind him.
On the final restart, Stenhouse held the lead but lost it just as he took the white when Kyle Larson took him and Logano three-wide in the middle. But without any help, Larson drifted back and got turned as Stenhouse was shoved back to the lead. The yellow flew and unlike the NASCAR Xfinity Series finish, it was only a short time before NASCAR declared the No. 47 the winner, giving Stenhouse his third career win.
“When the [No.] 8 went to the bottom, I was able to push the [No.] 22 and the [No.] 5, we had a huge run. I was hoping we would get to the white there and we didn’t, so I knew I was going to take the top and I was hoping the No. 22 would follow, and he did. He was able to push us out. I went to the bottom. The [No.] 8 and [No.] 22 got a huge run. The [No.] 5 split me in the middle, but another fellow dirt racer with [Christopher] Bell gave me a good shot down the short chute into [turn] 1, and we were out front when the caution came out.”
The win gives JTG Daugherty Racing its first win…
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