DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – You’ve seen a version of this movie scene before.
A NASCAR Cup driver whipping his stock car through the Daytona International Speedway infield, his crew members rushing to meet him as the “Days of Thunder” theme song plays over the track’s PA system.
Meanwhile family members, friends and sponsor reps scream their faces off or weep uncontrollably.
All of this transpired as Ricky Stenhouse Jr. began celebrating his win Sunday (Feb. 19) in the 65th running of the Daytona 500.
Likely the most emotional person in the JTG Daugherty Racing’s pit box wasn’t anyone related to Stenhouse.
Kiana Smith, a PR person for the No. 47 team and daughter of team co-owner Gordon Smith, was one letting their emotions out through tears in between hugs.
“It’s the best birthday present ever,” Smith told team co-owner Jodi Geschickter.
Smith, who has been with the team for just over a year, turned 20 on Sunday.
But that wasn’t the only reason she was overcome with emotion.
She remembered how the team “came so close last year.”
Stenhouse remembered, too.
In the final moments before he walked out to the starting grid on pit road, the JTG Daugherty Racing driver re-watched the end of the 2022 Daytona 500.
In the footage, Stenhouse would have seen himself lead 15 of the last 24 laps, only to be wrecked thanks to an ill-timed push from Brad Keselowski as the leaders exited turn 4 with six laps to go.
It was arguably one of Stenhouse’s best shots at a NASCAR Cup win since 2017 and his team’s best chance at its second Cup Series win.
“I told my guys this offseason coming into this week, if we can get in that same position again I would take it, and hopefully things [would work] out a little bit better,” Stenhouse said.
After climbing into his No. 47 Chevrolet, the Mississippi native at some point saw a a special message.
It was written on a piece of duct tape and placed on the top of the roll bar in front of Stenhouse’s seat.
It simply read, “we believe, and we believe today.”
It was placed there by Mike Kelley, the crew chief for Stenhouse during his two Xfinity Series championships in 2011 and 2012 with Roush Fenway Racing and who has reunited with Stenhouse for 2023.
Kelley had woken up at 3:30 a.m. Sunday morning.
“Something this morning felt different,” Kelley recalled. “This is something I used to do for Ricky when we had tough days in the…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at …