In Thursday night’s Bluegreen Vacations Duel 2 qualifying race at the Daytona International Speedway, NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch suffered a devastating crash while leading the pack. With just 40 of 60 laps complete, Busch lost control of his No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet after a late-race push from Daniel Suárez’s No. 99 Chevrolet. Busch’s car veered into the outside retaining wall and ended his race prematurely.
Thankfully, Busch was unhurt and expressed his frustration after being relegated to a backup car for Sunday’s 65th running of the Daytona 500. Despite the setback, Busch remains a two-time Cup Series champion and has high hopes of finally winning the Daytona 500 after 17 tries.
The multi-car crash that caused Busch’s accident also involved Noah Gragson, Ryan Preece, Justin Haley, Austin Hill, Travis Pastrana, and Riley Herbst. Hill’s car collided with Pastrana and Herbst, ending Hill’s Daytona 500 chances. On the other hand, Pastrana, who is driving the No. 67 Toyota for 23XI Racing, has sealed his spot in the Daytona 500 and believes his car is fixable ahead of Sunday’s race.
After the incident, Busch expressed his disbelief that the aggression had reached that point midway through the second of two qualifying races on Thursday night. Busch’s car was in excellent condition, and he believed that he could win the Daytona 500 with his primary car. However, the accident derailed his plans, leaving him with a backup car.
Cup teams will have one 50-minute practice session on Friday at 5:35 p.m. ET and an additional 50 minutes on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. ET to perfect their cars ahead of Sunday’s Daytona 500. Fans and racing enthusiasts alike are eagerly anticipating the 65th running of the Daytona 500, where top drivers will compete for the coveted championship title.
Read Also: Everything you need to know about the 2023 Daytona 500 Lineup
In conclusion, the multi-car crash during Thursday night’s Bluegreen Vacations Duel 2 qualifying race at the Daytona International Speedway caused Kyle Busch to lose control and veer into the outside retaining wall while leading the pack. Despite relegating to a backup car, Busch remains a formidable contender and hopes to finally win the Daytona 500 after 17 tries. Fans and racing enthusiasts eagerly await Sunday’s race to witness the top drivers compete for the championship title.
