Tyler Reddick in the lead after Daytona – NBC 6 South Florida
Fans are trained to expect the unexpected at NASCAR races at Daytona, but Saturday was breathtaking for even the most seasoned spectators.
Harrison Burton, who finished 34th out of 34 full-time drivers in the points standings, led one lap – the last – to secure the first win of his career in his 98th start while more than three-quarters of the field was involved in some kind of accident.
With Burton winning the penultimate race of the regular season, there are now only three playoff spots left.
Next up is the finale of the regular season, the legendary Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. What does the field look like after Daytona? Here are our latest NASCAR rankings:
1. Tyler Reddick
Last week: 1
Reddick remains at the top of the standings despite being involved in two crashes and finishing only 28th on Saturday. The 23XI Racing driver also remains at the top of the points table at Darlington, where he could claim his first regular-season title.
2. Kyle Larson
Last week: 3
At one point, it looked like Larson would finally get his first superspeedway win, but he ultimately suffered too much damage and ended up finishing 21st after leading five laps and earning eight stage points. The reigning Southern 500 winner will need to repeat his performance if he wants to close the 17-point deficit to Reddick.
3. Denny Hamlin
Last week: 2
Hamlin’s day ended early with heavy damage in the first major crash of Stage 2, leaving him with a 38th-place finish. The three-time Daytona 500 winner will head to Darlington, where he has won four times in his Cup career.
4. Christopher Bell
Last week: 4
It was a quiet night for Bell until the final stage when he suddenly found himself in position for a great finish. He avoided most of the carnage and came home third, his best result in nearly two months.
5. William Byron
Last week: 5
The Daytona 500 winner was unable to complete the season in Florida, but was in the race for most of the evening. Byron finished in the top 10 in both stages before finally retiring on lap 158, just short of the scheduled distance, and finished 27th.
6. Ryan Blaney
Last week: 7
Blaney was involved in the same accident as Byron while running near the front late. He finished 29th but picked up 15 stage points to secure a decent points day. The No. 12 team is fourth overall and has a good chance of becoming the first repeat champion since 2010 (Jimmie Johnson).
7. Chase Elliott
Last week: 6
It was a short night for Elliott, who was involved in the crash with Hamlin in Stage 2. He finished 36th, the first time in 25 races this season he finished worse than 21st. Elliott is still only 18 points behind Reddick, so the regular-season title is in sight with one race to go.
8. Brad Keselowski
Last week: 8
Keselowski restarted from the front row in the final laps but was penalized for his early start. However, two more crashes occurred after his penalty, which helped him recover and finish eighth after leading eight laps and earning 12 stage points. Keselowski’s only win of the season came in May at Darlington, so he will be one of the favorites this weekend.
9. Joey Logan
Last week: 10
Logano was on the front row when Michael McDowell nearly rolled over, the same accident that also affected Byron and Blaney. The No. 22 got the worst of it, finishing 31st, but Logano still moved up a spot in the standings after leading the most laps for 34 laps and winning Stage 2. This team is still on the right track heading into the playoffs, even if this result doesn’t show it.
10. Bubba Wallace
Last week: 9
Another unexpected winner puts Wallace in a precarious position. He finished sixth on Saturday and is 13th in the standings. But without a win, he is 21 points behind Chris Buescher for the final playoff spot. It looks increasingly likely that Wallace will miss the postseason, despite his 10.1 average finish over the last seven races.
The first four are out: Ty Gibbs, Chris Buescher, Martin Truex Jr., Alex Bowman
