The 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400 was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race that was held on July 7, 2019 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Initially scheduled for 160 laps on the superspeedway, the race – which had been delayed from July 6 due to rain – was shortened to 127 laps, due to rain and lightning.
The eighteenth race of the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season saw Justin Haley – in his third Cup Series start – take his first Cup Series victory (and the first for Spire Motorsports) as he did not pit under a yellow flag period caused by a crash that involved approximately half the field, taking the lead from Kurt Busch, and the race never restarted due to the weather.
Report
Background
The race was held at Daytona International Speedway, a race track located in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, the track is the home of the Daytona 500, the most prestigious race in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, IMSA, SCCA, and motocross. It features multiple layouts including the primary high speed tri-oval, a sports car course, a motorcycle course, and a karting and motorcycle flat-track. The track's infield includes the Lake Lloyd, which has hosted powerboat racing. The speedway is owned and operated by International Speedway Corporation.
The track was built in 1959 by NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. to host racing held at the former Daytona Beach Road Course. His banked design permitted higher speeds and gave fans a better view of the cars. Lights were installed around the track in 1998 and today, it is the third-largest single lit outdoor sports facility. The speedway has been renovated three times, with the infield renovated in 2004 and the track repaved twice — in 1978 and in 2010.
On January 22, 2013, the track unveiled artist depictions of a renovated speedway. On July 5 of that year, ground was broken for a project that would remove the backstretch seating and completely redevelop the frontstretch seating. The renovation to the speedway is being worked on by Rossetti Architects. The project, named "Daytona Rising", was completed in January 2016, and it costed US $400 million, placing emphasis on improving fan experience with five expanded and redesigned fan entrances (called "injectors") as well as wider and more comfortable seating with more restrooms and concession stands. After the renovations, the track's grandstands include 101,000 permanent seats with the ability to increase permanent seating to 125,000. The project was completed before the start of Daytona Speedweeks 2016.
Entry list (i) denotes driver who are ineligible for series driver points. (R) denotes rookie driver.
Driver Team Manufacturer 00 Landon Cassill (i) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 8 Daniel Hemric (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 15 Quin Houff Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 Paul Menard Wood Brothers Racing Ford 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 27 Ross Chastain (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 36 Matt Tifft (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 37 Chris Buescher JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 38 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports Ford 41 Daniel Suárez Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 47 Ryan Preece (R) JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51 B. J. McLeod (i) Petty Ware Racing Ford 52 J. J. Yeley Rick Ware Racing Ford 53 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 62 Brendan Gaughan (i) Beard Motorsports Chevrolet 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 95 Matt DiBenedetto Leavine Family Racing Toyota 96 Parker Kligerman (i) Gaunt Brothers Racing ToyotaOfficial entry list
Practice
First practice Kyle Busch was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 44.831 seconds and a speed of .
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 44.831 200.754 2 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 44.847 200.682 3 37 Chris Buescher JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 44.857 200.638Official first practice results
Final practice Martin Truex Jr. was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 43.703 seconds and a speed of .
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 43.703 205.936 2 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 43.745 205.738 3 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 43.748 205.724Official final practice results
Qualifying Qualifying for Friday was cancelled due to inclement weather and Joey Logano, the point leader, was awarded the pole as a result.
Starting lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 2 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 3 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 4 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 5 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 6 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 7 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 8 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 9 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 10 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 11 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 12 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 13 42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 14 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 15 41 Daniel Suárez Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 16 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 17 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 18 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 19 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford 20 21 Paul Menard Wood Brothers Racing Ford 21 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 22 37 Chris Buescher JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 23 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 24 8 Daniel Hemric (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 25 95 Matt DiBenedetto Leavine Family Racing Chevrolet 26 47 Ryan Preece (R) JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 27 38 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports Ford 28 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 29 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 30 32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 31 36 Matt Tifft (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 32 15 Quin Houff Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 33 00 Landon Cassill (i) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 34 51 B. J. McLeod (i) Petty Ware Racing Ford 35 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 36 96 Parker Kligerman (i) Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 37 52 J. J. Yeley Rick Ware Racing Ford 38 27 Ross Chastain (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 39 62 Brendan Gaughan (i) Beard Motorsports Chevrolet 40 53 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing ChevroletOfficial starting lineup
Race
Stage results
Stage One Laps: 50
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 102 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford 93 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 84 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 75 9 Chase Elliott Hendricks Motorsports Chevrolet 66 41 Daniel Suárez Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 57 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 48 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 39 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 210 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 50
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 102 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 93 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 84 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 75 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 66 42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 57 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 48 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford 39 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 210 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 1Official stage two results
Final stage results
Stage Three Laps: 27
The Big One occurred on lap 119 when Clint Bowyer and Austin Dillon battled for the lead in intense drafting packs, leading to a 17-car crash. Kurt Busch was the leader when most leaders pitted, but when at the end of Lap 127, officials gave the signal the race would restart on the ensuing lap, Busch pitted, handing the lead to Justin Haley. When lightning was detected while the cars were on the backstretch working Lap 128, the safety truck turned on its lights and immediately sent the cars to the pit lane. After two further attempts to restart the race were aborted because of lightning, more rain led NASCAR to declare the race official. NASCAR then spent considerable time to score all penalties assessed for pitting before pit lane was opened before an official result was declared, with Haley declared the winner.
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 34 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 127 02 12 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 127 433 14 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 127 384 23 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 127 335 18 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 127 326 30 32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 127 317 11 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 127 308 25 95 Matt DiBenedetto Leavine Family Racing Toyota 127 299 31 36 Matt Tifft (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 127 2810 8 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 127 2711 33 00 Landon Cassill (i) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 127 012 37 52 J. J. Yeley Rick Ware Racing Ford 127 2513 28 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 127 2414 2 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 127 2315 29 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 127 2416 20 21 Paul Menard Wood Brothers Racing Ford 127 2117 22 37 Chris Buescher JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 127 2018 24 8 Daniel Hemric (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 127 1919 39 62 Brendan Gaughan (i) Beard Motorsports Chevrolet 126 020 13 42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 126 2221 9 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 126 2522 5 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 126 1623 17 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 125 1424 19 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford 125 2525 1 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 125 2326 6 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 125 1427 40 53 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 125 028 35 51 B. J. McLeod (i) Petty Ware Racing Ford 124 029 4 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 124 1530 38 27 Ross Chastain (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 122 031 36 96 Parker Kligerman (i) Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 121 032 26 47 Ryan Preece (R) JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 119 533 21 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 118 1434 16 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 118 1335 7 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 118 1536 10 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 118 937 32 15 Quin Houff Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 108 138 27 38 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports Ford 86 139 3 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 85 340 15 41 Daniel Suárez Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 83 6Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 24 among 14 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 6 for 25 Red flags: 1 Time of race: 2 hours, 14 minutes and 58 seconds Average speed:
Media
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