The 2014 VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 was the seventh stock car race of the 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series season, and the 32nd iteration of the event. The race was held on Friday, April 11, 2014, in Darlington, South Carolina, at Darlington Raceway, a permanent egg-shaped oval racetrack. The race took the scheduled 147 laps to complete. On the final restart with two to go, Chase Elliott, rookie for JR Motorsports, would manage to charge from sixth to first, passing for the lead on the final turn to win his second career NASCAR Nationwide Series victory and his second win of the season. To fill out the podium, Elliott Sadler and Matt Kenseth, both driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would finish second and third, respectively.

Background

The race was held at Darlington Raceway, which is a race track built for NASCAR racing located in Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed "The Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition." It is of a unique, somewhat egg-shaped design, an oval with the ends of very different configurations, a condition which supposedly arose from the proximity of one end of the track to a minnow pond the owner refused to relocate. This situation makes it very challenging for the crews to set up their cars' handling in a way that will be effective at both ends.

Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.

#DriverTeamMakeSponsor01Landon CassillJD MotorsportsChevroletSEM Products2Brian ScottRichard Childress RacingChevroletShore Lodge3Ty Dillon (R)Richard Childress RacingChevroletYuengling Light Lager4Jeffrey EarnhardtJD MotorsportsChevroletJD Motorsports5Kevin Harvick (i)JR MotorsportsChevroletArmour Vienna Sausage6Trevor BayneRoush Fenway RacingFordAdvoCare7Regan SmithJR MotorsportsChevroletTaxSlayer9Chase Elliott (R)JR MotorsportsChevroletNAPA Auto Parts10Blake KochTriStar MotorsportsToyotaSupportMilitary.org11Elliott SadlerJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaSport Clips Haircuts13Matt CarterMBM MotorsportsToyotaHeadrush14Eric McClureTriStar MotorsportsToyotaHefty Ultimate16Ryan Reed (R)Roush Fenway RacingFordLilly Diabetes17Tanner Berryhill (R)Vision RacingDodgeBWP Bats19Mike BlissTriStar MotorsportsToyotaTriStar Motorsports20Matt Kenseth (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyotaGameStop, Call of Duty: Ghosts22Joey Logano (i)Team PenskeFordSnap-on23Carlos ContrerasRick Ware RacingChevroletVoli Vodka28J. J. YeleyJGL RacingDodgeJGL Racing31Dylan Kwasniewski (R)Turner Scott MotorsportsChevroletAccuDoc Solutions, Rockstar33Cale Conley (i)Richard Childress RacingChevroletOkuma39Ryan Sieg (R)RSS RacingChevroletRSS Racing40Josh Wise (i)The Motorsports GroupChevroletThe Motorsports Group42Kyle Larson (i)Turner Scott MotorsportsChevroletCartwheel by Target43Dakoda Armstrong (R)Richard Petty MotorsportsFordWinField United44David StarrTriStar MotorsportsToyotaStriping Technologies46Matt DiBenedettoThe Motorsports GroupChevroletThe Motorsports Group51Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevroletRepairableVehicles.com52Joey GaseJimmy Means RacingChevroletJimmy Means Racing54Kyle Busch (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyotaMonster Energy55Todd Bodine (i)Viva MotorsportsChevroletViva Motorsports60Chris Buescher (R)Roush Fenway RacingFordMustang 50 Years62Brendan GaughanRichard Childress RacingChevroletSouth Point Hotel, Casino & Spa70Derrike CopeDerrike Cope RacingChevroletYoutheory74Mike HarmonMike Harmon RacingDodgeMike Harmon Racing76Tommy Joe Martins (R)Martins MotorsportsDodgeMartins Motorsports87Kevin LepageJD MotorsportsChevroletJD Motorsports91Jeff GreenTriStar MotorsportsToyotaTriStar Motorsports93Mike WallaceJGL RacingDodgeUnker's, Put On The Brakes99James BuescherRAB RacingToyotaRuudOfficial entry list

Practice

First practice The first practice session was held on Thursday, April 10, at 1:00p.m. EST. The session lasted for one hour. Joey Logano, driving for Team Penske, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.033 and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed122Joey Logano (i)Team PenskeFord29.033169.380254Kyle Busch (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota29.150168.700342Kyle Larson (i)Turner Scott MotorsportsChevrolet29.165168.613Full first practice results

Final practice The final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Thursday, April 10, at 2:30p.m. EST. The session lasted for one hour and 30 minutes. Chris Buescher, driving for Roush Fenway Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 28.865 and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed160Chris Buescher (R)Roush Fenway RacingFord28.865170.365254Kyle Busch (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota29.140168.75833Ty Dillon (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet29.190168.469Full Happy Hour practice results

Qualifying Qualifying was held on Friday, April 11, at 4:10p.m. EST. Since Darlington Raceway is at least in length, the qualifying system was a multi-car system that included three rounds. The first round was 25 minutes, where every driver would be able to set a lap within the 25 minutes. Then, the second round would consist of the fastest 24 cars in Round 1, and drivers would have 10 minutes to set a lap. Round 3 consisted of the fastest 12 drivers from Round 2, and the drivers would have 5 minutes to set a time. Whoever was fastest in Round 3 would win the pole.

Kyle Busch, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would win the pole after setting a time of 28.314 and an average speed of in the third round.

No drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTime (R1)Speed (R1)Time (R2)Speed (R2)Time (R3)Speed (R3)154Kyle Busch (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota -* -* -* -*28.314173.68129Chase Elliott (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet -* -* -* -*28.352173.448320Matt Kenseth (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota -* -* -* -*28.408173.10645Kevin Harvick (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet -* -* -* -*28.647171.66253Ty Dillon (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet -* -* -* -*28.716171.249660Chris Buescher (R)Roush Fenway RacingFord -* -* -* -*28.771170.92272Brian ScottRichard Childress RacingChevrolet -* -* -* -*28.782170.85787Regan SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet -* -* -* -*28.830170.572911Elliott SadlerJoe Gibbs RacingToyota -* -* -* -*28.879170.283106Trevor BayneRoush Fenway RacingFord -* -* -* -*28.990169.6311133Cale Conley (i)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet -* -* -* -*29.113168.9141242Kyle Larson (i)Turner Scott MotorsportsChevrolet -* -* -* -*37.223132.112Eliminated in Round 21362Brendan GaughanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet -* -*28.955169.836 - -1439Ryan Sieg (R)RSS RacingChevrolet -* -*28.963169.789 - -1522Joey Logano (i)Team PenskeFord -* -*29.005169.543 - -1601Landon CassillJD MotorsportsChevrolet -* -*29.131168.810 - -1731Dylan Kwasniewski (R)Turner Scott MotorsportsChevrolet -* -*29.167168.602 - -1816Ryan Reed (R)Roush Fenway RacingFord -* -*29.178168.538 - -1940Josh Wise (i)The Motorsports GroupChevrolet -* -*29.180168.526 - -2019Mike BlissTriStar MotorsportsToyota -* -*29.203168.394 - -2151Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet -* -*29.297167.853 - -2299James BuescherRAB RacingToyota -* -*29.363167.476 - -2328J. J. YeleyJGL RacingDodge -* -*29.370167.436 - -2444David StarrTriStar MotorsportsToyota -* -*29.578166.259 - -Eliminated in Round 12543Dakoda Armstrong (R)Richard Petty MotorsportsFord29.512166.631 - - - -264Jeffrey EarnhardtJD MotorsportsChevrolet29.532166.518 - - - -2793Mike WallaceJGL RacingDodge29.562166.349 - - - -2817Tanner Berryhill (R)Vision RacingDodge29.582166.236 - - - -2955Todd Bodine (i)Viva MotorsportsChevrolet29.589166.197 - - - -3014Eric McClureTriStar MotorsportsToyota29.679165.693 - - - -3187Kevin LepageJD MotorsportsChevrolet29.802165.009 - - - -3252Joey GaseJimmy Means RacingChevrolet29.896164.490 - - - -3346Matt DiBenedettoThe Motorsports GroupChevrolet30.041163.696 - - - -3476Tommy Joe Martins (R)Martins MotorsportsDodge30.084163.462 - - - -3570Derrike CopeDerrike Cope RacingChevrolet30.395161.790 - - - -3623Carlos ContrerasRick Ware RacingChevrolet30.579160.816 - - - -3713Matt CarterMBM MotorsportsToyota30.638160.507 - - - -3891Jeff GreenTriStar MotorsportsToyota30.659160.397 - - - -3974Mike HarmonMike Harmon RacingDodge31.162157.808 - - - -4010Blake KochTriStar MotorsportsToyota31.520156.015 - - - -Official starting lineup *Time not available.

Race results FinSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings129Chase Elliott (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet14752running47$44,5752911Elliott SadlerJoe Gibbs RacingToyota1473running43$33,3503320Matt Kenseth (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota1470running0$19,7004154Kyle Busch (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota14784running0$25,32551522Joey Logano (i)Team PenskeFord1470running0$15,77561242Kyle Larson (i)Turner Scott MotorsportsChevrolet1472running0$17,825745Kevin Harvick (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet1475running0$13,510887Regan SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet1470running36$20,3709106Trevor BayneRoush Fenway RacingFord1470running35$19,0751053Ty Dillon (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet1470running34$20,1001172Brian ScottRichard Childress RacingChevrolet1470running33$18,625121601Landon CassillJD MotorsportsChevrolet1470running32$18,550131816Ryan Reed (R)Roush Fenway RacingFord1470running31$18,500142328J. J. YeleyJGL RacingDodge1470running30$18,450151940Josh Wise (i)The Motorsports GroupChevrolet1470running0$18,800162019Mike BlissTriStar MotorsportsToyota1470running28$18,525172793Mike WallaceJGL RacingDodge1471running28$18,425182543Dakoda Armstrong (R)Richard Petty MotorsportsFord1470running26$18,175193187Kevin LepageJD MotorsportsChevrolet1470running25$18,12520264Jeffrey EarnhardtJD MotorsportsChevrolet1470running24$18,750213014Eric McClureTriStar MotorsportsToyota1470running23$18,000221362Brendan GaughanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet1460crash22$17,945231731Dylan Kwasniewski (R)Turner Scott MotorsportsChevrolet1460running21$17,895243623Carlos ContrerasRick Ware RacingChevrolet1450running20$17,820252299James BuescherRAB RacingToyota1440running19$18,250263252Joey GaseJimmy Means RacingChevrolet1440running18$17,695272817Tanner Berryhill (R)Vision RacingDodge1440running17$17,645282955Todd Bodine (i)Viva MotorsportsChevrolet1430running0$17,570293570Derrike CopeDerrike Cope RacingChevrolet1410running15$17,535303476Tommy Joe Martins (R)Martins MotorsportsDodge1410running14$11,795312151Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet1370running13$17,440321133Cale Conley (i)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet1360running0$17,395333974Mike HarmonMike Harmon RacingDodge1360running11$17,37034660Chris Buescher (R)Roush Fenway RacingFord1190running10$17,350352444David StarrTriStar MotorsportsToyota670crash9$17,299363713Matt CarterMBM MotorsportsToyota300rear gear8$10,520371439Ryan Sieg (R)RSS RacingChevrolet160crash7$16,500383346Matt DiBenedettoThe Motorsports GroupChevrolet70overheating6$10,426393891Jeff GreenTriStar MotorsportsToyota60brakes5$10,315404010Blake KochTriStar MotorsportsToyota20vibration4$10,290Official race results

Standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Chase Elliott 271 2 Regan Smith 258 (-13) 1 3 Elliott Sadler 251 (-20) 1 4 Ty Dillon 248 (–23) 5 Trevor Bayne 241 (–30) 1 6 Brian Scott 225 (–46) 1 7 Brendan Gaughan 215 (–56) 8 Dylan Kwasniewski 200 (–71) 9 James Buescher 195 (–76) 10 Ryan Reed 172 (–99)Official driver's standings Note: Only the first 10 positions are included for the driver standings.

References