The 2010 DRIVE4COPD 300 was a NASCAR Nationwide Series race held on February 13, 2010, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. The race was the first of the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series. It was the 29th iteration of the event. The race featured the NASCAR debut of IZOD IndyCar Series driver Danica Patrick. This would be the last race at Daytona for the Generation 4 cars as the Nationwide Series would debut their Car of Tomorrow cars at the next Daytona race. Kyle Busch won the pole since he was the reigning Series champion from the 2009 season after Qualifying got rained out but it would be Tony Stewart who led the most laps and won the race after starting in 32nd position and it would be his 3rd Nationwide Series opener in a row and his 5th of the last 6 opening races. But the race would be mostly remembered for a flip by Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Background Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, the most prestigious race in NASCAR as well as its season opening event. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races for ARCA, AMA Superbike, IMSA, SCCA, and Motocross. The track 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 operated by NASCAR pursuant to a lease with the City of Daytona Beach on the property that runs until 2054. Dale Earnhardt is Daytona International Speedway's all-time winningest driver, with a total of 34 career victories (12- Daytona 500 Qualifying Races) (7- NASCAR Xfinity Series Races) (6- Busch Clash Races) (6- IROC Races) (2- Pepsi 400 July Races) (1- The 1998 Daytona 500).
Entry list 57 cars originally attempted to qualify for the race but 6 of them withdrew before the race. (R) denotes rookie driver #DriverTeamMake 0 Jeremy Clements JD Motorsports Chevrolet 01 Mike Wallace JD Motorsports Chevrolet 1 James Buescher (R) Phoenix Racing Chevrolet 02 Danny Efland Corrie Stott Racing Chevrolet 04 Brad Teague JD Motorsports Chevrolet 4 Tony Stewart Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet 05 Jeff Green Day Enterprise Racing Chevrolet 5 Bobby Gerhart Bob Schacht Motorsports Chevrolet 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (R) Roush Fenway Racing Ford 7 Danica Patrick (R) JR Motorsports Chevrolet 09 Scott Riggs RAB Racing Ford 10 Jason Leffler Braun Racing Toyota 11 Brian Scott (R) Braun Racing Toyota 12 Justin Allgaier Penske Racing Dodge 15 Michael Annett Germain Racing Toyota 16 Colin Braun (R) Roush Fenway Racing Ford 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 Joey Logano Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 John Wes Townley Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 22 Brad Keselowski Penske Racing Dodge 23 Robert Richardson Jr. R3 Motorsports Chevrolet 24 Eric McClure Team Rensi Motorsports Ford 26 Brian Keselowski K-Automotive Motorsports Dodge 27 Greg Biffle Baker Curb Racing Ford 28 Kenny Wallace Jay Robinson Racing Chevrolet 31 Stanton Barrett Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 32 Brian Vickers Braun Racing Toyota 33 Kevin Harvick Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet 34 Tony Raines TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet 35 Jason Keller TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet 38 Kasey Kahne Braun Racing Toyota 40 Mike Bliss Key Motorsports Chevrolet 41 Chrissy Wallace Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 42 Parker Kligerman Team 42 Racing Dodge 43 Scott Lagasse Jr. Baker Curb Racing Ford 48 Johnny Sauter Blanton Racing Chevrolet 49 Mark Green Jay Robinson Racing Chevrolet 52 Donnie Neuenberger Means Motorsports Chevrolet 56 Kevin Lepage Mac Hill Motorsports Chevrolet 58 Chase Austin Xxxtreme Motorsports Chevrolet 60 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing Ford 61 Josh Wise Specialty Racing Ford 62 Brendan Gaughan Rusty Wallace Racing Toyota 66 Steve Wallace Rusty Wallace Racing Toyota 70 Shelby Howard ML Motorsports Chevrolet 73 Derrike Cope Stratus Racing Group Dodge 75 Brett Rowe Herd Racing Dodge 81 Michael McDowell MacDonald Motorsports Dodge 83 Johnny Borneman III Borneman Motorsports Dodge 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. JR Motorsports Chevrolet 89 Morgan Shepherd Faith Motorsports Chevrolet 92 Johnny Chapman K-Automotive Motorsports Dodge 96 Dennis Setzer K-Automotive Motorsports Dodge 97 Jeff Fuller NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet 98 Paul Menard Roush Fenway Racing Ford 99 Trevor Bayne Diamond-Waltrip Racing ToyotaOfficial Entry List
Qualifying Kyle Busch won the pole since he was the reigning Series Champion after Qualifying was rained out. Grid Driver Team Manufacturer 1 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 2 60 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing Ford 3 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. JR Motorsports Chevrolet 4 33 Kevin Harvick Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet 5 21 John Wes Townley Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 6 20 Joey Logano Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 7 32 Brian Vickers Braun Racing Toyota 8 38 Kasey Kahne Braun Racing Toyota 9 16 Colin Braun (R) Roush Fenway Racing Ford 10 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (R) Roush Fenway Racing Ford 11 1 James Buescher (R) Phoenix Racing Chevrolet 12 12 Justin Allgaier Penske Racing Dodge 13 66 Steve Wallace Rusty Wallace Racing Toyota 14 43 Scott Lagasse Jr. Baker Curb Racing Ford 15 7 Danica Patrick (R) JR Motorsports Chevrolet 16 62 Brendan Gaughan Rusty Wallace Racing Toyota 17 99 Trevor Bayne Diamond-Waltrip Racing Toyota 18 15 Michael Annett Germain Racing Toyota 19 28 Kenny Wallace Jay Robinson Racing Chevrolet 20 34 Tony Raines TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet 21 40 Mike Bliss Key Motorsports Chevrolet 22 10 Jason Leffler Braun Racing Toyota 23 01 Mike Wallace JD Motorsports Chevrolet 24 22 Brad Keselowski Penske Racing Dodge 25 81 Michael McDowell MacDonald Motorsports Dodge 26 24 Eric McClure Team Rensi Motorsports Ford 27 23 Robert Richardson Jr. R3 Motorsports Chevrolet 28 26 Brian Keselowski K-Automotive Motorsports Dodge 29 61 Josh Wise Specialty Racing Ford 30 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet 31 27 Greg Biffle Baker Curb Racing Ford 32 4 Tony Stewart Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet 33 05 Jeff Green Day Enterprise Racing Chevrolet 34 04 Brad Teague JD Motorsports Chevrolet 35 41 Chrissy Wallace Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 36 02 Danny Efland Corrie Stott Racing Chevrolet 37 11 Brian Scott (R) Braun Racing Toyota 38 48 Johnny Sauter Blanton Racing Chevrolet 39 09 Scott Riggs RAB Racing Ford 40 89 Morgan Shepherd Faith Motorsports Chevrolet 41 31 Stanton Barrett Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 42 5 Bobby Gerhart Bob Schact Motorsports Chevrolet 43 98 Paul Menard Roush Fenway Racing FordFailed to Qualify, driver changes, or withdrew 44 0 Jeremy Clements JD Motorsports Chevrolet 45 56 Kevin Lepage Mac Hill Motorsports Chevrolet 46 83 Johnny Borneman III Borneman Motorsports Dodge 47 75 Brett Rowe Herd Racing Dodge 48 73 Derrike Cope Stratus Racing Group Dodge 49 92 Johnny Chapman K-Automotive Motorsports Dodge 50 35 Jason Keller TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet 51 70 Shelby Howard ML Motorsports Chevrolet WD 42 Parker Kligerman Team 42 Racing Dodge WD 49 Mark Green Jay Robinson Racing Chevrolet WD 52 Donnie Neuenberger Means Motorsports Chevrolet WD 58 Chase Austin Xxxtreme Motorsports Chevrolet WD 96 Dennis Setzer K-Automotive Motorsports Dodge WD 97 Jeff Fuller NEMCO Motorsports ChevroletOfficial Starting Grid
Race Kyle Busch took the lead at the start of the race. The first caution did not take long as it happened on the first lap off of turn 4 when Chrissy Wallace, daughter of Mike Wallace and making her Nationwide Series debut, crashed after getting loose. Brad Teague also spun in the tri-oval after going through the grass. Kyle Busch led the first lap of the race. The race restarted in lap 6. On the restart, Kevin Harvick took the lead from Kyle Busch off of turn 4. But on lap 7, the second caution flew for the first of three big ones in the race that occurred in turn 2 taking out 8 cars. It started when Trevor Bayne got turned by Mike Bliss and Bayne turned down into Colin Braun and Bayne spun up and pounded the outside wall driver's side first and also collected Bliss, Mike Wallace, Brian Keselowski, Josh Wise, Michael McDowell, and Paul Menard. The race restarted on lap 12 with Kevin Harvick still leading. Soon a six car breakaway occurred from the pack with Harvick leading Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Joey Logano, John Wes Townley, and Kyle Busch. On lap 43, green flag pitstops began as Harvick gave up his lead to Kyle Busch. Busch soon pitted on lap 46 giving the lead to Tony Raines who had Joe Nemechek behind him. On lap 50, Nemechek would pass Raines for the lead. On lap 51, the third caution flew when Mike Wallace spun all by himself in turn 3. Greg Biffle was the new leader and Biffle led the field to the restart on lap 56. On lap 62, Brad Keselowski took the lead. On lap 63, Dale Earnhardt Jr. attempted to take the lead but failed to get in front of Keselowski. Coming out of the tri-oval on the next lap, disaster almost struck as Tony Stewart got hooked in the rear by Kevin Harvick causing Stewart to go sideways but Stewart was able to save it without losing momentum. Eventually on the next lap, Stewart would take the lead from Keselowski.
Final laps