Chris Buescher wins at Daytona after Ryan Preece’s car flips at least 10 times in terrifying crash
Ryan Preece was able to get out of his car after an incredibly scary wreck during the final laps of the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona on Saturday night.
Preece’s car turned over in various directions 12 times after it got airborne while sliding down toward the infield grass. After exiting his car, Preece laid down on a stretcher and was taken by ambulance to the infield care center.
The crash happened with six laps to go in the 160-lap race. Drivers had taken it easy for much of the final stage of the race before their final pit stops. Once teams pitted for their final fuel stops of the evening, drivers got aggressive as they raced for the win.
The race restarted with two laps to go after the caution for Preece’s crash. Chris Buescher got pushed to the lead by Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing teammate Brad Keselowski and wasn’t challenged over the final lap to win his third race of the season.
Buescher’s win meant Bubba Wallace grabbed the 16th and final spot in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Wallace entered the race in the final playoff position but would have been knocked out of the playoffs had a winless driver outside the top 15 in the points standings won the race.
With Wallace in the playoffs, Chase Elliott misses the playoffs for the first time in his Cup Series career. Elliott missed seven of 26 regular season races because of a broken leg and a one-race suspension. Elliott finished fourth Saturday night and scored enough points per race to make the playoffs but simply didn’t compete in enough races to qualify for the postseason via points.
