DAYTONA BEACH FL – Both drivers were no doubt expecting different finishes than what they got Sunday at Daytona International Speedway. Veteran and two time Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. seemed a shoo-in for a third Daytona 500 win and young Chase Elliott was hoping for a good finish in his first race as he tries to fill the shoes of a legendary driver.
Both drivers saw their respective days end with finishes that left many wondering what had happened. Earnhardt was scored with a DNF in 36th, place while Elliott finished one spot behind, 37th, 40 laps down.
For young Elliott the week started with much promise. In his first race in the iconic No. 24 car, Elliott won his first pole last Sunday. Then Saturday, Elliott scored his first Daytona win racing to victory in the XFINITY series race at Daytona.
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
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