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2022 NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400 Live Coverage

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2022 NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400 6 photos
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2022 NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 4002022 NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 4002022 NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 4002022 NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 4002022 NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400
The 2022 Nascar Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400 event at the legendary Daytona International Speedway represents the final regular season race of the year.
Several drivers are still trying to get their tickets to the playoffs, but the battle is very close. Friday, the heavy rain forced NASCAR to cancel the qualifying stages resulting in the starting lineup being set by the rulebook. As a result, Kyle Larson has been awarded the pole based on the results of last week's race at Watkins Glen. Next to him is Chase Elliott from Hendrick Motorsport.

Stay tuned because there will be intense battles for that important playoff spot. Chris Buescher will start the highest (P8) of any driver looking to qualify for the playoffs.
Live updates (ended):

20:29 UTC  Ladies and gentlemen the playoffs have officialy begun.

20:27 UTC 

20:27 UTC 

20:27 UTC 

20:23 UTC  The top ten at the end of the race:

  • 1 - #3 - Austin Dillon
  • 2 - #8 - Tyler Reddick
  • 3 - #2 - Austin Cindric
  • 4 - #77 - Landon Cassill
  • 5 - #62 - Noah Gragson
  • 6 - #51 - Cody Ware
  • 7 - #78 - B.J. McLeod
  • 8 - #19 - Martin Truex Jr.
  • 9 - #15 - David Ragan
  • 10 - #18 - Kyle Busch

20:22 UTC  And it is the end. Austin Dillon wins the Coke Zero Sugar 400 in Daytona. This win puts himself in the NASCAR playoffs. As a result, he knocks out Truex Jr. by onlt three points. Crazy scenes here in Florida.

20:18 UTC  White flag this time for Austin Dillon!

20:18 UTC  With two laps to go Dillon and Reddick are out in front.

20:17 UTC  Austin Dillon is starting to back up from Austin Cindric to get a run! He almost spun him.

20:17 UTC  Three laps to go and we still have intense battles.

20:16 UTC  Cole Custer has blown a right front tire and he has hit the wall.

20:16 UTC  Landon Cassill and Martin Truex Jr. have fallen off the top four and are now drafting together.

20:11 UTC  We have ten laps to go until the end.

20:10 UTC  The top five are single file and starting to break away. Cindric, Dillon, Cassill, Truex, and Kyle Busch.

20:10 UTC  Cindric is attacked by Landon Cassill, but he covers well.

20:10 UTC  Truex pushes Austin Cindric to the lead.

20:09 UTC  Here we go - Green flag to decide this race and decide the NASCAR playoff field!

20:06 UTC  More and more cars are falling from the race with problems.

20:01 UTC  Kyle Busch's team is working on the front end of his car.

20:00 UTC  Kyle Busch, BJ McLeod, and Ty Dillon come to pit road under caution.

19:59 UTC 

19:59 UTC 

19:58 UTC  The red flag has been lifted and the caution is back out at Daytona. 20 laps to go as they run under yellow

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18:51 UTC 

18:45 UTC  There's still no set time as to how long it would take to dry Daytona and how long it would take before this race can be resumed.

18:45 UTC 

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18:03 UTC 

18:03 UTC  Update on the radar. A little more optimistic picture than we've seen over the past hour and a half.

17:58 UTC 

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17:29 UTC 

17:27 UTC  Weather situation at Daytona is deteriorating. Granted, it's only 1:23 local time, so there's still plenty of time to get the last 21 laps in if NASCAR is able to. If anyone has any idea of a fun game to play together until the race starts again please let me know.

17:23 UTC 

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17:15 UTC 

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17:14 UTC  If the race were to end right now, Austin Dillon would take a playoff spot by virtue of winning. Martin Truex Jr. would take the final spot on points, and Ryan Blaney would miss the playoffs.

17:05 UTC  If things stays like that, Truex Jr. will be just ahead of Blaney for that last playoff spot.

17:04 UTC 

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16:53 UTC 

16:53 UTC  A lot of drivers who were involved in that wreck are upset that a caution was not thrown before that crash happened. Their contention is that it had been raining before that wreck happened.

16:52 UTC 

16:44 UTC  A lightning strike has been reported in the area, meaning there is now a hold on all on-track activity for at least 30 minutes.

16:43 UTC 

16:38 UTC 

16:38 UTC  The rain stopped the race with 21 laps to go. Now, if the rain prevents the race from being completed this will be the order of the top ten:

  • 1 - #3 - Austin Dillon
  • 2 - #4 - Kevin Harvick
  • 3 - #77 - Landon Cassill
  • 4 - #51 - Cody Ware
  • 5 - #18 - Kyle Busch
  • 6 - #2 - Austin Cindric (R)
  • 7 - #19 - Martin Truex Jr.
  • 8 - #78 - B.J. McLeod
  • 9 - #15 - David Ragan
  • 10 - #62 - Noah Gragson

16:36 UTC  The red flag is out!

16:33 UTC  Yep. watching the replays now it was raining and everyone at the front lost their cars.

16:33 UTC  Most probably the rain was the main factor for the crash in Turn 1.

16:32 UTC 

16:32 UTC  The top five for the moment is like that: Dillon, Harvick, Ware, Cassill and Cindric.


16:31 UTC  And now, to get things even more crazier, the rain has arrive here over the Daytona International Speedway.

16:30 UTC 

16:30 UTC  The guys in the front just crashed. The entire lead pack is gone. Austin Dillon makes it through the wreck and leads the race.

16:29 UTC  Three-wide for second behind Suarez. Now here comes Hamlin for the lead on Suarez!

16:28 UTC 

16:28 UTC  As a fun fact, three out of the top four are drivers who have to win to make it all the way to the playoffs.

16:27 UTC  Meanwhile, green flag is back out with 26 laps to go. Haley and Almirola are out in the front for the moment.

16:27 UTC  Meanwhile, green flag is back out with 26 laps to go. Haley and Almirola are out in the front for the moment.

16:27 UTC  The rain is not close, but you need to remember that if there are lightning strikes within an eight mile radius of the track, the race will have to be red flagged.

16:25 UTC 

16:23 UTC  Joey Logano car has stalled just right at the outside wall near the pit road entrance. His car will need to be tow.

16:21 UTC 

16:20 UTC  We raced for a couple of seconds because caution is out again. Erik Jones collected Joey Logano.

16:19 UTC  Green flag will come with 30 laps to go.

16:17 UTC  Things could get pretty interesting if the rain hits in a couple of minutes.

16:16 UTC  At the same time, very dark clouds are visible near the track. This is why Jones and Haley stayed out.

16:15 UTC  Most of the drivers will come to the pit road, but guys like Erik Jones and Justin Haley stay out under caution.

16:13 UTC 

16:13 UTC  While Briscoe was moving to the outside, Bowman pushed him in the left rear.

16:12 UTC 

16:11 UTC 

16:11 UTC  The incident came as a result of a daring move by Briscoe, who tried to go to the outside line.

16:10 UTC 

16:10 UTC  And we have a big crash. Briscoe got turned and went up in the air. A chain reaction was triggered. In the incident were involved a big number of cars.

16:08 UTC  Blaney and Gibbs get lapped by the lead pack.

16:05 UTC  Bubba Wallace holds the lead of that inside line. Meanwhile, Kyle Busch jumps in the lead of the race.

16:04 UTC 

16:02 UTC  Alex Bowman is the new leader of the race. However, Reddick is right there next to him.

16:01 UTC  Meanwhile, Briscoe is moving to the top line.

16:00 UTC  Bubba Wallace take second from Stenhouse after moving to the inside line.

15:59 UTC 

15:58 UTC  Stage 1 winner, Joey Logano, had quite the moment on the backstretch after a shove from Alex Bowman. Fortunately he has no damage.

15:57 UTC  Tyler Reddick comes on top and now leads the race. Stenhouse got a push from Wallace, but Reddick blocks him well.

15:55 UTC  With 53 laps to go we are back to green. For the moment Joey Logano leads the inside line and Reddick the outside one.

15:52 UTC  Unfortunately, that crash has ended McDowell playoff hopes.

15:51 UTC 

15:49 UTC 

15:47 UTC  McDowell got the worst of that incident. He was shoved into the wall.

15:47 UTC  Guys like Truex Jr., Bowman, Corey LaJoie and Byron were all involved in this.

15:46 UTC  And McDowell gets turned from the outside line, taking a big number of cars out.

15:45 UTC  However, McDowell lead was short because Joey Logano cleares him easily.

15:44 UTC 

15:44 UTC  With some drivers staying out under caution in hopes that rain will come, McDowell is the new leader.

15:42 UTC 

15:42 UTC  Green flag is out at Lap 101. Michael McDowell looking for his second Daytona win with rain in the area.

15:42 UTC  Rain is making its way to the track, especially at Turn 3 and Turn 4.

15:38 UTC 

15:38 UTC  Kyle Busch will go from being the race leader to the tail end of the field.

15:37 UTC  And Kyle Busch, after winning Stage 2, picks up a penalty for pit road speeding.

15:37 UTC  Almost every driver on the grid comes back to pit road under caution.

15:35 UTC  The top ten after an intense Stage 2:

  • 1 - #18 - Kyle Busch
  • 2 - #19 - Martin Truex Jr.
  • 3 - #11 - Denny Hamlin
  • 4 - #22 - Joey Logano
  • 5 - #23 - Bubba Wallace
  • 6 - #38 - Todd Gilliland (R)
  • 7 - #8 - Tyler Reddick
  • 8 - #4 - Kevin Harvick
  • 9 - #47 - Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
  • 10 - #3 - Austin Dillon

15:34 UTC 

15:33 UTC 

15:33 UTC  Reddick moves up into the outside line with Busch. Now the inside line is led by Chase Elliott with a push from Stenhouse.

15:32 UTC  With two to go in Stage 2 is a huge battle out there in front.

15:30 UTC 

15:29 UTC  Six laps to go in Stage 2. Busch is now in the lead after clearing out drivers like Busch, Reddick and Hamlin.

15:28 UTC 

15:26 UTC  Elliott is alongside Reddick now.

15:24 UTC  However, Reddick gets a push by the Toyotas behind him and now leads the race.

15:23 UTC  Tyler Redick is the first car on the outside line getting a push from Kyle Busch.

15:23 UTC  Chase Elliott comes from the pits as the leader.

15:23 UTC 

15:22 UTC 

15:20 UTC  The four Toyotas on the lead lap -- Hamlin, Busch, Truex, and Wallace -- all come to pit road, but only for fuel.

15:19 UTC  Green flag pit stops now beginning.

15:17 UTC  Erik Jones has dropped back towards the end of the inside line. Jones saying he's too loose on corner exit.

15:12 UTC 

15:10 UTC  Look who is here at Daytona.



15:10 UTC  Another change in the lead. Denny Hamlin is the new leader.

15:07 UTC  Byron had a moment off of Turn 4 and has asked Chris Buescher not to push him in the corners.

15:06 UTC  Jones gets a push from Bowman back to the lead and he now takes over the inside line.

15:05 UTC  Byron is making that push for the lead, finding himself side-by-side with race leader Jones.

15:02 UTC  Erik Jones is now in the lead after getting a push from Byron and Bowman.

15:00 UTC  Bubba Wallace brushed the wall a little bit and he has fallen back to the mid-pack.

14:59 UTC  Buescher is now in the lead of the race. Erik Jones is right next to him.

14:59 UTC  Ryan Blaney hood is beginning to flap up in the wind. The team is told to address that.

14:58 UTC 

14:54 UTC 

14:54 UTC 

14:53 UTC  However, LaJoie is back in the lead. A win by LaJoie has no impact because he is already out from the playoff picture.

14:52 UTC  Erik Jones took the lead of the race from Corey LaJoie.

14:50 UTC 

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14:42 UTC  The top ten in the Stage 1:

  • 1 - #22 - Joey Logano
  • 2 - #9 - Chase Elliott
  • 3 - #21 - Harrison Burton (R)
  • 4 - #18 - Kyle Busch
  • 5 - #19 - Martin Truex Jr.
  • 6 - #7 - Corey LaJoie
  • 7 - #23 - Bubba Wallace
  • 8 - #47 - Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
  • 9 - #43 - Erik Jones
  • 10 - #34 - Michael McDowell

14:40 UTC 

14:40 UTC  Joey Logano wins Stage 1 here at Daytona by a very small margin.

14:39 UTC  Meanwhile, Blaney was able to make it off pit road and get his car repaired under the Damaged Vehicle clock.

14:38 UTC  Green flag for a one-lap shootout to end Stage 1.

14:37 UTC 

14:37 UTC 

14:35 UTC  Harvick and Keselowski were also involved in that crash.

14:32 UTC  Big trouble off Turn 2! Denny Hamlin got sideways in the lead pack and he's taken out Ryan Blaney and Christopher Bell! Caution is out and this is a DISASTER for Blaney who was hoping for a playoff spot.

14:29 UTC  With less than ten laps to go in Stage 1, Elliott and Jones are still fighting for the lead.

14:27 UTC 

14:24 UTC  Now it's side by side for P1 between Chase Elliot and Erik Jones.

14:24 UTC  Denny Hamlin has shoved Erik Jones all the way to the front of the pack.

14:21 UTC 

14:21 UTC  Erik Jones holds the lead of the outside line.

14:21 UTC  Larson is in the garage now after his water temperature was going down.

14:20 UTC  Kyle Larson has begun to fall off the pace. Some sort of issue with the motor.

14:13 UTC  Kyle Busch has fallen to the back of the grid in order to avoid any trouble early in the race.

14:12 UTC 

14:10 UTC  Daniel Suarez is going aggressively, trying to get that third place.

14:09 UTC 

14:09 UTC  Chase Elliott leads at the start.

14:07 UTC  Green flag is out, and the Coke Zero Sugar 400 is underway!

14:04 UTC 

14:00 UTC 

14:00 UTC  Engines have fired in Daytona.

13:55 UTC 

13:49 UTC  Pre-race ceremonies have now begun at Daytona.

13:49 UTC 

13:41 UTC  Rain is still a major factor today at Daytona. This morning start gives NASCAR a long window to get the entire race in, but if not, this will be an official race at Lap 80.

13:40 UTC 

13:30 UTC 

13:16 UTC  Here's the problem with racing at Daytona at this time of year: It's Florida in the summer, and it always rains. It rained last night, it's raining again today, and it's still raining right now.

12:58 UTC  Hello again. After the race was postponed yesterday due to heavy rain, we will get back to racing today in about one hour.

12:57 UTC 

00:22 UTC 

00:20 UTC  The race is postponed for Sunday at 10 AM ET. Sorry for the waiting and see you tommorow.

00:17 UTC 

00:17 UTC 

23:53 UTC 

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23:43 UTC 

23:42 UTC  The standing water that accumulated on the track is a significant problem.

23:33 UTC 

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23:18 UTC 

23:12 UTC  As the night goes on, the chances of rain decline. Hopefully, we will have some racing tonight. Every time at Daytona, something crazy happens.

23:10 UTC 

23:10 UTC  With about half an hour before pre-race ceremonies were scheduled to start, we're still not particularly close to actually racing tonight.

23:09 UTC  The top ten for the race start:

  • 1 - #5 - Kyle Larson
  • 2 - #9 - Chase Elliott
  • 3 - #22 - Joey Logano
  • 4 - #99 - Daniel Suarez
  • 5 - #20 - Christopher Bell
  • 6 - #8 - Tyler Reddick
  • 7 - #4 - Kevin Harvick
  • 8 - #17 - Chris Buescher
  • 9 - #34 - Michael McDowell
  • 10 - #48 - Alex Bowman

23:08 UTC 

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About the author: Silvian Irimia
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Silvian may be the youngest member of our team, being born in the 2000s, but you won't find someone more passionate than him when it comes to motorsport. An automotive engineer by trade, Silvian considers the Ferrari F50 his favorite car, with the original Lamborghini Countach a close second.
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