Dale Earnhardt Jr. rallies to win first Budweiser Duel 150

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. got a jump start on his hopes of winning back-to-back Daytona 500s, leading the final 16 laps to win the first of two Budweiser Duel 150s Thursday evening at Daytona International Speedway.

Earnhardt started at the back of the 25-car pack in the first Duel. Even though the Duel 150s are not points-paying races, it still marked the first win for Earnhardt with new crew chief Greg Ives.

“I’m so glad to be able to get through the Duel in one piece because I know how good this car is,” Earnhardt, who had a slim chance of missing the race after his qualifying speed was disallowed, told FoxSports1. “We’re going to have a fun day on Sunday.”

Earnhardt, who earned his fourth career win in the Duels, held off a late surge by Daytona 500 pole-sitter Jeff Gordon, followed by Joey Logano, Tony Stewart and Clint Bowyer, who also wasn’t guaranteed a Daytona 500 spot after a qualifying crash.

“It’s definitely a breath of fresh air,” Bowyer said. “If it wasn’t for adversity, how would you have any fun in life? It feels good to finally get a good run.”

Sixth through 10th were Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne, Jamie McMurray and longshots Landon Cassill and Cole Whitt, who both raced their way into the 500.

Finishing 11th through 16th, which means they all will compete Sunday, were Paul Menard, Michael McDowell, J.J. Yeley, Michael Annett, Kyle Larson and Ty Dillon all made it in.

“To put my name in (this sport’s) greatest race, we have no points, we’re going to go for it,” Dillon said. “I’m in the Daytona 500, you don’t know how much this means to me. It’s so awesome.”

Added Annett, “That’s awesome. I can maybe finally get a good night of sleep and breathe a little bit.”

Justin Marks and veteran Ron Hornaday Jr. failed to qualify for the Daytona 500.

The first caution was for an engine failure in the Chevrolet of Casey Mears (25th).

The yellow flew again on Lap 28, Johnny Sauter and AJ Allmendinger collided, collecting Aric Almirola in the process.

Sauter’s Toyota (heavy front end damage) and Allmendinger’s Chevy (heavy right front side damage, including a bent right wheel) were eliminated in the crash.

Sauter would have wait until the end of the second Duel race to learn if he will or won’t make the 500 on Sunday.

“I was just riding along, minding my own business, and (Allmendinger) just got us there in the left rear quarter panel,” Sauter said. “It’s just a bummer deal. It’s unfortunate. We’ll just see what plays out and see if we can get through.”

Allmendinger, who also had to wait until the end of the second Duel to confirm he made the 500, took blame for the incident.

“I’m just disappointed,” Allmendinger said. “Our car was fast. It was fun running up front. I just got stuck in the middle there.

“It just sucks, I hate this racing, I really do. Hopefully, we’ll get in the 500. … I was trying to do the right thing. I was trying to bail out of the middle. If I got the 83, that’s my bad. That’s the way this racing is.”

On Lap 51, Trevor Bayne caused another caution flag when it appeared he lost the handle on his Ford and hit the outside wall.

FINAL RESULTS

1. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2. Jeff Gordon
3. Joey Logano
4. Tony Stewart
5. Clint Bowyer
6. Kevin Harvick
7. Kasey Kahne
8. Jamie McMurray
9. Landon Cassill
10. Cole Whitt
11. Paul Menard
12. Michael McDowell
13. JJ Yeley
14. Michael Annett
15. Kyle Larson
16. Ty Dillon
17. Matt Kenseth
18. Justin Marks
19. Brad Keselowski
20. Aric Almirola
21. Ron Hornaday Jr.
22. Trevor Bayne
23. AJ Allmendinger
24. Johnny Sauter
25. Casey Mears

LAP LEADERS

1. Matt Kenseth … 32 laps
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. … 21 laps
3. Jeff Gordon … 5 laps
4. Trevor Bayne … 1 lap
5. Jamie McMurray … 1 lap

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NASCAR suspends Chase Elliott one race for incident with Denny Hamlin

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NASCAR suspended Chase Elliott one Cup race for wrecking Denny Hamlin in Monday’s Coca-Cola 600, the sanctioning body announced Tuesday.

“We take this very seriously,” Elton Sawyer, senior vice president of competition, said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “The incident that happened off Turn 4, again after looking at all the available resources — in-car camera, data, SMT, which basically gives us (a car’s) steering, throttle, gives us braking — it was an intentional act by Chase in our opinion.”

Hendrick Motorsports stated that it would not appeal the penalty. Corey LaJoie will drive the No. 9 car for Hendrick Motorsports this weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway. Carson Hocevar will drive LaJoie’s car this weekend.

Hendrick Motorsports also stated that it would submit a waiver request for Elliott to remain eligible for the playoffs. Sawyer said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that “I don’t see any reason at this point in time why wouldn’t (grant the waiver) when that request comes across our desk.”

This weekend will mark the seventh race in the first 15 that Elliott will have missed. He missed six races after breaking his leg in a snowboarding accident in early March. Elliott, who is winless this season, is 29th in points.

Elliott and Hamlin got together shortly before the halfway mark in Monday’s race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

As they ran together, Hamlin forced Elliott toward the wall. Elliott’s car slapped the wall. Elliott then made contact with the right rear of Hamlin’s car, sending Hamlin into the wall.

“I got right-rear hooked in the middle of the straightway,” Hamlin said after the incident. “Yes, it was a tantrum. He shouldn’t be racing next week. Right-rear hooks are absolutely unacceptable. He shouldn’t be racing.”

Said Sawyer on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio: “In the heat of the battle, things happen, but they have to learn to react in a different way. … Our drivers need to understand that you have to handle that in a completely different way than hooking someone in the right rear and putting them in harm’s way, not only with just a major head-on collision like Denny had, but also other competitors.”

Sawyer also said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that “nothing gave us the indication that on that particular contact with the fourth-turn wall … that anything was broke” on Elliott’s car and could have caused him to come down and hit Hamlin’s car in the right rear.

NASCAR also announced that Scott Brzozowski and Adam Lewis, crew members on Michael McDowell‘s team, had each been suspended two races after McDowell’s car lost a tire in Monday’s race.

Winners and losers at Charlotte Motor Speedway

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A look at winners and losers from Monday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway:

WINNERS

Ryan Blaney — Blaney stopped his winless streak at 59 races and gave team owner Roger Penske his second major race victory in two days. Blaney had the best car but had to fight through restarts late in the race to win.

William Byron — Byron, the winningest driver this season, barely missed getting victory No. 4. He finished second and scored his fifth straight top 10.

Martin Truex Jr. — Truex logged his third top five of the season.

23XI RacingBubba Wallace was fourth and Tyler Reddick fifth, giving 23XI Racing a pair of top-five finishes for the first time in a points race.

LOSERS

Jimmie Johnson — The seven-time champion admitted having problems adjusting to the Next Gen car on a 1.5-mile track. He crashed early and finished last.

Legacy Motor Club — It was a bad night for Jimmie Johnson and his team’s drivers. Johnson finished last in the 37-car field. Noah Gragson was 36th. Erik Jones placed 32nd.

Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin — Two drivers who had strong cars didn’t make it to the finish after crashing near the halfway point. Hamlin said Elliott “shouldn’t be racing next week. Right-rear hooks are absolutely unacceptable. He shouldn’t be racing.”

NASCAR Xfinity Series results: Justin Allgaier wins at Charlotte

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CONCORD, N.C. — Justin Allgaier finally broke through for his first win of the NASCAR Xfinity Series season Monday night.

Allgaier stretched his last fuel load over the final laps to finish in front of John Hunter Nemechek. Cole Custer was third, Austin Hill fourth and Ty Gibbs fifth. Gibbs ran both races Monday, completing 900 miles.

The win also was the first of the season for JR Motorsports.

Charlotte Xfinity results

Xfinity points after Charlotte

Justin Allgaier wins NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway

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CONCORD, N.C. — Justin Allgaier won a fuel-mileage gamble to win Monday night’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Allgaier stretched his fuel to outlast second-place John Hunter Nemechek. Following in the top five were Cole Custer, Austin Hill and Ty Gibbs.

The victory was Allgaier’s first of the year and the first of the season for JR Motorsports. He has 20 career wins.

MORE: Charlotte Xfinity results

After a long day at CMS, the race ended at 11:25 p.m. The race started Monday morning but was stopped twice because of weather before it was halted with 48 of 200 laps completed so that the Coca-Cola 600 Cup Series race could be run.

When the race was stopped, Gibbs, Nemechek and Allgaier were in the top three positions.

Gibbs won the first two stages.

Stage 1 winner: Ty Gibbs

Stage 2 winner: Ty Gibbs

Who had a good race: Justin Allgaier has had good cars in previous races but finally cashed in with a win Monday. He led 83 laps. … John Hunter Nemechek, in second, scored his fifth top-two run of the season. … Cole Custer scored his sixth straight top-10 finish. … Ty Gibbs lasted 900 miles for the day and led 52 laps in the Xfinity race.

Who had a bad race: Sam Mayer was running 10th when he spun off Turn 2. He finished 35th. … Sheldon Creed finished three laps down in 28th.

Next: The series moves on to Portland International Raceway in Oregon for a 4:30 p.m. ET race June 3.