History was yet again the topic of conversation Sunday early afternoon at Daytona International Raceway as the NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series made its debut on the iconic DAYTONA Road Course. When the checkered flag waved, Sheldon Creed placed his name in the record book, holding off teammate GMS Racing Brett Moffitt in a two-lap dash for glory in overtime.
Creed, who picked up his second triumph of the season, late in the event built up over a six-second lead on the storied 3.61-mile, 14-turn tri-oval/road course made famous by the Rolex 24 At DAYTONA, North America’s most prestigious sports car race. Within the last five laps, however, he had to hold off a furious charge by Moffitt, after two caution flags flew to win high-intensity event.
“It was nerve-wracking,” said Creed of the late-race cautions. “You never want to see those cautions, especially when you have been able to build up a big lead. One came out….and another came out again. I was confident and Brett matched me (on the restarts). Luckily, I was on the bottom going into the first turn (of the infield road course)…he is good and has a lot of experience….I owe a lot to him. He has helped me a lot in the last year and a half. To beat him is really rewarding. The $50 grand – that is cool, too.”
The “$50 grand” Creed spoke of was part of the Triple Truck Challenge program. If he can win the next two Gander Truck Series races at Dover and World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, IL, he will take home a total bonus of $500,000.
Matt Crafton and Austin Hill Sunday third, followed rookie Raphael Lessard. Rounding out the top 10 were Tyler Ankrum, Grant Enfinger, Parker Kligerman, Scott Lagasse, Jr. and Stewart Friesen.
Creed led twice for 29 laps, including the final 22. Average speed was 81.435 mph and the margin of victory was .743 seconds. There was 10 lead changes among six drivers, and five cautions for seven laps. Time of the race was two hours, two minutes and 21 seconds.
Hill remains atop the title standings and Moffitt, although still winless in ’20, sits second. Wins guarantee a spot in the season-ending NASCAR Gander Trucks Playoffs but he made gains with his finish and sits 84 on the plus side.
The historic weekend of racing on the DAYTONA Road Course concludes Sunday afternoon with the NASCAR Cup Series’ Go Bowling 235, the first time NASCAR’s elite series are competing on a road course in Daytona since 1958. From 1949-58, the Cup Series – then called the Grand National Division – raced on the old Daytona beach-road course. A year later in ’59, Daytona International Speedway opened, and from that point on, the Cup cars competed on the high banks of the 2.5-mile tri-oval.
NASCAR returns to Daytona International Speedway in two weeks with a doubleheader weekend featuring the NASCAR Xfinity Series – Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola on Friday, Aug. 28 – and the Coke Zero Sugar 400 NASCAR Cup Series race on Saturday, Aug. 29. It will be the final race of the regular season to set the 2020 Cup Series Playoffs.
A limited number of fans will get the opportunity to see the Coke Zero Sugar 400. Fans can get tickets, which start at $49 (both races included) for adults and $10 for kids 12 years old and younger, by visiting www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or calling 1-800-PIT-SHOP.
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