2015 Alert Today Florida 300

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The 2015 Alert Today Florida 300 was a NASCAR Xfinity Series race held on February 21, 2015, at Daytona International Speedway Daytona Beach, Florida. The race was the first of the 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series. It was also the 34th iteration of the event. It also had a couple of firsts. It was the first ever race with the title sponsor Xfinity to sponsor the 2nd of the top 3 series of NASCAR with Xfinity replacing Nationwide. It was also the first race since 2006 that Fox would broadcast the lower series of NASCAR. Austin Dillon won the pole while Kyle Busch led the most laps but the race would feature a surprise winner as Ryan Reed won his first ever NASCAR Xfinity Series race of his career in his 40th Xfinity Series start.[2] But the race was most remembered for a crash that left Kyle Busch with a broken leg and foot.

2015 Alert Today Florida 300
Race details[1]
Map of Speedway
Map of Speedway
Date February 21, 2015 (2015-02-21)
Official name 2015 Alert Today Florida 300
Location Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida
Course Tri-oval
2.5 mi (4.023 km)
Distance 120 laps, 300 mi (400 km)
Weather Cloudy/Sunny
Average speed 148.781 mph (239.440 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Richard Childress Racing
Time 47.306
Most laps led
Driver Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing
Laps 27
Winner
No. 16 Ryan Reed Roush Fenway Racing
Television in the United States
Network Fox Sports 1
Announcers Adam Alexander, Kevin Harvick, Michael Waltrip.

Background

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Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, the most prestigious race in NASCAR as well as its season opening event. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races for ARCA, AMA Superbike, IMSA, SCCA, and Motocross. The track features multiple layouts including the primary 2.500 mi (4.023 km) high-speed tri-oval, a 3.560 mi (5.729 km) sports car course, a 2.950 mi (4.748 km) motorcycle course, and a 1,320 ft (402.3 m) karting and motorcycle flat-track. The track's 180-acre (72.8 ha) infield includes the 29-acre (11.7 ha) Lake Lloyd, which has hosted powerboat racing. The speedway is operated by NASCAR pursuant to a lease with the City of Daytona Beach on the property that runs until 2054.[3] Dale Earnhardt is Daytona International Speedway's all-time winningest driver, with a total of 34 career victories (12- Daytona 500 Qualifying Races) (7- NASCAR Xfinity Series Races) (6- Busch Clash Races) (6- IROC Races) (2- Pepsi 400 July Races) (1- The 1998 Daytona 500).

Entry List

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver
  • (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points
# Driver Team Make
0 Harrison Rhodes (R) JD Motorsports Chevrolet
01 Landon Cassill JD Motorsports Chevrolet
1 Elliott Sadler Roush Fenway Racing Ford
2 Brian Scott Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
3 Ty Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
4 Ross Chastain (R) JD Motorsports Chevrolet
6 Bubba Wallace (R) Roush Fenway Racing Ford
7 Regan Smith JR Motorsports Chevrolet
8 Blake Koch TriStar Motorsports Toyota
9 Chase Elliott JR Motorsports Chevrolet
10 Jeff Green TriStar Motorsports Toyota
13 Chris Cockrum MBM Motorsports Chevrolet
14 Cale Conley (R) TriStar Motorsports Toyota
15 Carlos Contreras Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet
16 Ryan Reed Roush Fenway Racing Ford
17 Tanner Berryhill Vision Racing Toyota
18 Daniel Suárez (R) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
19 Scott Lagasse Jr. TriStar Motorsports Toyota
20 Erik Jones (i) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
22 Brad Keselowski (i) Team Penske Ford
24 Eric McClure JGL Racing Toyota
25 John Wes Townley (i) Athenian Motorsports Chevrolet
26 Mike Wallace (i) JGL Racing Toyota
28 J. J. Yeley JGL Racing Toyota
29 Justin Marks RAB Racing Toyota
33 Austin Dillon (i) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
39 Ryan Sieg RSS Racing Chevrolet
40 Derek White MBM Motorsports Dodge
42 Kyle Larson (i) HScott Motorsports with Chip Ganassi Chevrolet
43 Dakoda Armstrong Richard Petty Motorsports Ford
44 David Starr TriStar Motorsports Toyota
51 Jeremy Clements Jeremy Clements Racing Chevrolet
52 Joey Gase Jimmy Means Racing Chevrolet
54 Kyle Busch (i) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
55 Jeffery Earnhardt Viva Motorsports Chevrolet
60 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford
62 Brendan Gaughan Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
70 Derrike Cope Derrike Cope Racing Chevrolet
74 Mike Harmon Mike Harmon Racing Dodge
84 Chad Boat (i) Billy Boat Motorsports Chevrolet
85 Bobby Gerhart Bobby Gerhart Racing Chevrolet
87 Joe Nemechek (i) NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet
88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (i) JR Motorsports Chevrolet
89 Morgan Shepherd* Shepherd Racing Ventures Chevrolet
90 Mario Gosselin King Autosport Chevrolet
92 Dexter Bean King Autosport Chevrolet
97 Josh Reaume (R) Obaika Racing Chevrolet
98 Aric Almirola (i) Biagi-DenBeste Racing Ford
Official Entry List

Qualifying

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Austin Dillon won the pole for the race.[4]

Pos No. Driver Team Manufacturer R1 R2 R3
1 33 Austin Dillon (i) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 48.358 48.048 47.306
2 29 Justin Marks RAB Racing Toyota 47.843 47.663 47.329
3 84 Chad Boat (i) Billy Boat Motorsports Chevrolet 48.291 48.041 47.332
4 62 Brendan Gaughan Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 47.993 48.032 47.510
5 98 Aric Almirola (i) Biagi-DenBeste Racing Ford 48.288 48.033 47.531
6 20 Erik Jones (i) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 47.553 47.659 47.534
7 43 Dakoda Armstrong Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 48.275 48.009 47.562
8 16 Ryan Reed Roush Fenway Racing Ford 47.956 47.967 47.572
9 28 J. J. Yeley JGL Racing Toyota 47.599 47.640 47.577
10 60 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 48.127 47.908 47.589
11 1 Elliott Sadler Roush Fenway Racing Ford 47.664 47.979 49.277
12 7 Regan Smith JR Motorsports Chevrolet 47.568 47.990 49.306
13 55 Jeffery Earnhardt Viva Motorsports Chevrolet 48.333 48.119
14 22 Brad Keselowski (i) Team Penske Ford 48.277 48.237
15 2 Brian Scott Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 48.299 48.391
16 39 Ryan Sieg RSS Racing Chevrolet 48.353 48.433
17 14 Cale Conley (R) TriStar Motorsports Toyota 48.290 48.607
18 44 David Starr*** TriStar Motorsports Toyota 48.239 48.907
19 74 Mike Harmon Mike Harmon Racing Dodge 48.388 50.125
20 13 Chris Cockrum MBM Motorsports Chevrolet 48.404 51.629
21 4 Ross Chastain (R) JD Motorsports Chevrolet 48.156
22 10 Scott Lagasse Jr.*** **** TriStar Motorsports Toyota 48.248
23 51 Jeremy Clements Jeremy Clements Racing Chevrolet 48.272
24 97 Josh Reaume (R) Obaika Racing Chevrolet 48.361
25 24 Eric McClure JGL Racing Toyota 48.423
26 52 Joey Gase Jimmy Means Racing Chevrolet 48.438
27 42 Kyle Larson (i) HScott Motorsports with Chip Ganassi Chevrolet 48.487
28 6 Bubba Wallace (R) Roush Fenway Racing Ford 48.571
29 25 John Wes Townley (i) Athenian Motorsports Chevrolet 48.599
30 92 Dexter Bean King Autosport Chevrolet 48.634
31 26 Mike Wallace (i) JGL Racing Toyota 48.652
32 54 Kyle Busch (i) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 48.653
33 40 Derek White MBM Motorsports Dodge 48.674
34 3 Ty Dillon* Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 48.755
35 9 Chase Elliott* JR Motorsports Chevrolet 48.838
36 18 Daniel Suárez (R)* *** Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 48.841
37 90 Mario Gosselin* King Autosport Chevrolet 49.053
38 8 Blake Koch* *** TriStar Motorsports Toyota 51.093
39 01 Landon Cassill* *** JD Motorsports Chevrolet 54.757
40 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (i)** JR Motorsports Chevrolet 50.130
Failed to Qualify, withdrew, or driver changes
41 87 Joe Nemechek (i) NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet 48.796
42 19 Scott Lagasse Jr. TriStar Motorsports Toyota 48.833
43 85 Bobby Gerhart Bobby Gerhart Racing Chevrolet 48.884
44 17 Tanner Berryhill Vision Racing Toyota 50.944
45 0 Harrison Rhodes (R) JD Motorsports Chevrolet 50.954
46 70 Derrike Cope Derrike Cope Racing Chevrolet 52.422
47 15 Carlos Contreras Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 54.532
DC 10 Jeff Green TriStar Motorsports Toyota
WD 89 Morgan Shepherd Shepherd Racing Ventures Chevrolet
Official Starting Lineup

* – Made the field via owners points

** – Made the field via past champion.

*** – Landon Cassill, Blake Koch, Scott Lagasse Jr., Daniel Suárez, and David Starr had to start at the rear of the field. Cassill, Koch, and Suárez had back up cars, Lagasse Jr. had a drivers change, and Starr had unapproved adjustments.

**** – Jeff Green qualified to car before they switched to Scott Lagasse Jr. for the race.

Race

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Pole sitter Austin Dillon led the first lap of the race. On lap 2, Ryan Reed attempted to pass Dillon for the lead but Chris Buescher made a three wide pass for the lead and took the lead. On lap 8, Ty Dillon race side by side for the lead with Buescher and led lap 8 and 9 before he got in front of Buescher. On lap 13, Bubba Wallace took the lead. Ty took it back on the next lap. Wallace led lap 15 as he and Dillon raced side by side for the lead. Wallace led lap 15 and 16 before Ty took it back on lap 17. Wallace took it back on lap 19. Ty took it back on lap 22. Wallace would lead on lap 24. But Ty would take it back on lap 27. Wallace led lap 28 before Ty took back full advantage on lap 29. Wallace led lap 30 and 31 before Ty took it back on lap 32. On lap 35, Bubba Wallace took the lead. Soon, green flag pitstops began. Ty Dillon took the lead from Bubba Wallace on lap 41 after they both made their pitstops. On lap 42, Kyle Busch stormed his way from 5th to the lead.

Final laps

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On lap 69, Regan Smith took the lead. Soon green flag pitstops started up again. With 42 to go, Regan Smith pitted giving Kyle Larson the lead. With 41 to go, the first caution flew after a tire got away from Chris Cockrum's pit stall and sat in the infield grass near the racetrack. Regan Smith got his lead back and led the field to the restart with 35 laps to go. With 33 laps to go, Ryan Reed got side by side with Smith for the lead and led the laps before he got in front with 30 to go. With 28 laps to go, the second caution flew for the first big one out of turn 4 that collected 12 cars. It started when the lapped car of rookie Daniel Suárez was getting pushed by Kyle Larson when Larson got Suárez loose and Suárez spun down and clipped Regan Smith sending Smith into a roll before Smith landed on all fours while other cars crashed with them. The cars involved were Ryan Sieg, Justin Marks, Brendan Gaughan, Daniel Suárez, Regan Smith, Chad Boat, John Wes Townley, Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon, Scott Lagasse Jr., and David Starr. A red flag occurred for the incident. But while the cars were coming to a stop, Mike Wallace wasn't paying attention and ran into the rear of Austin Dillon which lifted Dillon's rear wheels off the ground and gave both cars damage. The red flag was soon lifted and the cars got back going again under caution. Ryan Reed led the field to the restart with 21 laps to go. With 20 to go, Chris Buescher took the lead from his teammate. With 18 to go, the third caution flew for debris that came off of Chase Elliott's car. The race restarted with 14 to go. On the restart, Brad Keselowski took the lead from Chris Buescher. Ty Dillon attempted to take the lead but failed to do so. With 9 laps to go, the fourth and final caution flew for the second and final big one of the race that collected 10 cars and involved a scary crash. Coming out of the tri-oval, Erik Jones got turned by Kyle Busch. Jones overcorrected his car back across the field taking out more cars. Busch went high to avoid Jones but lost control of his car and Busch spun down the racetrack. His car slid across the infield grass before it pounded the inside concrete wall head on at about 90 mph. Busch climbed out of his car but immeadietly laid down in the infield grass and appeared to be hurt. He was carried on a stretcher and was taken to Halifax Medical Center for further evaluation. Busch had a massive compound fracture in the lower right leg, a small fracture in the left foot, and a sprained left finger. Busch would end up missing the first 11 races of the Sprint Cup Series season due to his injury. The cars involved were Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, J. J. Yeley, Brendan Gaughan, Erik Jones, Brian Scott, Elliott Sadler, Bubba Wallace, Jeffery Earnhardt, and Cale Conley.[5] The race was once again red flagged for the accident. The red flag lifted and the race restarted with 5 laps to go. Keselowski held onto his lead. Kyle Larson took the lead on the restart but was immeadeatly split in between Keselowski and Chris Buescher and Keselowski got the lead back and was racing with Buescher. Larson eventually got side by side with Keselowski again but could not make the pass. On the last lap out of the tri-oval, Larson got loose after contact with Aric Almirola and Larson spun down and collected Ross Chastain. No caution was thrown. In turn 3, Ryan Reed slingshotted Keselowski and Reed took the lead with his teammate Chris Buescher behind him. Reed held off the pack in the last two turns and Reed took home his first career Xfinity Series win in his 40th start with his teammate Buescher finishing 2nd giving owner Jack Roush a one-two finish. Ty Dillon, Austin Dillon, and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top 5 while David Starr, Aric Almirola, Kyle Larson, Ross Chastain, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. rounded out the top 10.[6]

Race results

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Pos Car Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Run Laps Led Status Points
1 16 Ryan Reed Roush Fenway Racing Ford 120 14 running 47
2 60 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 120 12 running 43
3 3 Ty Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 120 16 running 42
4 33 Austin Dillon (i) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 120 1 running 0
5 22 Brad Keselowski (i) Team Penske Ford 120 13 running 0
6 44 David Starr TriStar Motorsports Toyota 120 0 running 38
7 98 Aric Almirola (i) Biagi-DenBeste Racing Ford 120 0 running 0
8 42 Kyle Larson (i) HScott Motorsports with Chip Ganassi Chevrolet 120 4 running 0
9 4 Ross Chastain (R) JD Motorsports Chevrolet 120 0 running 35
10 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (i) JR Motorsports Chevrolet 119 0 running 0
11 43 Dakoda Armstrong Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 119 0 running 33
12 6 Bubba Wallace (R) Roush Fenway Racing Ford 119 18 running 33
13 26 Mike Wallace (i) JGL Racing Toyota 119 0 running 0
14 51 Jeremy Clements Jeremy Clements Racing Chevrolet 118 0 running 30
15 90 Mario Gosselin King Autosport Chevrolet 118 0 running 29
16 55 Jeffery Earnhardt Viva Motorsports Chevrolet 118 0 running 28
17 24 Eric McClure JGL Racing Toyota 116 0 running 27
18 20 Erik Jones (i) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 116 0 running 0
19 1 Elliott Sadler Roush Fenway Racing Ford 116 0 running 25
20 8 Blake Koch TriStar Motorsports Toyota 115 0 running 24
21 13 Chris Cockrum MBM Motorsports Chevrolet 115 0 running 23
22 40 Derek White MBM Motorsports Dodge 115 0 running 22
23 97 Josh Reaume (R) Obaika Racing Chevrolet 115 0 running 21
24 74 Mike Harmon Mike Harmon Racing Dodge 114 0 running 20
25 2 Brian Scott Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 112 0 crash 19
26 54 Kyle Busch (i) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 111 27 crash 0
27 28 J. J. Yeley JGL Racing Toyota 111 0 crash 17
28 9 Chase Elliott JR Motorsports Chevrolet 111 0 crash 16
29 62 Brendan Gaughan Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 110 0 crash 15
30 14 Cale Conley (R) TriStar Motorsports Toyota 110 0 crash 14
31 01 Landon Cassill JD Motorsports Chevrolet 108 0 running 13
32 52 Joey Gase Jimmy Means Racing Chevrolet 107 0 running 12
33 25 John Wes Townley (i) Athenian Motorsports Chevrolet 106 0 running 0
34 29 Justin Marks RAB Racing Toyota 93 0 crash 10
35 7 Regan Smith JR Motorsports Chevrolet 93 15 crash 10
36 84 Chad Boat (i) Billy Boat Motorsports Chevrolet 92 0 crash 0
37 10 Scott Lagasse Jr. TriStar Motorsports Toyota 92 0 crash 7
38 39 Ryan Sieg RSS Racing Chevrolet 92 0 crash 6
39 18 Daniel Suárez (R) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 91 0 crash 5
40 92 Dexter Bean King Autosport Chevrolet 5 0 fuel pump 4
Official Race results

References

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  1. ^ "2015 Alert Today Florida 300". Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  2. ^ "CP MOTORSPORTS - REED WINS ALERT TODAY FLORIDA 300". Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  3. ^ Lane, Mark (5 August 2018). "Little-known special district leases land under the Daytona International Speedway". Times Herald-Record. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  4. ^ "Austin Dillon wins pole for today's Xfinity Series season opener at Daytona". Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  5. ^ "Kyle Busch breaks a right leg, left foot, out indefinitely". USA Today. McLean, VA. February 22, 2015. Archived from the original on November 27, 2015. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
  6. ^ "Ryan Reed won the exciting NASCAR XFINITY Series Alert Today Florida 300 at Daytona". Retrieved February 23, 2015.
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