NASCAR at Daytona: Results, highlights from Erik Jones' Coke Zero Sugar 400 win

Kenan Goyette

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NASCAR at Daytona: Results, highlights from Erik Jones' Coke Zero Sugar 400 win image

Erik Jones came out victorious Saturday night as NASCAR went back under the lights at Daytona International Speedway for the Coke Zero Sugar 400.

In a race filled with wrecks, the field was reduced to 20 drivers in the final laps and two overtimes were needed by the time the checkered flag was waved. Jones managed to avoid all the damage to earn his first career Monster Energy Cup Series victory. 

MORE: Starting lineup for the Coke Zero 400

"How about that race, boys and girls?" Jones shouted to the fans in the grandstands after his celebratory burnout in front of the flag stand. "My first Cup win, My first win at Daytona, my first superspeedway win — what an awesome day, man!"

Martin Truex Jr. got the lead after the final restart on Lap 167 but couldn't hold it. The outside lane was more organized as the final lap unfolded, and Jones got a strong run through Turns 1 and 2.

"He (Jones) got a big run getting into (Turn) 1 and through the center, and I just didn't block him good enough in the middle of 1 and 2," Truex said. "He got to my right rear quarter — just barely — enough to slow me down off of 2, and then the race was on from there.

"Just missed that block a little bit. I've got to get better at my mirror-driving. I've never really been good at that, and unfortunately, that's part of this racing here, but I'm really proud to get to the end."

 

All eyes were on Ricky Stenhouse Jr. for much of the night. He won the race's first two stages, and he also caused two of the night's biggest wrecks, which knocked out contenders like Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch. 

“Ricky was doing the best he could to give me a good push and had a great run to take the lead, and the car in front of me (the 24 of William Byron) just threw a late, bad block,” Keselowski said. “I made the mistake of lifting instead of just driving through him, and that’s my fault.

“I've got to wreck more people, and then they’ll stop blocking me late and behind like that. That's my fault. I'll take the credit for my team, and we'll go to Talladega, and we'll wreck everybody that throws a bad block like that."

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Another wreck just before Martin Truex Jr. was able to take the white flag in the first overtime knocked out teammates Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer, who were battling it out near the front of the pack.

Sporting News has highlights and results from Jones' Coke Zero Sugar 400 win at Daytona. 

(Material from the NASCAR Wire Service was used in this report.)

NASCAR at Daytona: Results, highlights

(All times Eastern)

10:18 — What a race. Bravo, Erik Jones.

10:10 — The finish:

10:06 — And it's Erik Jones who claims his first ever Monster Energy Cup Series victory!

10:05 — Green again and Kasey Kahne takes the lead from Martin Truex then Erik Jones comes out of nowhere.

9:54 — They'll run it back for another two-lap overtime and it'll be Martin Truex Jr., Erik Jones and Kasey Kahne leading the pack.

9:53 — Some contenders knocked out among others including Harvick, Bowyer, Johnson, Bayne and Chastain. The red flag is out.

9:50 — Wild! Martin Truex Jr. takes the lead but there's another huge wreck just before he reaches the line.

9:48 — Overtime at Daytona. It'll be Harvick, Truex and Bowyer on the restart with two laps left.

9:39 — And another caution out for Aric Almirola, Michael McDowell and Joey Gase who all wreck out.

9:38 — Kevin Harvick to the lead with five to go.

9:36 — Six laps to go on the restart and it's Kahne-Harvick-Truex.

9:28 — Caution out again as Ricky Stenhouse Jr. blows a tire.

9:27 — The top eight have separated from the rest of the pack. It's Kahne, Harvick, Truex, Bowman, Bowyer, Newman, Jones, Buescher.

9:20 — Kasey Kahne the new leader with 20 laps left.

9:19 — Back to green with 23 to go. It's Martin Truex, Kasey Kahne and Bubba Wallace out front.

9:10 — DJ Kennington spins out towards the infield and it'll be another caution flag with 27 laps left.

9:07 — Green again on the restart and it's Martin Truex Jr. out front.

9:00 — Caution flag comes out for none other than Ricky Stenhouse Jr. who gets bumped and spun by Kyle Larson.

8:57 — Tough break for Jimmie Johnson. He gets a one-lap penalty for pitting outside his box.

8:56 — Green flag pit stops coming in two groups: the Fords and the Chevys.

8:51 — Tight back and forth battle between Jimmie Johnson, Michael McDowell and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. with 45 laps to go.

8:47 — Fifty laps to go in Daytona and it's single file with none other than Jimmie Johnson out front.

8:31 — Michael McDowell the new leader out front. 

8:30 —  Back to green and the restart order for the final stage goes Ty Dillon, Clint Bowyer and Kasey Kahne. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. restarting at P15.

8:21 — Denny Hamlin's spotter with some Twitter words for Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

8:17 — Ricky Stenhouse Jr. takes Stage 2.

8:14 — Five laps to go in Stage 2 and it's Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Michael McDowell and Ryan Newman sitting 1-2-3.

8:09 — Back to green again. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. up front.

8:01 — And another one! Caution flag comes back out for another big wreck that knocks out Kyle Busch and William Byron.

8:00 — Brad Keselowski was not too thrilled after that wreck.

7:57 — Back to green and it's William Byron, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ryan Newman and Kyle Busch on the restart.

7:53 — Chase Elliott and Daniel Suarez done for the night too.

7:49 — Several drivers done and more getting worked on.

7:43 — Sparks went flying and quite a few got dinged up.

7:40 — Not green for long. A huge wreck here brings another caution. Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin all knocked out of the race.

7:39 — Back to green again in Daytona. Paul Menard still getting work done.

7:32 — Paul Menard wrecks on lap 48, spins into the grass and the caution flag is out.

7:31 — Some trouble for Michael McDowell and Ty Dillon to start Stage 2.

7:30 — Kevin Harvick, Jamie McMurray and Ryan Blaney forced to head back down pit road again.

7:26 — A pair of penalties on pit road: Martin Truex for an uncontrolled tire and Corey LaJoie for too many crew members over the wall.

7:25 — Brad Keselowski wins off pit road followed by Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Kurt Busch and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

7:20 — Stage 1 top 10:

7:18 — The group tightens in the final few laps of the stage but it's Ricky Stenhouse Jr. who hangs on for the Stage 1 win.

7:11 — Ten laps to go in Stage 1. It's single file up front with Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Michael McDowell and Austin Dillon.

7 — Chase Elliott falls back to P8. The outside lane holds all top seven drivers and appears to be the lane to be in tonight.

6:57 — Ricky Stenhouse Jr. out front now after taking the high line.

6:55 — Ten laps in and it's Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman and Jimmie Johnson out front.

6:50 — Early trouble for Landon Cassill.

6:48 — They are green at Daytona. Let's go racing.

6:45 — The traditional NASCAR military salute at Daytona.

6:30 — Engines are fired. It's race time.

6 — Four drivers headed to the rear for unapproved adjustments: Daniel Suarez, David Ragan, Kasey Kahne and Landon Cassill.

5 p.m. —  It's a gorgeous race day in Daytona.

Kenan Goyette