Story By: SAM MAHONEY / TOYOTA RACING – DAYTONA BEACH, FL – Christopher Bell led just the final lap but it was just enough to earn his first Duel win. Bell, who won previously on the Daytona International Speedway Road Course, earned his first win on the superspeedway.
Combined with Tyler Reddick’s first duel victory earlier in the evening, Toyota swept the Duels for the first time since 2014, and kept Toyota undefeated in the new Toyota Camry XSE to start the year.
Denny Hamlin (third) and John Hunter Nemechek (fourth) joined Bell inside the top-five in the race. With Nemechek’s top-five finish, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB placed both of their full-time Toyota Camry XSEs in the top-five of their respective Duel race.
Toyota Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Daytona International Speedway
Duel 2 – 150 miles, 60 laps
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, CHRISTOPHER BELL
2nd, Austin Cindric*
3rd, DENNY HAMLIN
4th, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
5th, Harrison Burton*
11th, BUBBA WALLACE
*non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
CHRISTOPHER BELL, No. 20 DEWALT – Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 1st
Can you describe how special it is to win at Daytona?
“Those words at the top of the grandstands say it all – it’s the World Center of Racing. This place is something else. It will chew you up and spit you out faster than you can imagine. It feels good to finally do it right here.”
Can you describe the last lap and how you got to the top spot?
“I don’t know. I was really nervous on that last restart because I saw pretty much the whole field was lined up on the outside, and we didn’t have many on the inside. It worked out. These Toyota’s were super, super fast and John Hunter (Nemechek), myself and Denny (Hamlin) were able to connect and get back up front. Then once we got clear with this DEWALT – Interstate Batteries Camry, the top started coming, and it was just a matter of trying to block their run and pick it up without getting hooked, which thankfully, I did without getting hooked.”
DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 3rd
What more did you need at the end and what did you learn?
“Probably needed to cover the top there a little bit better. Yeah, I mean, it was really a good move by him (Christopher Bell). Getting the momentum, it started to get stirred up behind him, we’re trying everything we can to block both lanes. You just can’t. You got to pick one. Really just good, solid day. Got some information to learn from. We’ll go race here on Sunday.”
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK, No. 42 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB
Finishing Position: 4th
How did you miss that wreck?
“I think I closed my eyes and held the wheel straight. No, it was good spotting there at the top. We have a new spotter, Ryan Blanchard, and with myself, I felt like we worked well together. His first superspeedway race ever. A lot to learn, but I feel like we did well. Stayed out of the mess, stayed out of the carnage. Missed it by not very much. Overall, really solid night. I’m proud of the effort from everyone at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB. The whole Toyota, TRD camp – it was awesome to be able to lineup with Denny (Hamlin) and CBell (Christopher Bell) there at the end. I really had a shot to go up there and push and try to get a win. At least a Toyota won. It’s cool for CBell, but our Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE is really fast and it drives well. I’m looking forward to Sunday. I’ve got to make a few adjustments, work on it a little bit tomorrow in practice, a little drafting stuff – but learned a lot tonight – my first experience at a superspeedway in a Next Gen car. A lot to learn in a really short period of time, but I feel like we executed pretty well.”
What does this say about the start for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB – to put Jimmie in the field and top-fives for both full-time drivers?
“It’s awesome. It’s really, really cool to have both of us finish that well, and to have Jimmie (Johnson) in the race as well. That was the most stressful part of the night – watching Jimmie race his way in. Overall, solid night by all three LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Camrys. Pretty cool to see Jimmie in a Toyota as well.”