NOAPS Race Recap: Winn-Dixie 250

It all came down to the Winn-Dixie 250 at Daytona International Speedway – the conclusion to the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series regular season. With a spot in the Chase on the line, Rajah Caruth and Carson Kvapil started the race on the front row. Jesse Love and Sheldon Creed started behind them. The stage lengths were 30 laps for stages one and two, and 40 laps for the final stretch.

Stage 1

Creed pushed Caruth to the lead at the drop of the green flag. Caruth dropped to the inside line in front of Kvapil; however, Creed pulled alongside him on the outside.

On lap three, Caesar Bacarella made an unscheduled pit stop for a tire going down.

Austin Hill carved through the top 10 to take the lead. He settled in front of Kvapil, as Caruth was forced to go high.

The outside line pulled away after getting better formed. Jesse Love got out front with Sam Mayer joining him to lead the race.

After getting debris on his grill, Jesse Love was forced to surrender his lead.

Hill got a run and covered the outside line while the inside line faded away.

Kvapil took a run to the front with Caruth behind him.

Driving into turn three, Patrick Starapoli was turned off the bumper of Jeremy Clements. That brought out the first caution of the night and ended stage one. Sam Mayer, Daniel Dye, and Brent Crews were also involved. Austin Hill was out front, so he got the stage win! Kvapil, Anthony Alfredo, Caruth, and Sammy Smith finished in the top five.

Stage 2

Hill and Kvapil restarted the race on the front row, while Caruth and Corey Day pushed them. Hill took the push and cleared Kvapil for the lead. Kvapil immediately got to the inside of Hill to get back alongside of Hill.

Caruth pushed Kvapil back out front.

Hill retook the lead before the second caution came out for a wreck on the front stretch. Day got turned off the nose of Alfredo. He was sent into Smith, which started the wreck. William Sawalich got the worst of it.

With nine to go in the stage, Caruth and Hill restarted the race. Kvapil pushed Hill on the outside, but Alfredo was able to push Caruth out front.

Alfredo pulled alongside Hill behind the leader.

Hill made a run at the lead but crossed the nose of Alfredo. He went spinning on the apron, but managed to avoid hitting anything. This incident brought out the caution to end the stage.

Rajah Caruth was the leader and earned the stage two win in the Winn-Dixie 250! Alfredo, Kvapil, Justin Allgaier, and Jeb Burton rounded out the top five.

Stage 3

Brandon Jones and Harrison Burton brought the green flag back out from the front row. Blaine Perkins pushed Burton to the front. But in the chaos, Burton got stuck in the middle and fell to the rear. This allowed Jones to assume the lead. Ryan Sieg led the inside line, but the two could not build up enough steam to move forward.

Kvapil took the lead and began to cover both lines. Creed commanded the inside line with Hill behind him.

They fell to single-file on the outside line.

Creed tried to form a run on the inside line, and Hill joined him in his efforts to move forward. They ultimately stalled after failing to get the needed momentum.

With about 20 to go, the field, once again, moved to the outside line. Kvapil, Caruth, Allgaier, Leland Honeyman, and Sieg led the charge.

Andy Jankowiak cut a right-side tire with 10 to go and slowed on the track. He made it to the pits to fix it without bringing out the caution.

Seven laps later, Rajah Caruth spun around on the backstretch after a push from Allgaier. Caruth received severe damage on his rear bumper.

Overtime in Daytona

Kvapil and Allgaier restarted the race out front. Kvapil got a great push from Sieg and pulled out in front of his teammate, Allgaier. Sieg took the lead with Hill pushing him. Once in the lead, Sieg took the white flag.

While Alfredo made a charge on the outside line, Sieg covered the charging Kvapil.

Ultimately, Ryan Sieg held on to win the Winn-Dixie 250! Hill, Kvapil, Alfredo, and Jones finished in the top five.

Marvin’s Minute:

In his 424th start in the series, Sieg got his maiden victory. He has had several runner-up finishes, but he finally got the win he deserved. I do not care that it happened at a drafting track. This could open up more wins for him. Getting that first win can help a driver’s confidence and decision-making. He has always run well, and finally got it done.

With that, the regular season is over. Now, the Chase begins. The cream has risen to the top, and it is time to see who will last to the end. NASCAR goes to Darlington next week to start ten straight weeks of the best racing the series has.