CUP: Daytona Monday Notebook

Sprint Cup

CUP: Daytona Monday Notebook

Kyle Larson wins the Whelen All-American stock race in a wild finish...

Mike Hembree | Posted February 18, 2013 Daytona Beach, FL

Kyle Larson crossed the finish line in a crumpled No. 98 Chevrolet after a fourth-turn collision with C.E. Falk III. (Photo: NASCAR Media)

Other Speedweeks 2013 Notebooks
SUNDAY, FEB. 17
SATURDAY, FEB. 16
FRIDAY, FEB. 15
THURSDAY, FEB. 14

[MONDAY 7:02 pm ET]

LARSON WINS AMID FIREWORKS – Kyle Larson won the Whelen All-American Late Model stock race Monday night on the .4-mile backstretch oval at Daytona International Speedway, and he did so in dramatic fashion.

Chasing Virginia driver C.E. Falk III for the lead over the closing laps as they exchanged bumps and thumps, Larson slammed into the rear of Falk’s car as they left the fourth turn with the checkered flag in sight. Falk spun out, and Larson, the front end of his car bashed in, continued on for the win.

Falk was not pleased. “I got wrecked,” he said. “We had a great car. We worked really hard to get this car ready. He got into us really hard. I think I got monster-trucked at the end. It tore my car all to heck.”

Larson, who appears to have a promising future at NASCAR’s top levels, called it “good short-track racing. We swapped the lead and got into each other several times. It seems like it always comes down to the fourth turn. C.E. and I are good buddies. I’ll have to talk to him. I hope he’s not too angry.”

There were no post-race encounters. “A lot of kids are watching and looking for someone to look up to,” Falk said. “You need to be a professional.”

The spin allowed Ben Rhodes, who led much of the race, to finish second. Falk was third.

The race is the first of three scheduled on the track, which includes part of the 2.5-mile track’s backstretch. Scheduled Tuesday night are 150-lap races for the Whelen Modified Tour and the K&N Pro Series. Both will be broadcast by SPEED.

Larson is the only driver scheduled to run in all three races.

[MONDAY 4:36 pm ET]

RHODES TO VICTORY – Fifteen-year-old Ben Rhodes won the second of two 25-lap qualifying races for Monday night's All-American Series Late Model race at Daytona. Rhodes, of Louisville, KY, outran Trey Gibson and Myatt Snider. Coleman Pressley, son of former Cup driver Robert Pressley, started on the pole but was booted to the rear of the field for overly aggressive driving. He finished sixth. Rhodes won a coin flip with Kyle Larson, the day's other heat-race winner, and chose the inside starting spot for the night's feature, which will be broadcast by SPEED.

[MONDAY 4:24 pm ET]

LARSON COMES THROUGH – Kyle Larson, a developmental driver for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, won the first of two 25-lap heat races for Monday night's Whelen All-American Late Model Stock race. Larson, who started second, took the lead early from polesitter Nate Monteith and won the race by .78 of a second over Anthony Anders. Following in the top five were C.E. Falk III, Mike Looney and Jake Engle. Larson will start on the front row in the 150-lap feature.

[MONDAY 1:34 pm ET]

NOT TOTALLY QUIET – It’s the day after Danica at Daytona, and things are mostly quiet. There is no Sprint Cup activity at Daytona International Speedway today. But there are some engines roaring – and in an unusual context. Monday opens the two-day UNOH Battle at the Beach, a first-time event for DIS. The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, the Whelen Modified Tour and the K&N Pro Series will race on a makeshift .4-mile track incorporating part of the big track’s backstretch. After a morning and afternoon of practice, the All-American drivers will compete in a pair of qualifying races starting at 5:30 p.m., followed by the 7:15 p.m. 150-lap feature. The Modifieds and Pro Series cars are scheduled to race Tuesday.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mike Hembree

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