NASCAR Truck Series picks up where it left off with Daytona wreck-fest
Of the 101 laps run during Friday night's season-opening NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Daytona, 51 of them were run under the caution flag.
Nick Sanchez scored the win in the Fresh From Florida 250, as most of what was left of the field was caught up in an accident on the last lap.
Races like this one have unfortunately become commonplace for the Truck Series, once the veteran tour of the NASCAR circuit where those who never quite stuck in Cup found a home and now simply a playground for unpolished amateurs to tear up equipment. The 2023 season ended with a circus of epic proportions and 2024 has started off the exact same way.
There were 12 cautions during the race, 10 of which were for accidents. The longest run of consecutive green-flag laps was 12, which was twice as long as the second-longest of six.
The last lap wreck was the biggest one and featured Taylor Gray's No. 17 truck flipping up on top of several other trucks before landing back on all four wheels. Only the top three finishers cleanly escaped the carnage.
Something's got to give. The Truck Series, at this point, has become barely distinguishable from lower-level series on the NASCAR ladder such as ARCA in regards to the skill and racing etiquette of its drivers.
The top three series are supposed to feature professionals. It's hard to use the word "professional" when describing Friday night's action.
That said, congratulations are in order for Sanchez, who is among the handful of drivers in the series who can be considered to have a promising future in NASCAR. It won't be the last time he visits victory lane in 2024.
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