Ford Nascar Teams Post Strong Results at Daytona in the Coke Zero 400

After coming to Daytona in February and placing only one car in the top 10 in the Daytona 500, the Ford race teams had something to prove in their July return to the World Center of Racing. Brad Keselowski won the Coke Zero 400 with a dominating performanceover the last half of the race, while Ford took four of the top 5 finishing positions. Following a late caution, a push from Team Penske racing teammate Joey Logano, helped Keselowski maintain the lead he held for most of the latter stages of the 160 lap event around the Daytona tri-oval. Racing Kyle Busch to the checkered flag, Keselowski was never seriously challenged. Trevor Bayne finished third, followed by Logano in fourth, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in fifth.The “Big One” occurred just past the halfway point as the tightly packed field raced through turns one and two, Jamie McMurray got sideways and collected over half of the 40-car field. The wreck took out a number of contenders and many of the drivers who were racing for the last few playoff spots that have not been secured by a series win. Tony Stewart escaped the carnage and, even though he wrecked 12 laps before the end of the race, his 26th place finish moved him into the top30 in points. Provided Stewart maintains that position, his win at Sonoma would qualify him for the Chase for the Sprint Cup, despite the fact he missed the first eight races of the season. Ryan Blaney, driving the Wood Brothers Ford, placed 14th and moved into the last playoff spot with just 9 races left before the start of the Chase.Next Saturday night the series stops at Kentucky Speedway for the Quaker State 400 under the lights for the second week in a row. Kyle Busch out-battled Joey Logano for the win last year in an exciting finish. Logano will be looking for revenge this year while drivers without a win to date will be trying to secure a spot in the Chase with a victory on the one-and-a-half-mile oval.