DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – BK Racing had a solid day on Sunday during qualifying for the Daytona 500.
With the security of NASCAR’s new charter system, the organization’s two primary cars of David Ragan and Michael Waltrip would automatically earn a berth into Sunday’s race. A superb qualifying effort by regular driver Matt DiBenedetto locked the third and one of two non-charter teams into the series’ most prestigious race.
Waltrip with sponsorship from Maxwell House brought the marketing dollars to the Statesville, North Carolina-based team competing in familiar equipment as the team purchase several of the Toyotas once utilized in the now defunct Michael Waltrip Racing team.
On Thursday night, BK Racing’s week blossomed even more, as Robert Richardson Jr. locked himself into Sunday’s “Great American Race” giving car owner Ron Devine four cars into the Super Bowl of stock car racing.
DiBenedetto who competed in the second Can-Am duel at Daytona finished ninth, the highest of the non-charter teams, allowing Richardson to use his qualifying speed from Sunday, rather than his 18th place finish in the duel to race in his second Daytona 500.
Richardson saw everything he wanted to see happen, happen. Without his teammate’s finish in Thursday night’s exhibition race, the 33-year-old would be loading up and heading back south.
“Luckily I got to have the world lifted off my shoulders on Sunday after we made our qualifying lap,” said DiBenedetto. “Unfortunately for Robert (Richardson), he had to race his way in.
They did the same. They put themselves in the fourth qualifying position, which was huge. It allowed us to have a good position going into the race.
I knew I didn’t have anything to lose other than go out there and race my tail off to try to get Robert in.”
Richardson has a good story.
Working on his farm in Texas, the former NASCAR XFINITY Series driver received a call from his sponsor Stalk It, who told the McKinney, Texas native the company had gathered enough financial support to make a run at Daytona.
Within a few days, Richardson had a deal and set sights on Daytona for his return to the sport in more than a year and a half.
“Two weeks ago I was at home working on my ranch, got a phone call from Lane Segerstrom from StalkIt, saying he was trying to put a deal together trying to run the Daytona 500,” offered Richardson “This was two weeks ago. A lot of guys start preparing for this race as soon as the season ends from last year.
“I’m very, very honored to be a part of BK Racing, having another opportunity to run here at the Daytona 500. I’ve been in it once before, but this one is very, very special to me. My wife and I welcomed our brand new baby boy who was born in early December. Every bit of earnings we get from this race is going to go into a college fund for him.”
Last year Devine had to watch one of his then three teams load up on the hauler as rookie Jeb Burton failed to qualify, fast forward 12 months later, the successful entrepreneur has more than just three cars in the race, he has a whopping four.
Sunday, Devine can dream about his team having the opportunity to pull off the whopper of all stories. And with the strength that his team has shown during Speedweeks 2016, anything is possible.
“Have it your way” Ron Devine, you earned it.
With the 33-year-old Richardson locking himself into his first Cup since 2012, drivers David Gilliland, considered a gifted restrictor plate racer and Reed Sorenson in a Hillman Racing will sit on the sidelines for the Feb. 21 race.
In the first Can-Am duel, Michael McDowell put the second Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing Chevrolet into the Daytona 500, as Ryan Blaney, one of the two fastest automobiles in qualifying was the highest finishing car in the first 60-lap determining race.
Cole Whitt and Josh Wise joined Gilliland and Sorenson as the four drivers who won’t participate in the 58th annual Daytona 500.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
