DAYTONA BEACH, Fla: Noah Gragson’s Cinderella story for Beard Motorsports didn’t end the way he wanted to in Sunday’s Daytona 500, but the Las Vegas, Nev. native did impress.
A year after failing to qualify for the “Great American Race”, Gragson qualified his No. 62 Beard Oil Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE on time during Daytona 500 qualifying this past Wednesday setting up his NASCAR Cup Series debut on the sport’s biggest stage.
“This is what I’ve dreamed of my whole career, and it’s been a goal of mine to make a Cup Series start,” Gragson said following qualifying.
After successfully being one of the 40 starters for NASCAR’s Super Bowl event, Gragson had a reasonable goal of completing all the laps and keeping his race car in one piece.
The plan was executed brilliantly for more than 94 percent of the race.
Starting 39th, Gragson cautiously marched his way forward and by the end of Stage 1 had climbed to 12th.
Restarting 22nd after pit stops for the beginning of Stage 2, he drafted his automobile to a stage high of 14th before settling for 19th.
Throughout the third stage, Gragson used patience and a fast No. 62 Beard Oil Chevrolet Camaro to negotiate a spot inside the top-10, a place he hovered for much of the races’ final stage.
Knowing to win the Daytona 500, you must be around to the end, Gragson had taken great pride in keeping his car clean and intact, but when Kyle Larson tagged Kevin Harvick on Lap 189, Harvick’s No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford spun into the direct path of Gragson’s Chevrolet sending him into the outside wall before being hit again by Larson.
Gragson’s battered machine came to a rest with the driver climbing from his car frustrated but uninjured.
He would finish his first Daytona 500 in 31st – 11 laps shy of the finish.
Gragson tweeted late Sunday night, “We were close today. Thankful for the opportunity!”
The team plans to return to the next superspeedway NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in April.
Follow Grace Krenrich on Twitter @grace3140.
