‘The Big One’ loomed for all who graced the famous asphalt of Daytona International Speedway during Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400. Partway through Stage 2, it went from a mere ideology into a tangible reality for more than a quarter of the Cup Series field.
A 20-car wreck swept across Daytona’s iconic grounds, knocking out a pair of NASCAR’s biggest names and making the postseason race that much more contentious.
The Sporting News has the latest on the eye-catching collision, yet another feather in the World Center of Racing’s harrowing cap.
Coke Zero Sugar 400 wreck video
On Lap 61, Daytona International Speedway turned into a scrapyard.
The collision has relatively innocuous origins. With the field splitting into two lanes, Noah Gragson made his way up the track. He appeared to be in decent position to gain ground on the top of the field. At least until Spire Motorsports’ Corey LaJoie made contact with him from behind, sending him spiraling, first toward the wall, then into the infield grass.
Gragson left a trail of misfit chariots in his wake, with the likes of Ross Chastain, Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, and Tyler Reddick among the Cup Series standouts to suffer damage from the mashup.
More than, 15 cars got caught up in the mayhem. Multiple drivers were knocked out of racing contention: Elliott, Hamlin, LaJoie, Gragson, and Ryan Preece suffered such a fate, while Chastain fell one lap down.
The Big One giveth, and the Big One taketh away. Such is life when NASCAR’s finest make their way onto the wildest track in motorsports.
