DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Stop me if you heard this before.
Yes, we got wrecked on the final lap while running up front in Thursday’s 150-mile qualifying race — exactly what happened to us Saturday night in the Sprint Unlimited race. The odds of getting wrecked in back-to-back races on the final lap might appear to be high, but at a restrictor-plate race, you always expect the unexpected. We were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
We took the white (flag) in a pretty decent spot (fifth), and they just started wrecking in front of me. There’s not much you can do, but disappointed, obviously.
I thought our Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Toyota was really good. As we took the white flag, I thought it was looking like we had a shot of getting another couple of more spots. But unfortunately that wasn’t the case, and the result was a very unsettling 14th-place finish.
And because we’ll be in a backup car, we’ll start the 500 at the rear of the 40-car field. Not a big deal since it’s a long race and the starting position doesn’t really mean that much at super speedways.
Our guys are known for building fast race cars, and I expect our backup to be competitive in the 500. We just need to get rid of this bad luck. We’ll get a better idea about the backup during the upcoming practices.
Right now, there’s frustration, but after a good night’s sleep and some fishing in the morning with Bass Pro Shops owner Johnny Morris, I am sure my mood will change. I’ve been through this before, and all you can do is move on and not look back. I have a great team that has an incredible work ethic. The time and workload they put in is absolutely amazing. There will be more work for them when they arrive at the track at 8 a.m. Friday to get the backup car ready.
Prior to the qualifying race, Thursday was a kick-back day, relaxing in the motor coach, visiting with family and friends and catching up on text messages. We didn’t take part in practice on Thursday since we felt our car was race- ready following Wednesday’s evening practice.
But from now until Sunday, the wick will be turned up with practice and a number of sponsorship appearances. The excitement level is definitely increasing. We’ll put our Daytona 500 engine in the No. 78 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Toyota on Friday.
Furniture Row Racing’s Martin Truex Jr., driver of Denver’s No. 78 car, is keeping a daily diary for The Post through Sunday’s Daytona 500.
