McKee Steals Daytona Thriller With Last Corner, Three Wide Pass
McKee Steals Daytona Thriller With Last-Corner, Three-Wide Pass
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — It is often said in superspeedway racing that the only lap that matters is the last one. On a flawless, caution free night at Daytona, Brennan McKee proved exactly why that saying exists, stealing a jaw dropping victory in the final corner. McKee secured the win via a daring three wide pass on the final lap, edging out Bud Shearer and Jason Henry to the start finish line. Remarkably, that final lap was the only lap McKee led all evening.
A Game of Milliseconds
The drama started long before the green flag waved. Qualifying proved to be crucial, with Bud Shearer capturing the pole position after laying down a blistering 51.596 second lap. Shearer managed to eclipse Shawn Burke by a razor thin margin of just 0.001 of a second, setting the stage for a fiercely competitive 60 lap shootout.
Once the race went green, Shearer proved his qualifying pace was no fluke. He was the undisputed powerhouse of the draft, controlling the pace of the pack and leading an impressive 47 of the 60 laps in a race that stayed completely green from start to finish.
The Turning Point
Despite Shearer’s dominance, superspeedway racing is entirely dependent on drafting partners and a crucial mistake on pit road ultimately decided the race.
During the final round of green flag pit stops, Shearer became separated from his teammate, Shawn Burke. Without his primary drafting partner to lock bumpers with and control the lanes, Shearer was left vulnerable at the front of the pack, allowing the trailing cars to mount a charge as the laps wound down.
The Final Corner Climax
As the field came toward the checkered flag, the tension boiled over. Heading into the final corner, McKee saw his opportunity and pulled out of line, diving to the outside line of Shearer and Jason Henry diving to the inside, Carrying a massive run of momentum off of turn 4, McKee rocketed past the leaders to snatch the victory just yards before the stripe, relegating Shearer to second and Henry to fourth.
Looking Ahead to the Playoffs
The drivers will now get a chance to catch their breath. The series takes a well deserved off week next week before the stakes get even higher. Following the break, the field will head to the iconic short track at Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP) for the highly anticipated opening race of the playoffs.
