It is only fitting that a race that saw a huge crash quite early on finished with one as Nick Sanchez took the checkered flag under caution at Daytona to win the first race of the 2024 NASCAR Truck Series. It was Rajah Caruth and Corey Heim who picked up the next two spots to cap off the top 3. Now the man who finished P3 had some choice words about the race, as he called it a “s***show.” On the final lap, Caruth seemed to lose his front end, which set off a massive crash in which the #17 of Taylor Gray went up into the air.

The race was a complete and utter wreck fest as the youngsters in the Truck Series raced hard and fast for the opportunity to win a race at the iconic Daytona International Speedway. As per the FOX commentary team calling the event, the race was a total of 12 cautions, which meant that it went into overtime. But the crash which was the scariest of them all was saved for last as the trucks jockied for position after the white flag fell and the big one unfolded behind the leaders.

Nick Sanchez wished for a late crash and it came true

For Nick Sanchez, this was a special moment. It is the 22-year-old’s first win at the Daytona International Speedway, and regardless of the way he won it, Sanchez will be celebrating into the night. “Pretty surreal, especially with how the race started. I am covered in dirt from it,” the driver of the #2 Rev Racing truck said when he was interviewed after the race. He has already booked his place in the playoffs with this win and now, he can rest easy for several months before the last 16 begins.

The battle for the lead was tight throughout the event as several drivers fought for that position during the 100 laps of racing. One of the drivers who looked strong was the reigning NASCAR Truck Series champion, Ben Rhodes. The driver of the #99 truck might have won the race had it not been for a heavy contact with Tyler Ankrum which compromised his tire and he had to retire from the race.

But the spotlight on the day is firmly on Nick Sanchez who will revel in his first victory at the iconic motorsports venue. The 22-year-old revealed that a wreck ensued behind him on the overtime restart after he took the lead and that’s exactly what happened. “Right there, it was just classic Daytona. Overtime restarts: the odds of us finishing under green weren’t really (good) and I knew I had to take the lead on the white flag and hoped they wrecked and that happened,” the driver of the #2 said as per The Daytona Beach News-Journal.

History was made by the 22-year-old with his win as he picked up his first career win at Daytona, but was not the only milestone he earned. Nick Sanchez wrote another significant piece of history with the victory and it was for Chevrolet. That victory meant that the American manufacturer had won 100 NASCAR races at the Daytona International Speedway and it was fantastic to see such a young driver get to that.

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22-year-old Truck Series star earned Chevy their 100th NASCAR win at Daytona

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At the World Center of Racing, Chevrolet left its indelible mark on Friday with the Truck Series opener drawing to a favorable conclusion and everyone associated with the manufacturer must have celebrated Sanchez’s victory. It will be a source of inspiration and confidence for the Chevy teams in ARCA, the Xfinity Series, and the Cup Series going into their respective season-openers. Global Chevrolet Vice President Scott Bell was a happy man as he hailed every single Chevy team that brought them to this milestone.

“To earn 100 NASCAR wins at Daytona International Speedway is a monumental achievement in Chevy’s storied racing history. On behalf of everyone at Chevrolet, thank you to all the drivers and teams who have contributed wins over the years that brought us to this milestone. Chevrolet is proud to be the winningest manufacturer at one of NASCAR’s most iconic venues,” Bell said as per Jayski’s Silly Season Site.

The onus will not be on the rest of the Chevy teams to follow in Sanchez’s footsteps over the weekend and build on this incredible achievement. And with the Truck Series race being as chaotic as it was, it will certainly be intriguing to see how the rest of the NASCAR races pan out over the weekend.

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