Aric Almirola (Richard Petty Motorsports) venceu neste domingo (06/07), a Coke Zero 400, no Daytona International Speedway, 18ª etapa da NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Foi a primeira vitória de Almirola na categoria, e primeira do carro #43 desde 1999. Brian Vickers (Michael Waltrip Racing) e Kurt Busch (Stewart-Haas Racing) completaram os três primeiros.
Após a chuva atrapalhar o treino classificatório de sexta-feira. E no sábado forçar o adiamento da prova, ela voltou a aparecer neste domingo no superspeedway de 2,5 milhas, para encerrar a prova com 112, das 160 voltas programadas.
Além da chuva (que antes chegou a paralisar a prova em bandeira vermelha na sexta volta), a prova foi marcada por duas “Big Oneâ€. A primeira na 21ª volta envolveu 16 carros, com apenas dois abandonos: Jimmie Johnson (Hendrick Motorsports) e A.J.Allmendinger (JTG Daugherty Racing).
A segunda, na 98ª volta, envolveu 26 carros. Com onze abandonos: Justin Allgaier (HScott Motorsports), Bobby Labonte (Circle Sport Racing), Kasey Kahne (Hendrick Motorsports) , Kyle Busch (Joe Gibbs Racing), Greg Biffle (Roush Fenway Racing), Jamie McMurray (Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates), Landon Cassill (Hillman Racing), Ryan Truex (BK Racing), Reed Sorenson (Tommy Baldwin Racing), Cole Whitt (BK Racing ) e o pole-position David Gilliland (Front Row Motorsports). A prova foi paralisada em bandeira vermelha.
Com o retorno da chuva, a prova foi encerrada na 112ª volta, e Almirola declarado o vencedor. Vickers foi o segundo, seguido por Kurt Busch.
Casey Mears (Germain Racing) terminou em quarto, seguido por Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing), Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing), Michael McDowell (Leavine Family Racing), Danica Patrick (Stewart-Haas Racing), Clint Bowyer (Michael Waltrip Racing) e Marcos Ambrose (Richard Petty Motorsports).
LÁder do campeonato, Jeff Gordon (Hendrick Motorsports) terminou na 12ª posição. Ele soma 651 pontos, 27 a mais do que Dale Earnhardt Jr (Hendrick Motorsports), que chegou na 14ª posição.
A próxima etapa acontece no New Hampshire Motor Speedway, no dia 13 e julho.
Final:
1. Aric Almirola Richard Petty Motorsports 112 voltas em 2h9m13s
2. Brian Vickers Michael Waltrip Racing + 0.846s
3. Kurt Busch Stewart-Haas Racing + 1.863s
4. Casey Mears Germain Racing + 3.202s
5. Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing + 4.161s
6. Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing + 5.075s
7. Michael McDowell Leavine Family Racing + 6.434s
8. Danica Patrick Stewart-Haas Racing + 8.195s
9. Clint Bowyer Michael Waltrip Racing + 9.043s
10. Marcos Ambrose Richard Petty Motorsports + 10.063s
11. Terry Labonte Go FAS Racing + 11.246s
12. Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports + 12.676s
13. Alex Bowman BK Racing + 13.886s
14. Dale Earnhardt Jr Hendrick Motorsports + 25.970s
15. Martin Truex Jr Furniture Row Racing + 36.310s
16. Paul Menard Richard Childress Racing + 40.994s
17. Joey Logano Team Penske + 55.499s
18. Brad Keselowski Team Penske + 24.972s
19. Michael Waltrip Michael Waltrip Racing + 43.547s
20. Matt Kenseth Joe Gibbs Racing + 38.640s
21. Michael Annett Tommy Baldwin Racing + 8
22. David Ragan Front Row Motorsports + 10
23. Josh Wise Phil Parsons Racing + 11
24. Ryan Newman Richard Childress Racing + 10
25. Justin Allgaier HScott Motorsports + 14
26. Bobby Labonte Circle Sport Racing + 14
27. Kasey Kahne Hendrick Motorsports + 15
28. Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing + 15
29. Greg Biffle Roush Fenway Racing + 15
30. Jamie McMurray Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates + 15
31. Landon Cassill Hillman Racing + 15
32. Ryan Truex BK Racing + 15
33. Reed Sorenson Tommy Baldwin Racing + 15
34. Cole Whitt BK Racing + 15
35. David Gilliland Front Row Motorsports + 15
36. Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates + 43
37. Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing + 46
38. Trevor Bayne Wood Brothers Racing + 66
39. Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing + 65
40. Tony Stewart Stewart-Haas Racing + 66
41. Ricky Stenhouse Jr Roush Fenway Racing + 75
42. Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports + 92
43. AJ Allmendinger JTG Daugherty Racing + 93
Campeonato:
1. (–) Jeff Gordon 651pts
2. (+1) Dale Earnhardt Jr. 624pts (-27pts)
3. (-1) Jimmie Johnson 596pts (-55pts)
4. (–) Brad Keselowski 586pts (-65pts)
5. (–) Matt Kenseth 580pts (-71pts)
6. (+1) Joey Logano 546pts (-105pts)
7. (-1) Carl Edwards 543pts (-108pts)
8. (–) Ryan Newman 534pts (-117pts)
9. (+1) Kyle Busch 524pts (-127pts)
10. (+1) Paul Menard 516pts (-135pts)
11. (-2) Kevin Harvick 514pts (-137pts)
12. (+2) Clint Bowyer 509pts (-142pts)
13. (+5) Austin Dillon # 494pts (-157pts)
14. (+3) Denny Hamlin 493pts (-158pts)
15. (-2) Greg Biffle 490pts (-161pts)
16. (+3) Brian Vickers 484pts (-167pts)
17. (-5) Kyle Larson # 482pts (-169pts)
18. (-3) Kasey Kahne 482pts (-169pts)
19. (+1) Marcos Ambrose 472pts (-179pts)
20. (-4) Tony Stewart 465pts (-186pts)
21. (+2) Aric Almirola 452pts (-199pts)
22. (-1) Jamie McMurray 447pts (-204pts)
23. (+1) Casey Mears 438pts (-213pts)
24. (+2) Kurt Busch 422pts (-229pts)
25. (-3) AJ Allmendinger 414pts (-237pts)
26. (-1) Martin Truex Jr. 414pts (-237pts)
27. (+1) Danica Patrick 358pts (-293pts)
28. (-1) Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 342pts (-309pts)
29. (–) Justin Allgaier # 319pts (-332pts)
30. (–) Michael Annett # 299pts (-352pts)
31. (–) David Gilliland 256pts (-395pts)
32. (–) Cole Whitt # 254pts (-397pts)
33. (+1) David Ragan 234pts (-417pts)
34. (-1) Reed Sorenson 228pts (-423pts)
35. (–) Alex Bowman # 227pts (-424pts)
36. (–) Josh Wise 209pts (-442pts)
37. (–) Ryan Truex # 134pts (-517pts)
38. (+1) Michael McDowell 120pts (-531pts)
39. (-1) Travis Kvapil 108pts (-543pts)
40. (+1) Terry Labonte 77pts (-574pts)
41. (-1) Parker Kligerman 54pts (-597pts)
42. (+6) Michael Waltrip 48pts (-603pts)
43. (+2) Bobby Labonte 47pts (-604pts)
44. (-2) David Stremme 43pts (-608pts)
45. (-2) David Reutimann 37pts (-614pts)
46. (-2) Brett Moffitt 32pts (-619pts)
47. (-1) Jeff Burton 27pts (-624pts)
48. (-1) Juan Pablo Montoya 26pts (-625pts)
49. (–) Timmy Hill 19pts (-632pts)
50. (–) Dave Blaney 16pts (-635pts)
51. (–) Alex Kennedy 10pts (-641pts)
52. (–) Boris Said 9pts (-642pts)
53. (–) Tomy Drissi 6pts (-645pts)