Brad Keselowski paced a contingent of front-running Fords during Saturday’s sparsely attended final practice for the Daytona 500.
Keselowski, who placed ninth during NASCAR Cup Series’ season-opening event last season, clocked a fast lap of 191.201 mph. He was followed closely by his former teammate and the defending Cup Series champion Joey Logano (191.196 mph).
The Daytona 500 is scheduled to start Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET at Daytona International Speedway.
Closing out Ford’s top-six finish Saturday, Ryan Blaney (191.18) placed third, Ryan Preece (191.18) fourth, Harrison Burton (191.176) fifth and Chase Briscoe (191.063) sixth.
Only 17 of 40 Cup teams elected to gain extra track time Saturday. Burton led the way with 27 laps.
Defending Daytona 500 titleholder Austin Cindric placed 14th at 180.281 mph.
"This is for all the short-track racers out there that don't think you can get to this level … WE DID IT."- @GregVanAlst35 @Reporterjamie | @DAYTONA pic.twitter.com/AQslG5IAMx
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 18, 2023
Greg Van Alst Earns Unlikely ARCA Series Win
Moments after making a last-lap pass to earn a victory during the Menards ARCA Series’ Daytona 200, Greg Van Alst climbed out of his small garage’s only speedway racer with veins popping out of his closely shaved head.
Van Alst’s face was red. He looked at a Fox Sports reporter and shouted: “Guys like me aren’t supposed to do this.” The regular at Indiana short tracks then ran up the track’s 31-degree embankment. He went to retrieve the checkered flag and returned to finish the interview.
“This is for all the short track racers out there who don’t think you can get to this level,” Van Alst said. “I worked my (butt) off and we did it.”
Driving a car that didn’t any enough sponsorship in January, Van Alst “worked the garage” and came up with enough money to roll the dice at the prized 2.5-mile oval.
After narrowly avoiding a collision with Andy Jankowiak with 21 laps remaining Saturday, Van Alst positioned himself behind the leader, Jason White, on the final lap.
Along Turn 3, Van Alst dragged his brake, allowing Connor Mosack’s machine to give him a push. The nudge propelled him past White, who fell back to ninth place. Meanwhile, Van Alst held off Mosack for the most significant win of his career.
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