Over 30 hours later than scheduled, Matt Kenseth took the chequered flag at Daytona for the second time, holding off Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Greg Biffle after a last-lap dash to the finish.

The race was filled with incident, but it was Kenseth at the front when it mattered as he added to his Daytona 500 win back in 2009. Earnhardt Jr. had expected Biffle to make a last minute move for the lead which never came, allowing Kenseth to hold off the pair to the finish line.

In a typically drama filled 500, it didn’t take long for the cars to start spinning when Elliott Sadler gave Jimmie Johnson a push coming in to turn 1 on the second lap. Kurt Busch, David Ragan and Danica Patrick were all involved, Busch slamming in to the side of Johnson, whilst 2011 winner Trevor Bayne was also involved in the incident. Bayne re-joined not long after, and Patrick resumed over 60 laps down to get some more experience of her new surroundings.

Biffle and Kenseth found themselves at the start for the green flag, but the caution was out again soon after when Ryan Newman appeared to spin off on his own coming out of turn 2, his left tyre deflating badly coming around the banking. Newman caused more problems as the majority of the field hit pit-road, without his rear left he struggled towards his box, allowing AJ Allmendinger to slam in to the back of his car.

A period of green flag racing would follow, the lead swapping between Paul Menard, Biffle, Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, Jeff Burton and finally Jeff Gordon before caution No.3 was called on lap 64 for debris down at turn 2. Marcos Ambrose joined the leading gang as the much anticipated pack took shape while approaching its halfway mark.

But Jeff Gordon failed to make it when his engine deflated, bringing out the fourth caution of the evening. Terry Labonte took the green flag, but only for two laps as he got turned by Ambrose coming out of turn 4, bringing out the caution yet again.

There was $200,000 in price for the driver in the lead at the halfway point, and after a huge push from Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr. led at the 100 lap mark for the second year in succession. More pit stops followed, but Clint Bowyer stopped down at turn 2 after running out of gas, and Carl Edwards was having his own problems, the pole sitter experiencing fuel pressure problems as he ran back in the midfield.

After more green flag racing, David Stremme brought out the caution when his engine blew, but more drama was to follow when Juan Pablo Montoya slammed in to the jet dryer, engulfing it in flames, and Montoya’s car left burning and wrecked on the infield.

The red flag was called with Dave Blayney in the lead, and over two hours later the cars were back on track, Earnhardt Jr. complaining that the scene of the incident wasn’t ready for racing. The green flag dropped anyway with Kenseth leading the pack. A collision between Ambrose and Kasey Kahne brought out the eighth caution before a multi-car crash with just over ten laps to go brought out the ninth.

Jamie McMurray, Edwards, Brad Keselowski, Regan Smith and Aric Almirola were involved but as the remaining cars fired up for a five-lap dart to the finish, the caution was out for a tenth time when an accident occurred in the same spot, this time wiping out 2011 champion Tony Stewart, along with Blaney, Stenhouse Jr., Landon Cassill, Kyle Busch and the unfortunate Ryan Newman.

Two laps were added to race distance, as Kenseth led Biffle and Earnhardt Jr around the final four miles. Biffle never made a move coming out of turn four, allowing Kenseth to win his second Daytona 500. Earnhardt Jr did manage to just beat Biffle in to second place as a caranged filled race came to its conclusion.

Image Courtesy of   Walter G Arce / Shutterstock.com

The article Kenseth Holds Off Earnhardt Jr. to Take His Second Daytona 500 appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The Kroger Co. and the USO are strengthening their partnership with a fresh campaign to support men and women in the armed forces and their families.

In conjunction with the Daytona 500 celebration on Sunday, Feb. 26, Kroger will launch ‘Honoring OurHeroes’, a year-long initiative to raise funds for members of our armed forces in partnership with the USO, the leading organization for morale-boosting programs and services for American troops and their families. This is the second year Kroger is sponsoring Honoring Our Heroes.

Thirteen Kroger associates from across the company will join in presenting a $1.5 million donation to the USO prior to the race.  The funds were raised in 2011 in partnership with key suppliers and through the contributions of customers and associates at Kroger’s family of stores across the country. This donation will support USO programs serving members of the military, wounded warriors and their families.

“For more than 70 years, the USO has been lifting the spirits of America’s troops and their families in many ways, including free phone calls and internet to connect with their loved ones back home, care packages to let them know they are never forgotten, and USO Centers around the world, where they can rest or get a free bite to eat,” said USO President and CEO Sloan Gibson.

“None of this would be possible without dedicated partners like Kroger. Our partnership with Kroger makes it possible for our troops and their families to know that their efforts and sacrifices are appreciated.  And this is the best way we can honor our heroes.”

In addition to being Kroger associates, these men and women also are active-duty or reservist members of our armed forces. They represent all five branches of the military and the National Guard.

“We can’t think of more fitting ambassadors of our program than our own people, and we are pleased to recognize their service in front of the Daytona 500 race fans,” said Lynn Marmer, group vice president of Corporate Affairs for Kroger.  ”We thank all of our associates in the military for their service to our country, our communities, and our company.  The Kroger family of stores looks forward to helping the USO assist even more of our men and women in uniform.”

As it did in 2011, the Kroger-USO car, driven by NASCAR champion Bobby Labonte, will carry a special Kroger logo in this year’s Daytona 500. This emblem features the names of more than 350 Kroger associates who are active duty or reservist members of the U.S. military, in tribute to their service.  In addition, Labonte will wear a special helmet during Sunday’s race.  Featuring a striking eagle motif and customized paint scheme, the helmet was designed by an associate at Kroger’s general office in Cincinnati especially for this race.

“It’s great to work with Kroger again and have them on board for one of the most prestigious races of the season, the Daytona 500,” Labonte said. “The Kroger logo on the hood of our No. 47 Toyota Camry is pretty cool because it is paying special tribute to hundreds of Kroger associates from across the country.  We also have USO on the car. Kroger did an amazing job through Honoring Our Heroes. We’re proud to carry the USO in The Great American Race on Sunday.”

Kroger is the exclusive retail partner for the Daytona 500. Learn more about special in-store and online Daytona 500 promotions at Kroger and its family of stores at www.kroger.com.

Best known for its entertainment tours, the USO provides programs and services to those who need the USO the most, including deployed troops and their families, wounded, ill and injured service members and their families, as well as families of the fallen. To learn about the USO’s mission to lift the spirits of America’s troops and their families, visit www.uso.org.

Image Courtesy of   http://www.flickr.com/photos/imcomkorea/

The article ‘Honoring OurHeroes’ Initiative to Be Launched at Daytona 500 appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.