Thursday night’s qualifying races at Daytona International Speedway were of particular significance to the Ford and Toyota teams as they closely monitored their newly designed cars. The performance of the Ford Mustang Dark Horse and Toyota Camry XSE in the draft and their ability to support their teammates was uncertain. However, the opportunity to test them came during the Daytona 500 qualifying races.
On Friday morning, both teams were relieved. Mark Rushbrook, the global director of Ford Performance, expressed his curiosity about how the new cars would perform in traffic. The first race had only a few Mustangs, so they didn’t have enough data. But in the second race, they had more drivers and received valuable feedback. Rushbrook remained optimistic about the new cars and looked forward to seeing how they would fare.
Ford didn’t win either of the Bluegreen Vacations Duel races, but they had a successful single-car qualifying session. Joey Logano secured the pole position, with Michael McDowell alongside him. Rushbrook acknowledged that qualifying wasn’t the main focus, but it was still a proud moment for the team, especially for Roger Penske.
Toyota, on the other hand, had a victorious night, with a Toyota driver winning both races. Tyler Reddick and Christopher Bell led key laps and finished inside the top 10. Although there were initial concerns about qualifying speed, Paul Doleshal, the general manager of motorsports for Toyota Motor North America, was encouraged by the performance of the cars in race conditions. He acknowledged the learning curve associated with a new body and expressed confidence in the feedback from the drivers.
Chevrolet, unlike Ford and Toyota, didn’t make any changes to its body for the upcoming season. Jim Campbell, the vice president of performance and motorsports for Chevrolet, acknowledged the advantage of continuity and momentum in development that their unchanged body provided. However, he also recognized the tight competition due to NASCAR’s strict rules on downforce and drag requirements.
In conclusion, the qualifying races at Daytona International Speedway provided valuable insights for the Ford and Toyota teams. While Ford focused on single-car qualifying success, Toyota celebrated victories in both races. Chevrolet, with its unchanged body, aimed to maintain its competitive edge. The season ahead promises tight competition as all three manufacturers navigate the challenges of NASCAR’s rules and strive for success on the track.
According to the Source racer.com