It took just 10 laps into the NASCAR season for a multi-car crash to take place, leaving many angry drivers. In the first practice for the Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway, Matt Kenseth triggered a five-car crash. The Sprint Unlimited is a non-points race that kicks off the NASCAR season. It was certainly not the best way to start the racing season.
The crash happened as Kenseth was coming out of Turn 4 and hit Kurt Busch, Juan Pablo Montoya, Mark Martin and Carl Edwards. Busch's No. 78 Chevrolet earned the most damaged from the wreck. His team will have to switch to the backup car for Saturday's exhibition event. Kenseth took full blame for the crash, saying he didn't see Busch gaining ground inside his No. 20 Toyota.
"That was 100 percent driver error, my driver error. I had no idea anybody was there and he had a run at the same time and I came down in front of him and he couldn't get slowed up from staying out of me. It was a hundred percent my fault," Kenseth said.
This race was supposed to be a learning session for NASCAR's redesigned race car. Drivers were hoping to learn more about the new cars as they have different driving characteristics. There are a shortage of the new cars and now this wreck does not help anyone. Many outside car vendors have struggled with the early demand for the new cars. Many teams were trying to play this race very conservative in order to prevent wrecks.
"There is definitely a shoartage of cars right now. There may not evn be an Unlimited practice because nobody...we can't lose a car. We lost that one at the test, which you don't expect, so we need to make it through," driver Kasey Kahne said.
Many teams had to sit out the second practice of the night due to the crash in order to preserve their cars.
