“That Was Due” – Denny Hamlin Gives Exhausted CTS Winner His Flowers for This First Daytona Win

From escaping an early multi-truck wreck to steering clear of a final-lap carnage, Nick Sanchez emerged victorious in a wild and chaotic Fresh From Florida 250, claiming his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win at the gloried Daytona International Speedway. The 22-year-old Florida native persevered through a multi-truck wreck coming into lap 6, sustained damage to his No. 2 Rev Racing Chevrolet Silverado RST, and navigated multiple additional race restarts amid numerous on-track carnages before claiming the checkered flag in a chaotic overtime finish.

Surprisingly, Joe Gibbs Racing’s #11 and the charismatic host of ‘Actions Detrimental,’ Denny Hamlin praised the 2023 Truck Series ROTY’s composure as he strategically positioned himself amidst front-runners throughout the draft. Taking the lead with 40 laps remaining, his adept drafting prowess and a little bit of luck ultimately sealed his victory in just his 24th Truck Series start.

Denny Hamlin recognizes a star when he sees one

This is high praise coming towards Sanchez from a three-time Daytona 500 winner. Hamlin took a moment to acknowledge Nick Sanchez’s victory on the latest episode of his ‘Actions Detrimental’ podcast. “A great job by him… That was due… I think last year was his rookie year but he sat on a bunch of poles and he had speed, that kid’s got a lot of speed. I like what we’re seeing out of Nick. He’s got a bright future ahead of him and he’ll be on the ‘next’ list.”

The co-owner of the newest Cup Series franchise, 23XI Racing alongside the great Michael Jordan, showered his praises further for Nick Sanchez. “You always see these lists coming out from journalists on you know new prospects coming in. Who are the top 20 prospects coming in. For the Cup Series over the next 10 years or so, Nick Sanchez surely will be on that list. He’s been successful in each ranking that he’s been in. And that’s the key that you look for as a team owner. Someone who continues to win and runs up front in every level you throw at them. So shoutout to him,” he said. 

Hamlin also reflected on the collective sentiment behind the thrilling but chaotic nature of the Truck Series season opener, noting, “I thought the Truck Race was very good, it was a lot of wrecks though. I saw some stats on the Truck series, and a lot of people were kind of exhausted with all the wrecks that happened in the Truck series. It’s just that’s what you’re gonna get with this type of Aerodynamic package,” emphasizing that the Trucks in use are similar to Cup Series cars in the sense that they provide equal amounts of drag force on the racetracks.

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A ‘demolition derby’ to win the checkered flag

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From the onset, the race proved to be a test of skill and endurance for Sanchez and others involved. Amidst a fifth-lap multi-truck wreck that resulted in cosmetic damage to his #2 Silverado RST causing the #2 team to rethink their box strategies, Sanchez displayed composure way beyond his years as he strategically positioned himself amidst front-runners throughout the race.

Moreover, the emotional maturity of Sanchez shone through as he celebrated his inaugural Truck Series victory in a post-race interview with FOX. “Pretty surreal, especially with how the race started. A big thanks to my team, sticking with me all last year. We were winless. It hurt. We should’ve won, but we redeemed ourselves in the first race possible. [It’s] Definitely gonna be a good year,” expressed the 2022 Arca Menards Series champion post-victory.

Nevertheless, the Fresh from Florida 250 Truck race felt like a demolition derby with checkered flags. With Ty Majeski starting in the pole position, early wrecks and caution periods reshaped the entire dynamics of the much-anticipated race. First, there was the “Big One” on lap 6. This one took out a bunch of contenders, including Nick Sanchez himself. But like a true champion, he patched up his truck and kept going. Next, the late-race restarts were like accident magnets. Each time the green flag flew, it seemed like someone was eager to trade paint (or maybe trade metal?).

Finally, the last lap was a demolition derby waiting to happen. Trucks were pinballing off each other, and poor Taylor Gray got flipped upside down! Luckily, everyone walked away okay, but it was a chaotic ending to a chaotic race.  Were there a lot of crashes? Absolutely. Was it exciting? You bet! But hey, that’s Daytona for you – unpredictable, intense, and always a little bit crazy.

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