At least seven drivers were involved in a crash during the final practice for the Budweiser Shootout Friday night at Daytona International Speedway, including those of Hendrick Motorsports’ Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon and that of Penske Racing’s Ryan Newman. The incident started when Richard Childress Racing’s Clint Bowyer moved inside Newman and the two made contact.

“It shouldn’t have happened,” Bowyer said. “I got underneath him. The 41 [of Reed Sorenson, behind me] was pushing pretty hard, and I knew I wasn’t trying to push the envelope. [Newman] came back down, and I was trying to let off. It’s just unfortunate for everybody. … I just got under him. I tried to stop and there was no more room.”

Newman’s Dodge spun up the track and into the path of Johnson.

“Once [Bowyer] got underneath me, it was either turn right and go into the corner with a guy on the outside of me or count on him checking up,” Newman said. “He said he checked up, he just didn’t check up enough. He didn’t mean to turn me around, but that’s the way it happened.”

Gordon said the conditions on the race track are such that the multicar incident will not be the only one of the weekend. He wasn’t wrong as moments later, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Tony Stewart, Penske Racing’s Kurt Busch and JGR’s Denny Hamlin were involved in a second crash.

“There’s going to be a whole lot more excitement to come,” he said. “…I was in the exact position I wanted to be in - in the back, trying to get to the front to see what it’s going to be like tomorrow night. But I knew there was a risk that could happen and I’m sure it won’t be the last time.”

SceneDaily.com