Daytona 500 2013 live results: Kyle Busch and Kasey Kahne take blame for lap 33 crash
Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
The first major accident of Sunday’s Daytona 500 began when Kyle Busch gave a shove to Kasey Kahne who bobbled and triggered a nine-car accident that also involved race favorites Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski. Casey Mears and Juan Pablo Montoya also suffered damage.
Kahne says he slowed to avoid getting into the bumper of Jeff Gordon which caused Busch to give him the shot that turned him sideways. Busch immediately came over the radio and took the blame, saying it was “his bad.”
For Kahne, the accident was a case of having nowhere to go.
“The cars in front of us just stalled and I slowed to not get into the back of Jeff’s bumper there.” Kahne said. “I got hit from behind. Kyle was probably pushed -- it just happened so quick... I wanted to race. I didn’t want to run single-file like this right up against the wall.”
Kahne’s team would repair his damaged car and get him back on the track but he currently sits 49 laps down and is racing just to collect points.
Both Harvick and Stewart, race winners in previous NASCAR races this week were dejected, and didn’t have a lot to offer.
“The no. 5 (Kahne) got sideways and Kevin got turned around,” Stewart said. “Kevin’s car went left so we went right thinking that was the right way to get through it. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed. We had a car that was really really good.”
Harvick echoed the three-time champion’s sentiments and chalked the accident up to restrictor plate racing.
“I let off a little bit to miss the wreck. It looked like the no. 18 hooked the no. 5 and that kind of started a chain reaction. I don’t know who was behind me, but just one of those deals.”
Harvick was going for the Speedweeks sweep after winning the Sprint Unlimited last Saturday and his Daytona Duel qualifying race.
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