Stewart Finishes 40th in Coke Zero 400

Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Ducks Unlimited Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), finished 40th in the rain-postponed Coke Zero 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race Sunday at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

Stewart was collected in a multicar accident on lap 20 of what eventually became a 112-lap event when rain cut the race short of its scheduled 160-lap distance.

“The No. 17 car (Ricky Stenhouse Jr.) got sideways on the lap that we’re all getting a competition caution,” said Stewart, a four-time winner of the Coke Zero 400 (2005, 2006, 2009 and 2012). “It didn’t make much sense to me. We were in good shape with our Bass Pro Shops/Ducks Unlimited Chevy, so it’s just dumb to be in this position this early.”

Stewart qualified 12th for the Coke Zero 400, which was postponed by NASCAR until Sunday due to rain Saturday night. Light showers delayed Sunday’s scheduled start time of 11 a.m. EDT and eventually forced NASCAR to display the red flag, temporarily halting the race. Stewart was in eighth place when green-flag racing began on lap 13 and took the lead just four laps later. He led three circuits around the 2.5-mile oval and was near the front just before the accident that collected him and 15 others.

The Bass Pro Shops/Ducks Unlimited team spent several laps in the garage making extensive repairs to the No. 14 Chevrolet. Stewart returned to the track in 40th place in an effort to pick up positions as attrition progressed. Rain showers that passed over the track after the halfway point, however, brought the race to an official conclusion before Stewart could take advantage.

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