It was a quiet nine laps around Daytona when problems struck the No. 19 machine of Brandon Jones, while running up front and fighting for the lead with AJ Allmendinger water begins to boil out of the overflow.
Moments later Jones is on the radio to let the pit crew know the water pressure was pegged and without a way to unblock the grille Jones brings his car to pit road allowing the team to clean the grille off and send him back out.
With the competition caution within sight the battle for the lead continued with AJ Allmendinger and Noah Gragson out front swapping the lead out till the competition caution flew on lap 15.
This all working in Brandon Jones favor to get the free pass after falling a lap down in the early laps of the event. Jones and team would still need to come back once again to pit road to put water back in the car. This would be in vain as the engine had already suffered damage sending Jones to the garage.
Meanwhile while still under the caution and coming to green rain struck Daytona calling the cars to pit road and a sixteen plus hour long red flag ensued.
When racing continues shortly after noon a small incident involving four cars as they came down to finish stage one with Justin Haley leading the Kaulig group across the line to take the stage win.
As stage two breezed away with a caution or two for debris on the track it was yet again another Kaulig car of J. Burton taking the stage two win away.
Shortly after getting back underway in stage two a small incident off turn four for Colin Garrett spinning to bring out the caution which would end his day.
Just as things we starting to settle down Mills, Buford and Bacarella got collected up on the backstretch that would end the day for Bacarella.
With four to go it was Kaulig teaming up on Bell to make the pass for the lead as AJ Allmendinger making the move with J. Burton in tow.
Kaulig and crew would continue to control the front of the field as Bell and H. Burton tried to gang up on them to no avail. As the white flag was display and running down the back with AJ Allmendinger in control J. Burton and Haley made their move with the checkered flag within sight running three wide for the lead.
In the end it would be Justin Haley who would take the win by a mere 0.023 seconds over teammate AJ Allmendinger. Justin Allgaier Jeb Burton and Daniel Hemric would round out the top-five.
“This has just not been the best season, it’s been really, really hard on this No. 11 LeafFilter team all year. I was trying to formulate a plan there and obviously there were team orders. Hats off to Kaulig Racing. I think we’ve got the teammate thing down. It’s just so special to win here at Daytona.” Said Haley
The series moves on to the track Too Tough To Tame, Darlington Raceway next Saturday for the 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN for the VFW Help a Hero 200.
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