The 2014 DRIVE4COPD 300 was the first stock car race of the 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series season, and the 33rd iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, February 22, 2014, in Daytona Beach, Florida at Daytona International Speedway, a 2.5 miles (4.0 km) permanent asphalt quad-oval superspeedway. The race was extended from 120 laps to 121 laps, due to a NASCAR overtime finish. At race's end, Regan Smith, driving for JR Motorsports, would hold off Brad Keselowski in a photo finish for his 4th career NASCAR Nationwide Series win. Smith would beat Keselowski by 0.013 second. To fill out the podium, Trevor Bayne of Roush Fenway Racing would finish third, respectively.
Background
The race was held at Daytona International Speedway, which is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, the most prestigious race in NASCAR as well as its season opening event. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, IMSA, SCCA, and Motocross. The track features multiple layouts including the primary high-speed tri-oval, a sports car course, a motorcycle course, and a karting and motorcycle flat-track. The track's infield includes the Lake Lloyd, which has hosted powerboat racing. The speedway is operated by NASCAR pursuant to a lease with the City of Daytona Beach on the property that runs until 2054.
Entry list
(R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
#DriverTeamMakeSponsor00Jason WhiteSR² MotorsportsToyotaPolice Sunglasses, Friday Night Tykes01Landon CassillJD MotorsportsChevroletG&K Services2Brian ScottRichard Childress RacingChevroletShore Lodge3Ty Dillon (R)Richard Childress RacingChevroletBass Pro Shops, Tracker Boats4Jeffrey EarnhardtJD MotorsportsChevroletFlex Steel6Trevor BayneRoush Fenway RacingFordAdvoCare7Regan SmithJR MotorsportsChevroletRagú9Chase Elliott (R)JR MotorsportsChevroletNAPA Auto Parts10David StarrTriStar MotorsportsToyotaBYF.org11Elliott SadlerJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaOneMain Financial13Carl LongMBM MotorsportsToyotaOCR Gaz Bar14Eric McClureTriStar MotorsportsToyotaHefty Ultimate, Reynolds Wrap15Carlos ContrerasRick Ware RacingFordRaceTrac16Ryan Reed (R)Roush Fenway RacingFordLilly Diabetes17Tanner Berryhill (R)Vision RacingDodgeBWP Bats19Mike BlissTriStar MotorsportsToyotaTweaker Energy Shot20Matt Kenseth (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyotaReser's Main Street Bistro22Brad Keselowski (i)Team PenskeFordDiscount Tire23Robert Richardson Jr.R3 MotorsportsChevroletCornboard24Harrison RhodesSR² MotorsportsToyotaHoodz-Ductz28Mike WallaceJGL RacingDodgeUnker's29Scott Lagasse Jr.RAB RacingToyotaAlert Today Florida30Danica Patrick (i)Turner Scott MotorsportsChevroletFlorida Lottery31Dylan Kwasniewski (R)Turner Scott MotorsportsChevroletRockstar, Fraternal Order of Eagles37Matt DiBenedettoVision RacingDodgeNational Cash Lenders39Ryan Sieg (R) (i)RSS RacingChevroletPull-A-Part40Josh Wise (i)The Motorsports GroupChevroletCurtis Key Plumbing42Kyle Larson (i)Turner Scott MotorsportsChevroletAxe43Dakoda Armstrong (R)Richard Petty MotorsportsFordWinField United44Blake KochTriStar MotorsportsToyotaSon of God51Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevroletJeremy Clements Racing52Joey GaseJimmy Means RacingChevroletTransLife54Kyle Busch (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyotaMonster Energy55Jamie DickViva MotorsportsChevroletViva Auto Group60Chris Buescher (R)Roush Fenway RacingFordFord EcoBoost62Brendan GaughanRichard Childress RacingChevroletSouth Point Hotel, Casino & Spa67Clay Greenfield (i)Martins MotorsportsDodgeMartins Motorsports70Derrike CopeDerrike Cope RacingChevroletCharliesoap.com74Mike HarmonMike Harmon RacingDodgeGenesis Auto Body76Willie Allen (i)Martins MotorsportsDodgeDiamond Gusset Jeans, Alpha Pro Solutions80Johnny Sauter (i)Hattori Racing EnterprisesToyotaGoodyear84Chad Boat (R)Billy Boat MotorsportsChevroletCorvetteParts.net85Bobby GerhartBobby Gerhart RacingChevroletLucas Oil87Joe Nemechek (i)NEMCO-Jay Robinson RacingToyotaD. A. B. Constructors, pelletgrillusa.com88Dale Earnhardt Jr. (i)JR MotorsportsChevroletTaxSlayer91Jeff GreenTriStar MotorsportsToyota93Matt CarterJGL RacingDodgeGuardian Digital Furnaces98David Ragan (i)Biagi-DenBeste RacingFordCarroll Shelby Engine Company99James BuescherRAB RacingToyotaRheemOfficial entry list
Practice
First practice The first practice session was held on Thursday, February 20, at 12:00 PM EST, and would last for 85 minutes. Elliott Sadler of Joe Gibbs Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 47.876 and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed111Elliott SadlerJoe Gibbs RacingToyota47.876187.986220Matt Kenseth (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota47.904187.876354Kyle Busch (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota47.937187.746Full first practice results
Second and final practice The third and final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Thursday, February 20, at 3:00 PM EST, and would last for 85 minutes. Bobby Gerhart of Bobby Gerhart Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 47.533 and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed185Bobby GerhartBobby Gerhart RacingChevrolet47.533189.342229Scott Lagasse Jr.RAB RacingToyota47.559189.239316Ryan Reed (R)Roush Fenway RacingFord47.710188.640Full Happy Hour practice results
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Friday, February 21, at 1:10 PM EST. Since Daytona International Speedway is at least , the qualifying system was a multi-car system that included three rounds. The first round was 25 minutes, where every driver would be able to set a lap within the 25 minutes. Then, the second round would consist of the fastest 24 cars in Round 1, and drivers would have 10 minutes to set a lap. Round 3 consisted of the fastest 12 drivers from Round 2, and the drivers would have 5 minutes to set a time. Whoever was fastest in Round 3 would win the pole.
Qualifying was cancelled after the first round, due to inclement weather. Dylan Kwasniewski of Turner Scott Motorsports would win the pole after setting a fast enough time in the round, with a time of 46.856 and an average speed of .
Nine drivers would fail to qualify: David Ragan, Tanner Berryhill, Chris Buescher, Willie Allen, Matt Carter, Matt DiBenedetto, Carl Long, Carlos Contreras, and Clay Greenfield.
Full qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed131Dylan Kwasniewski (R)Turner Scott MotorsportsChevrolet46.856192.078242Kyle Larson (i)Turner Scott MotorsportsChevrolet46.857192.074330Danica Patrick (i)Turner Scott MotorsportsChevrolet46.867192.033454Kyle Busch (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota46.968191.620511Elliott SadlerJoe Gibbs RacingToyota46.968191.620620Matt Kenseth (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota46.982191.563755Jamie DickViva MotorsportsChevrolet47.173190.787891Jeff GreenTriStar MotorsportsToyota47.174190.783980Johnny Sauter (i)Hattori Racing EnterprisesToyota47.185190.7391010David StarrTriStar MotorsportsToyota47.189190.7221144Blake KochTriStar MotorsportsToyota47.201190.6741219Mike BlissTriStar MotorsportsToyota47.208190.6461314Eric McClureTriStar MotorsportsToyota47.213190.6251499James BuescherRAB RacingToyota47.274190.3791524Harrison RhodesSR² MotorsportsToyota47.383189.9421688Dale Earnhardt Jr. (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet47.391189.9091722Brad Keselowski (i)Team PenskeFord47.407189.8451885Bobby GerhartBobby Gerhart RacingChevrolet47.414189.817197Regan SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet47.431189.749202Brian ScottRichard Childress RacingChevrolet47.432189.7452123Robert Richardson Jr.R3 MotorsportsChevrolet47.454189.6572229Scott Lagasse Jr.RAB RacingToyota47.455189.653233Ty Dillon (i)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet47.474189.5772428Mike WallaceJGL RacingDodge47.476189.5692587Joe Nemechek (i)NEMCO-Jay Robinson RacingToyota47.476189.569269Chase Elliott (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet47.484189.5382762Brendan GaughanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet47.517189.4062800Jason WhiteSR² MotorsportsToyota47.559189.2392939Ryan Sieg (R) (i)RSS RacingChevrolet47.575189.1753043Dakoda Armstrong (R)Richard Petty MotorsportsFord47.719188.604316Trevor BayneRoush Fenway RacingFord47.741188.5173240Josh Wise (i)The Motorsports GroupChevrolet47.941187.731Qualified by owner's points3351Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet47.991187.5353401Landon CassillJD MotorsportsChevrolet48.122187.0253570Derrike CopeDerrike Cope RacingChevrolet48.885184.1063652Joey GaseJimmy Means RacingChevrolet49.361182.330374Jeffrey EarnhardtJD MotorsportsChevrolet49.659181.2363874Mike HarmonMike Harmon RacingDodge50.094179.6623916Ryan Reed (R)Roush Fenway RacingFord - -Qualified by time4084Chad Boat (R)Billy Boat MotorsportsChevrolet47.559189.239Failed to qualify4198David Ragan (i)Biagi-DenBeste RacingFord47.676188.7744217Tanner Berryhill (R)Vision RacingDodge47.688188.7274360Chris Buescher (R)Roush Fenway RacingFord47.730188.5614476Willie Allen (i)Martins MotorsportsDodge47.745188.5014593Matt CarterJGL RacingDodge47.761188.4384637Matt DiBenedettoVision RacingDodge47.768188.4114713Carl LongMBM MotorsportsToyota48.053187.2934815Carlos ContrerasRick Ware RacingFord48.565185.3194967Clay Greenfield (i)Martins MotorsportsDodge48.648185.002Official starting lineup
Race results