What started as an incredible debut in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, has slowly devolved into a disaster for Jesse Love, defending champion of the ARCA Menards Series.
Love, who led the opening 32 laps of the United Rentals 300 from the pole position, was running just inside the top-10 — third in line in the middle — was unstable under pushing from John Hunter Nemechek, which led to the No. 2 getting hooked in the right-rear.
That contact triggered a multi-car incident, which collected several other drivers including AJ Allmendinger, Shane van Gisbergen, Sage Karam, Austin Hill, Frankie Muniz, Anthony Alfredo, Josh Williams, and several others.
BIG CRASH ? #NASCARonFS1 pic.twitter.com/kPdP6np84r
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Williams and Muniz were the only two drivers involved in the accident who were forced to retire from the event prematurely. Kligerman and Alfredo were able to continue in the event but fell multiple laps down.
After exiting the infield care center, Muniz commented on his shortened NASCAR Xfinity Series debut with Joey Gase Motorsports, which will result in a finish of 33rd.
“After that last cycle of pit stops, after the stage break, we decided to go back to the back,” Muniz said. “We wanted to keep riding around a little bit to get some experience. Our whole thing was just to be there at the end, so we were trying to be as safe as possible.”
“There was a bunch of pretty fast cars behind us, so I was just staying on the inside letting them go by and before I knew it I just saw a bunch of smoke and tons of cars going all over the place,” Muniz continued. “I thought I picked the right side to go through, but I just happened to go in the grass and the grass is still so wet from all the rain, so I just lost the rear and ran into someone.”
As of this weekend at Daytona, Muniz’s next start in the NASCAR Xfinity Series is currently unknown, but the former Hollywood movie star is scheduled to run part-time for Joey Gase Motorsports.
