Rockford, Not Roscoe Wins at Daytona 2/24/13
By: Scott Leber
Updated: February 24, 2013
Rockford, Illinois-Roscoe native Danica Patrick didn't win the Daytona 500 Sunday, but Rockford's Chad Knaus did. Knaus is the crew chief for the 88 car and Jimmie Johnson. That was the car that took the checkered flag.
Patrick ran near the top of the pack all day after starting from the pole. She fell behind Jeff Gordon almost immediatly after the start of the race, but midway through the race should would become the first woman ever to lead a complete lap. She led five laps in all. She was in third place heading into the final lap, but five cars blew past her before the finish line.
"At the end of the day it was a solid day for the Go Daddy car and Go Daddy crew," said Patrick in an interview with Fox Sports. "They did a nice job in the pits. We stayed basically in the top ten all day long, so I can't really complain about that. It was nice."
It's Johnson's second Daytona 500 championship. Knaus was suspended for his first championship. Knaus wasn't at the track that day.
"It's an amazing thing," Knaus said to Fox Sports following the race. "Just being able to compete and battle for this win today was exhilarating. It was a lot of fun and to be able to see Jimmy drive the way he did, man it was a tone of fun. Whoever thought a guy from Rockford, Illinois the Rockford Speedway would be able to make it up here."
Patrick ran near the top of the pack all day after starting from the pole. She fell behind Jeff Gordon almost immediatly after the start of the race, but midway through the race should would become the first woman ever to lead a complete lap. She led five laps in all. She was in third place heading into the final lap, but five cars blew past her before the finish line.
"At the end of the day it was a solid day for the Go Daddy car and Go Daddy crew," said Patrick in an interview with Fox Sports. "They did a nice job in the pits. We stayed basically in the top ten all day long, so I can't really complain about that. It was nice."
It's Johnson's second Daytona 500 championship. Knaus was suspended for his first championship. Knaus wasn't at the track that day.
"It's an amazing thing," Knaus said to Fox Sports following the race. "Just being able to compete and battle for this win today was exhilarating. It was a lot of fun and to be able to see Jimmy drive the way he did, man it was a tone of fun. Whoever thought a guy from Rockford, Illinois the Rockford Speedway would be able to make it up here."
