Long: Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Blaney experience Daytona’s roller coaster of emotions

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — It does not matter that Jimmie Johnson is a seven-time champion, two-time Daytona 500 winner and one of the newest presenters of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

It does not matter that Ryan Blaney is the reigning Cup champion, one of the stars of the Netflix NASCAR series and a driver who could help carry the sport forward.

Racing does not care.

Racing is fickle. It rewards some and tortures others.

Racing is frantic. Hear Johnson’s rising voice on the radio when it appeared he would fail to make Sunday’s Daytona 500 and Blaney’s heated words after he was eliminated in a crash.

Emotions are often abundant on the night of the qualifying races — which set the lineup for the Daytona 500 — but this time it was two champions who experienced the highs and lows of this famous speedway.

Starting lineup for 2024 Daytona 500

Joey Logano and Michael McDowell will start on the front row for Sunday’s race.

Racing against JJ Yeley for a transfer spot to the sport’s biggest race, Johnson was stuck in the back of the pack coming to the white flag in his qualifying race. He watched Yeley — who only got his ride with NY Racing Team this week — pass on the outside.

Johnson was in this predicament because the co-owner of Legacy Motor Club is running a nine-race schedule this season and does not have a charter (and guarantee) of making the race. He had to earn his spot.

Entering Turn 3, Yeley held a one-car lead on Johnson when Johnson’s mind drifted to the ignominy of getting beat for a spot in the Daytona 500 by a team that had not run a Cup race in 10 months.

“I’m not going to make the Daytona 500,” Johnson later said he thought to himself. “I’ll have to call all of our partners. I might have to stand in the suite and shake hands during the 500 and not drive a car.”

Yeley, a former dirt car champion who has survived to make 378 Cup starts, admits he was “racing for my life. … It was David vs. Goliath.”

When Ross Chastain slowed in Turn 4, Yeley went to the outside of Chastain but couldn’t clear him.

“I didn’t have a dancing partner coming to the checkered,” Yeley said.

Martin Truex Jr. shoved Johnson, who pushed Chastain’s car by Yeley to help Johnson finish 12th and make the the 500.

“I just have such a better appreciation for what many have gone through to race in,” Johnson said afterward.

He nearly didn’t make it to the end. Johnson was collected in an incident 10 laps from the finish. Johnson’s car slid along with others. Johnson nearly straightened the car before it slid sideways. He continued after a pit stop for tires.

Blaney was not so fortunate during his qualifying race. With 12 laps to go, the top line bunched up in the tri-oval and a bump from behind sent William Byron into the right rear of Blaney’s car, shooting it up the track and into the wall.

Blaney has had his share of hard hits in the last year. He was hooked in the right rear in last August’s race at Daytona and slammed into the wall. He hit an inside wall at Nashville that was not protected by a SAFER barrier last June.

Now this.

“I’m pissed,” Blaney said Thursday night. “I’m pissed. I’m sick of getting right reared by someone else’s awful push. I’m pissed that we have (to go to) a backup car for the 500.

“Did everything right tonight and now we have to work our ass off the next two days trying to get the 500 car. I’m pissed, and I have every right to be pissed.”

William Byron was being pushed by Kyle Busch, who was pushed by Brad Keselowski and that sent Byron into Blaney.

“I was tight to Kyle,” Keselowski said. “I saw it. I checked up. I got off his bumper just in time for him to get into the back of (Byron) and check up and I hit him again. I think (Byron) was already spinning by then. Just how these deals go.”

Racing doesn’t matter if one is royalty or a regular folk. At Daytona, all are often treated the same.

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