There are a ton of things that keep me watching NASCAR. One of the huge things is the joy of watching redemption in the sport. Whether it be the greats like Dale Earnhardt finally winning a Daytona 500. Or maybe it’s as simple as Kyle Busch winning his first title after breaking his leg in a horrible accident earlier in the year. Well, we got to see a prime example of that yesterday. When a man in Ricky Stenhouse who lost his job, in what some would call shady fashion. This man was able to come out less than a year after that and claim a pole for the biggest race of the season yesterday before the crash I mean Busch Clash.
Ricky came out for his first outing with a new team in JTG Daugherty and heck even a new manufacturer for the first time in his NASCAR career. This man was looking for a sense of redemption. He wanted to maybe even prove to some in the fan base and the sport that he still belonged. Well he had to climb the what some would say mountain of obtaining a Daytona 500 pole in Hendrick Motorsports. They have won the last five pole positions spots. They knew what and how to start up front at Daytona.
Well, Ricky Stenhouse came out and gave all of his doubters and the previous team even the perennial bird some would say. This man’s Hendrick powered Camaro went out and dominated. In his first competitive seat time in the No. 47 with his mullet and all he clocked a 46.253-second lap. He clocked his car at 194.582 mph which is blistering fast for his third career pole award. His first at Daytona and a little bit of redemption got claimed in the process. He went onto thank multiple people back at the shop, and even vouched for the Hendrick power even though he didn’t need to with all four HMS cars notching speeds directly behind.
So, there it is ladies and gentlemen. Ricky Stenhouse won the pole and gets to throw up the first “bird” of the season to everyone. Yes, you really read that correctly. Really though everyone, I mean you still have people saying things such as “Will he even get through ten laps?” or my favorite being “Can he even lead the field through turn one without a wreck?” Listen here race fans, this all is yet to be seen. I mean honestly, the man has to take that pole-winning car and possibly fend his way through his duel race Thursday. If he does that we will see how he does Sunday, but until then enjoy your little taste of early season redemption for the now small team driver Ricky Stenhouse.
