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Speaking of 'parking', very little of it going on today. Having 46 entries for this race meant three non-qualifiers meant most people who taking the start were actually there to compete.
(That wasn't a start and park rant either. Just an observation)
(That wasn't a start and park rant either. Just an observation)
The ailing Kurt Busch gets lapped by Harvick. Busch is lapping a second off the pace (which is a hefty amount when a flying lap is 27s) but is still up in 18th place so won't be parking this car unless he absolutely has to.
Planes
We said earlier that 50 planes took part in the pre-race fly-past. Now you can count them.
Johnson takes fourth place from Keselowski.
Bit of a worry for the race-leading Stewart-Haas team - Harvick's team-mate Kurt Busch is sliding down the order and complaining of a fading engine.
Judging by his long-run pace so far today, Earnhardt is probably Harvick's biggest threat.
Following up a Daytona 500 win with a victory in round two is very rare, so the odds are against Earnhardt.
In fact it's only happened twice since Daytona became season-opener in 1982 - Jeff Gordon did it in 1997 (when round two was at Rockingham) and Matt Kenseth did it in 2009.
Following up a Daytona 500 win with a victory in round two is very rare, so the odds are against Earnhardt.
In fact it's only happened twice since Daytona became season-opener in 1982 - Jeff Gordon did it in 1997 (when round two was at Rockingham) and Matt Kenseth did it in 2009.
Here comes Earnhardt again, he passes Logano for second and is 0.9s behind leader Harvick.
Another man making sly progress up the order is Tony Stewart, who's now ninth.
Stewart's friend and hero AJ Foyt is present at Phoenix this weekend, and during his media session this morning the US legend made clear that anyone criticising Stewart for breaking a leg while racing sprint cars last summer or who thought 'Smoke' would struggle to battle back from the injury was out of line.
And as it's pretty foolish to argue with AJ Foyt, we should probably consider those topics now closed. Forever.
Stewart's friend and hero AJ Foyt is present at Phoenix this weekend, and during his media session this morning the US legend made clear that anyone criticising Stewart for breaking a leg while racing sprint cars last summer or who thought 'Smoke' would struggle to battle back from the injury was out of line.
And as it's pretty foolish to argue with AJ Foyt, we should probably consider those topics now closed. Forever.
Keselowski tried to attack Logano and Harvick on the restart but now he's falling back. Earnhardt takes third from the poleman and Johnson is on him too.
Pitting under that yellow has livened Kyle Busch's day up even if it's not yet clear if the tactic will pay off. He's in the middle of some two-and-three-abreast racing with Bowyer among others.
Big slide for Earnhardt but he keeps it out of wall and hangs on for fourth ahead of Johnson.
Green flag
The race restarts again on lap 191 of 312.
Quote
Patrick somewhat unhappy on the radio: "God. All the luck we have is bad. God."
Leaders stay on track, but a few from lower down the lead group head for the pits, the first of them Kyle Busch from 10th place.
McMurray, who started third but had fallen outside the top 10, also pits.
McMurray, who started third but had fallen outside the top 10, also pits.
Crash
A puncture for Patrick that time, and she spins into the Turn 1 wall.
Yellow flag
Another yellow, and it's due to another crash for Patrick.
Logano isn't letting Harvick escape this time, and if anything is closing in on the leader, bringing Keselowski and Earnhardt with him.
Edwards is making quiet progress into contention and is now in sixth place.
Matt Kenseth is rising up the order too, and is now eighth. The last Phoenix Cup race all-but-ended Kenseth's 2013 Cup title hopes, as he struggled to 21st and let Johnson make a break in the points.
Matt Kenseth is rising up the order too, and is now eighth. The last Phoenix Cup race all-but-ended Kenseth's 2013 Cup title hopes, as he struggled to 21st and let Johnson make a break in the points.
Green flag
Green again on lap 175, Harvick gets clear of Logano, who comes straight under heavy pressure from team-mate Keselowski.
Earnhardt lost some ground and is being attacked for fourth by Johnson.
Earnhardt lost some ground and is being attacked for fourth by Johnson.
Crash
Everyone involved in that collision made it back to the pits for repairs and will continue with patched-up cars.
Patrick currently venting extensively about Allgaier over the radio.
Patrick currently venting extensively about Allgaier over the radio.
We've only just had pitstops for the leaders under that last yellow, but Biffle and Almirola come in to top up on fuel, which might give them a few more options later.
Crash
Looks like Patrick and Allgaier tangled initially, with Kvapil then hitting both.
Allgaier's HScott Chevrolet is already being plastered with all the tank tape in the world in the pits.
Allgaier's HScott Chevrolet is already being plastered with all the tank tape in the world in the pits.
Crash
Danica Patrick, Justin Allgaier and Travis Kvapil are among those tangled up at Turn 2.
Yellow flag
Multi-car crash on the restart lap, back to yellow.
Harvick gets a break from Logano immediately, while Earnhardt and Keselowski stay side by side for third.
Green flag
About to resume racing with 142 laps to go.
Crash
Vickers hit the wall after the pace car came out. Looks like a tyre went down and caused him to understeer into the barriers. Plenty of bodywork damage but he's still rolling.
Harvick stays in the lead, but changes behind: Logano to second ahead of Earnhardt and Keselowski.
Kurt Busch jumped from eighth to fifth, ahead of Johnson, Edwards, Gordon, Hamlin and Kyle Busch.
Kurt Busch jumped from eighth to fifth, ahead of Johnson, Edwards, Gordon, Hamlin and Kyle Busch.
Crash
Brian Vickers appears to be dangling a load of rear bodywork from his Waltrip Toyota. Not yet clear how that happened.
Good timing for a pitstop for the leaders and they all surge in.
Yellow flag
Yellow for debris.
Debris or because nothing much was happening, one of the two.
Debris or because nothing much was happening, one of the two.
Top 20 running order as we pass half-distance:
1 Harvick; 2 Earnhardt; 3 Keselowski; 4 Logano; 5 Johnson; 6 Gordon; 7 Kyle Busch; 8 Kurt Busch; 9 Edwards; 10 Kenseth; 11 Hamlin; 12 Almirola; 13 Newman; 14 McMurray; 15 Stewart; 16 Biffle; 17 Vickers; 18 Larson; 19 Menard; 20 Bowyer.
1 Harvick; 2 Earnhardt; 3 Keselowski; 4 Logano; 5 Johnson; 6 Gordon; 7 Kyle Busch; 8 Kurt Busch; 9 Edwards; 10 Kenseth; 11 Hamlin; 12 Almirola; 13 Newman; 14 McMurray; 15 Stewart; 16 Biffle; 17 Vickers; 18 Larson; 19 Menard; 20 Bowyer.
Keselowski finally sneaks past Logano to take third place back, having been working on his Penske team-mate all afternoon so far.
Lots of drivers reporting debris on the radio but NASCAR officials say no problems and no yellow.
Earnhardt is getting held up in big traffic congestion, allowing Harvick's lead to grow to a biggest-yet 1.9s.
Nothing to choose between the Penske boys again - Keselowski all over the back of Logano as they squeeze past Clint Bowyer to lap the Waltrip Toyota.
Harvick is poised to lap Larson, who qualified seventh but has drifted back to 18th.
Dale Earnhardt Jr
Earnhardt has fallen 1.2s behind Harvick in second place. He's in a different Hendrick Chevy this weekend as his Daytona 500-winning car was driven straight into the Daytona museum post-race, as is tradition.
It will stay in there for the year, complete with the ticker tape from the victory lane celebrations, and a big chunk of debris on the front end from the wild final part of the race.
Harvick and Earnhardt are flying up front. They're nearly five seconds clear of Logano and Keselowski, who have Gordon and Johnson closing in on them, and are about to lap 20th-placed Martin Truex Jr.
Harvick stays up front, now 0.7s ahead of Earnhardt.
The Penske team-mates are now all over each other for third. Logano lost a little momentum dodging Denny Hamlin in pitlane and is now having to work hard to fend Keselowski off.
Logano decided Patrick wasn't getting out of his way quite quick enough there, and gave the Stewart-Haas Chevy a minor shove while lapping Danica.
The Penske team-mates are now all over each other for third. Logano lost a little momentum dodging Denny Hamlin in pitlane and is now having to work hard to fend Keselowski off.
Logano decided Patrick wasn't getting out of his way quite quick enough there, and gave the Stewart-Haas Chevy a minor shove while lapping Danica.
By: Matt Beer
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