Zane Smith's Daytona Lead Ends in Crash

Zane Smith was leading the NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona when the white flag was waved, marking a critical moment in his pursuit of a first career win. This race was his 107th start in the series, and he aimed to become the 210th different winner in Cup history.

During the final overtime restart, Smith was in front with Ryan Blaney pushing him, while Ryan Preece and Tyler Reddick were positioned behind. As they approached the white flag, Smith had to choose which lane to block. He initially moved to the middle and then to the top, but as they entered Turns 1 and 2, Reddick attempted to pass on the outside. Their cars made contact, causing Smith to lose control and crash into the wall, resulting in a multi-car pileup that left him finishing in 32nd place.

After the race, Smith expressed his frustration, stating he felt he didn't have a chance to survive the incident. Reddick, who finished third, explained that he was unable to lift off Smith without losing momentum, leading to the collision.