3:57 p.m.: With obligations complete, it’s family time for Busch. In his arms is 21-month-old Lennix while Brexton, 8, inspects the car. Samantha returns from a separate conversation and the four are ready for family pictures — first with backs to the tri-oval then backs toward Turn 4.

3:58 p.m.: Burnett and team owner Richard Childress have a brief conversation, jovially interrupted by the towering Brad Daugherty, co-owner of Stenhouse’s No. 47 just next door. The trio shares laughs and hugs and wish each other luck. NASCAR President Steve Phelps drops in as well, sharing a pleasant conversation with Childress.

4 p.m.: Reddick stops by on the way to his car, laughing with the group he worked with from 2020-22. Childress, meanwhile, has found the Busches, chatting with Samantha while Brexton and a friend laugh at their side. Kyle is still holding Lennix, who looks content in dad’s arms.

4:05 p.m.: The Busch family gathers just outside the driver-side door, heads bowed as the pre-race prayer gets underway. Then their hands land over their hearts for the national anthem. The Thunderbirds rocket over the tri-oval to end it and the family shares one last moment together before Kyle climbs in.
Zach Sturniolo | NASCAR.com4:31 p.m.: The starter gives the signal: One lap until we go green. Alexander, Widener and Mchone take seats in front of the live monitor. Reid stands behind them looking at his laptop. An anxious energy has persisted from the grid to this moment. All they want is to see that green flag.

4:34 p.m.: The green flag is out for the Daytona 500.

Lap 6: Caution. Harrison Burton gets turned near the front of the field with Carson Hocevar, spins through the tri-oval grass and back into traffic where Austin Dillon and Kaz Grala hit him. Busch escapes without damage and now sits 26th. “All good so far,” reports Busch. Alexander signals to the pit crew they will stop for fuel only, which is completed with no issue at Lap 9, rejoining in 27th.

Lap 41: “We’re real close,” Burnett says about fuel. Busch will need to save. Through the on-track jostling, Busch pushes Chase Elliott all the way to the lead, but Busch needs to fall back a bit to the front bumper of Josh Berry.

Lap 54: “Pit this time. Do not slide your tires. Fuel only.” That’s the message delivered to Busch, who’s also reminded to adjust his brake bias before hitting pit road.

Lap 55: It’s a clean stop and Busch escapes with the lead of the Chevy mates he pitted with, ahead of William Byron, Elliott, Daniel Suárez, Kyle Larson, Alex Bowman and Ross Chastain.

Lap 62: The Chevys — tailed by three Toyotas — storm at full throttle past front-runners David Ragan and Ryan Preece, who are in fuel-save mode. Busch leads for the first time today.

Lap 65: It’s a photo finish for the stage win, but Elliott takes it over Larson. Busch crosses the line sixth to score five stage points as the caution flag waves. Busch describes the balance of his race car “unpredictable.” He says it’s a little tight because he loses the nose, so he’s using more wheel to pull it down with the front tires. “10-4, pal,” Burnett says. “We’ll pit for four (tires) when it opens.” Busch can go when the jack is dropped but will wait a second on fuel.

Lap 67: “Tire, tire, tire. Grab it, grab it, grab it.” The tire was wrangled, but not in enough time to avoid a safety violation for interference with the No. 45 group pitting Reddick’s car. That will be a penalty and send Busch to the tail of the field. “I don’t think we waited on fuel, did we? Did we get it?” asks Busch. “No, we didn’t get it all the way full,” Burnett confirms. “I’ll let you know how short we are in a minute.”

Lap 68: Kneeland laments losing the stage win but Burnett pumps him back up. “You did a great job there, though, man,” Burnett said. “Last to first almost.” Moments later, the fuel situation is also clarified: “It’s not cram-packed full of fuel, but it’s pretty full. We’re gonna stay out and race from here, pal.”

Lap 69: Well, staying out was the plan until the penalty is called from the tower. With a trip to the back of the field in sight, Burnett calls Busch back to pit road to top off for fuel ahead of the restart.

Lap 100: Halfway home in the Daytona 500. Burnett tells Kneeland they’re about 15-18 laps away from needing to pit. “We gonna have anybody to pit with?” Kneeland asks. “I’m working on it, Derek,” Burnett says. “Give me a minute.”

Lap 113: “Pit this time! Pit this time!” It’s a fuel-only stop as Busch arrives to the box without issue, on pit road the same time as Dillon, Stenhouse, Suárez, Hemric, Zane Smith, AJ Allmendinger and David Ragan. Busch leads the group off pit road.

Lap 123: Busch surges to the lead by himself and maintains the top lane with pushes from Byron and Allmendinger while Cindric, Blaney and Suárez push to their left. Cindric is aggressively side-drafting off through the corners, nearly pinching the No. 8 car to the wall through the 31-degree banking.

Lap 130: In the outside lane, Byron shoves Busch, trying to urge them to the front and win Stage 2. But the Penske teammates on the bottom have other thoughts. Blaney jives left from behind Cindric exiting Turn 4, sending Cindric to the outside lane as Blaney goes on to win the stage. Busch is fourth at the line for seven stage points. “Well, hell of a job again,” Burnett radios. “I would’ve never guessed the 12 would’ve shucked the 2 like that.”

Lap 133: Disaster looms. Busch leaves the pit box on the jack, but the left-front wheel was never tightened. Somehow, Busch nurses it all the way back around the 2.5-mile speedway with the wheel still attached to the car, despite sparks and a flat in the process.

Lap 134: Busch returns to the stall and gets a new left-front tire — safely secured this time through — with a top-off of Sunoco gasoline. He stays on the lead lap and returns to the tail of the field for the third time today, including the start.

Lap 149: Hello, Rowdy. Busch surges back to the lead in a three-wide move in the tri-oval. He continues to lead the middle lane with Alex Bowman in tow as the bottom falls back, while Denny Hamlin and LaJoie work to move the outside lane. Is this the year?