Joe Laracuente: "doorstopnation.com returned to the track at Daytona on Ryan Hackett's truck a 15th plce finish awesome job!"















Joe Laracuente: "If it wasn't for that cut tire, damn.... even though 15th isn't bad, but Ryan will give them hell the rest of the season!"

Here's the PR
Hackett leaves Daytona with Career Best Finish
It was certainly not easy, but when the checkered flag waived on Saturday night, February 13th Ryan Hackett and the Ray Hackett Racing team scored a 15th place finish in the NextEra Energy Resources 250 at the historic Daytona International Speedway.
Led by crew chief Travis Sharpe the team concentrated mainly on qualifying runs during practice on Wednesday and Thursday. On Thursday evening Ryan needed to qualify in front of at least 6 drivers, not locked in by points in order to make the race.
Hackett was up to the task and actually out-qualified 10 of the drivers needing to qualify on time and gained a 27th place starting position. The race scheduled for Friday night was postponed due to heavy rains throughout the day in Daytona Beach and was set to start on Saturday instead.
Ryan and the #76 Sears Sand and Gravel, Ford F-Series team almost had their day cut short prior to the green flag even waiving. On the warm-up laps Ryan was on the bottom of the track and the truck to the top of him was weaving back and forth in order to clean his tires off.
A truck that had fallen out of line to gauge his pit road speed was going to get back in position by passing trucks on the right side. The truck cleaning its tires above Ryan did not see the truck on the right and swerved into his driver side door.
The truck immediately cranked his wheel to the left and ran into the rear quarter panel of Hackett’s #76. The damage was not severe and the pit crew members were able to get it fixed prior to the race starting. Once the race began Ryan and crew chief Sharpe made the decision to run in a pack of about 3 to 4 trucks that was behind the lead pack of trucks.
It turned out to be a very smart decision as the race would feature 7 caution flags and 23 of the 36 trucks in the event being damaged by accidents, several of which were too severe to return to the race. With about 5 laps remaining in the race Ryan worked his way up to 14th place and positioned himself in a pack of trucks to start to move up to the front of the lead pack.
Hackett ran his fastest laps of the race in the closing laps but a cut tire from the debris of a truck that hit the wall forced him to pit for a new right rear tire with just two laps remaining. Luckily Ryan only lost one spot and finished the race in 15th position.
Ryan and the team ended the long week with smiles on their faces and would like to thank Sears Sand and Gravel as well as Mullinax Ford, and Bill’s Title Service for coming on board to sponsor the season opening race. Ray Hackett Racing is still looking for additional sponsors to continue the momentum of Daytona into the rest of the season.

Joe Laracuente: "Did I forget to mention the Nationwide cars? Tony Raines finishes 14th and led 3 laps! Tony is my man! I will be back on his cars for a selected races this season!"





Joe Laracuente: "OK, sorry for those poor folks and or shut ins in the uni-bomber style shacks who still have dail up!"



Joe Laracuente: "Really is a shame Jason Keller missed this race due to rain, sad really Jason is the Nationwide Series!"