Red Bull Motor Sports Racing

It was a near miracle that 17 cars managed to finish on the lead lap Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway. Because in typical Daytona fashion, restrictor plates served up a super-sized portion of carnage.
There was the really big one. And then a bunch of little ones. Somehow, Scott Speed escaped a wild night relatively clean despite his No. 82 Red Bull Toyota being involved in a 20-car accident on lap 148. He finished 10th for his second top 10 of the season. It also was his best Daytona finish in four starts at the 2.5-mile oval that will soon undergo a repaving project, most likely robbing it of its trademark slipping and sliding.
Teammate Reed Sorenson, in his second race in the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota, found himself in same multi-car melee but rallied to finish eighth. And that's hardly the whole story. Sorenson drove a backup car in the race, this after his primary piece was junked during Thursday's practice.
The combined finish of 18 is the fourth best in the three-and-half-year history of Red Bull Racing Team.

Scott Speed, driver, No. 82: “After the first pit stop something happened to the thing and it really wouldn’t run very well down the straightaway and we were just doing everything we can to hold onto the back of the pack honestly. The thing handled great. It kept us to where we could keep up with everyone and basically it just kept us where we were out of all of the big ones. Somehow we got through the last one — I don’t know how It was all smoke and I just kind of went the right place at the right time. It was great for both of the Red Bull cars because Reed was running good all day and he got wrecked there at the end. So, for both of us to come back and get top 10s is good for Red Bull.”

Reed Sorenson, driver, No. 83: “The car was good. Obviously, it was a backup car — a brand new car. It was pretty good from the beginning of the race. We made our way up to about 15th under the green-flag runs. And then we had one run where we started up to the front and we fell back — we just weren’t good that run. Then, as soon as we pitted again and made a few more changes, we went back to a great car and ran in the top 10 there. So, real happy with the way the car handled all night. I’ve had really bad luck this weekend. Finally at the end, some doors opened in front of us right there on the last lap. Just the fact that we pulled out a backup car and it was that good … it’s pretty amazing. It’s definitely the best backup car I’ve ever had.”

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