Sports

Suarez, Coby claim prizes at Daytona's 2nd annual UNOH Battle at the Beach

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Daniel Suarez won his second NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race in 48 hours as he surged to victory in the main event of Tuesday’s UNOH Battle At The Beach K&N Pro Series East race at Daytona International Speedway.

Suarez dominated the field, fending off several challengers to claim his second race this week in Florida. His win in the Sunoco Race Fuels Toyota comes on the heels of a season-opening victory Sunday at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway.

Suarez’s margin of victory was .596 seconds on the short track built on the backstretch of Daytona International Speedway.

The points-earning win is the Monterrey, Mexico native’s third victory in 32 NKNPS starts.  Suarez started Tuesday’s race in the sixth position.

“I have no words to explain how I feel right now,” said Suarez.  “This is a dream.”

Austin Hill finished second while Brandon McReynolds, son of two-time Daytona 500-winning crew chief Larry McReynolds, battled from 16th position to earn the third-place slot.

Last year’s inaugural UNOH Battle At The Beach K&N Series winner Cameron Hayley finished 14th.

The win marks Suarez's 17th career top-10 finish.  Suarez is a member of NASCAR's Next program that spotlights young talent in the sport.  He was the championship runner-up last season in the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series after finishing 2012 in third place.

Doug Coby Wins NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Race After Late-Race Restart

Doug Coby’s patience paid off with a race win in the second annual UNOH Battle At The Beach NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race.

Coby ran among the top five all night, trailing defending NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Ryan Preece for much of the race. Preece led 145 of the 150-lap (55.5 mile) feature event.  Dave Sapienza’s car made contact with the left rear of Preece during a restart following the eighth and final caution of the contest.  Coby took advantage of the bump and subsequent opening, darting to the lead and subsequent victory by a margin of .322 seconds.

Jason Myers finished second, while Luke Fleming took the third-place finish.  Preece, who started in the pole position, finished fourth.  Burt Myers rounded out the top five, giving Ford a manufacturer’s sweep.

“You just cross your fingers that the guy behind you would try something but not wreck you,” said Coby.  “I just got lucky that’s how it ended.”

Coby’s win is the second Battle At The Beach victory for his Ford team.  Steve Park won the inaugural race at Daytona last year.

Coby, who hails from Milford, Conn. and is the 2012 NWMT champion, started in the fifth position.  He finished fourth in the 2013 UNOH Battle At The Beach.