Sanchez Learns from Rookie Mistakes, Gets First Truck Series Win at Daytona
Credit: DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 16: Nick Sanchez, driver of the #2 Gainbridge Chevrolet, Rajah Caruth, driver of the #71 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, Taylor Gray, driver of the #17 JBL Toyota, Corey LaJoie, driver of the #7 Bluegreen Vacations Chevrolet, and Jack Wood, driver of the #91 Klotz Synthetics Chevrolet, race during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Fresh from Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2024 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Last year, Nick Sanchez came close to winning a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race on a number of occasions, but was never able to seal the deal. Friday night at Daytona International Speedway, Sanchez proved that he had learned from his rookie season mistakes and went on to win the Fresh from Florida 250 in overtime. Having gone through all the heartbreaks Sanchez had in ’23 made his first win all the sweeter.
“A hundred percent. It definitely did. You look at my stats from last year and every box is checked I guess but a championship and a win, right? Stage wins, laps led sweeping, everything. We did everything. We were up front every week, and it never panned out.
“I take the blame for a lot of it, small mistakes. And I knew this year I didn’t have the rookie excuse. You can’t make the same mistake twice. I feel like I definitely lost Atlanta last year on my end, and hopefully I redeemed myself tonight on that. I definitely rank this one up there with Atlanta as races that probably should have won, that we won, so a little redemption from there, and I’m just happy to get the first one.
“The first one in my opinion is the hardest,” Sanchez continued, “and it’s even harder when you’re so close and you lead laps and you do everything but win. It really sucks to get poles and all that stuff and not come back with trophies.”
Credit: DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 16: Nick Sanchez, driver of the #2 Gainbridge Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Fresh from Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2024 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
Not only was the win the first for Sanchez, it was also the first in the truck series for Max Siegel and Rev Racing, coming on the 20th anniversary of the Drive 4 Diversity Driver Development Program, of which Sanchez, a Cuban American, is alumni.
“Yeah, I definitely think it’s big, and obviously Max, I’ve been with Max since 2017 in Legends cars, so we’ve come up through the ranks together from grass-roots all the way to here.
“This is his first win in the Truck Series. It’s pretty cool because I know it’s just going to put more eyes on Rev Racing, more eyes on the program, and showing that it works and it’s proven, and now our goal is to do it on Sundays.”
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