By Sarah Handy, Staff Writer
Spencer Boyd and the rest of the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Trucks Series entered the Daytona Road Course on Sunday afternoon with a lot of unknowns. No practice, no qualifying, just go out there and wheel it in the Sunoco 159.
The Race
Starting the 46-lap event from the 24th position, Boyd used stage one to feel out the track and hit his marks. Everything started out fine.
Then the No. 20 Dan-o’s Seasoning Chevrolet for Young’s Motorsports seemed to be down on power with a possible spark plug issue. Boyd would finish stage one in 29th. The No. 20 team made the ultimate decision to pop the hood on Boyd’s Chevrolet at the end of stage two, a stage he would go on to finish in 26th.
Even being down on power for a majority of the event and suffering a blistered heel, Boyd was able to wheel the Dan-o Seasoning Chevrolet to a solid 17th place finish on the Daytona Road Course. The finish marked Boyd’s best finish of 2020 thus far – his previous best was 18th at Kansas and gave him his third Top-20 on the year.
“The Daytona Road Course was toasty and I burned my heel and hand,” said Boyd. “But I had an absolute blast running a road course for the first time in a couple of years.”
Awesome is all I can say about the road course at @DISupdates!!! Daytona never disappoints the size, beauty and history at this place is humbling. Had a blast whippin the #20 @danosseasoning “Green Machine” bummer we had engine issues but still finished p17! #crewguys busted butt pic.twitter.com/WW6EK1nKxB
— Spencer Boyd (@SpencerBoyd) August 16, 2020
The Monster Mile
Spencer Boyd and the rest of the Truck Series will now shift their focus to Dover International Speedway, also know as the Monster Mile. Friday’s KDI Office Technology 200 will kick off the 13th event of the season at 5:00 p.m. ET.
Boyd will sport a new scheme for the 100-lap event as he welcomes Rich Mar Florist on board his No. 20 Chevrolet as a primary sponsor. The partnership isn’t a new one but now the company will adorn the whole truck as Boyd tackles the Monster Mile. Additionally, it also is Rich Mar Florist’s first primary sponsorship in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series.
This has been a long time coming! Excited to drive the @RichMarFlorist #20 Chevy at @MonsterMile this weekend! pic.twitter.com/28bzgDdmpJ
— Spencer Boyd (@SpencerBoyd) August 17, 2020
Rich Mar Florist
“Spencer [Boyd] and I have been talking about this moment since February. It was originally planned to assist him at Homestead but COVID had other plans,” Jonathan Morrissey, Vice President of Rich Mar Florist told Kickin’ the Tires. “Spencer is now fully equipped with our helmet and fire suit, and his crew will be rocking’ some amazing crew shirts and hats this week.”
Like Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania, the state in which Rich Mar Florist is based, Dover International Speedway in Delaware also serves as a home away from home for the company.
“This is a huge moment for us,” said Morrissey. “Not only is it our first primary with our new track partner, Dover International Speedway, like Pocono Raceway, Dover is our home away from home and we greatly appreciate our alliances with both Dover and Pocono. We are looking to build off that.”
Morrissey also talked to Kickin’ the Tires about Spencer as a brand ambassador and his finish at the Daytona Road Course this past Sunday.
“Spencer is a great brand ambassador not only for us but all of his sponsors. He makes the process so easy and keeps us fresh in the fans minds long before and after the race, expressed Morrissey. “Coming off his best finish of the season, we hope he continues that success this Friday and beyond. This is our last scheduled sponsorship for this season but as Spencer recently told me, “These are my colors now, you are stuck with me.” My response to him was, “I guess we can do all this again next season!”
“Both Spencer and I will the fans at the track, we will not be attending the race, but you can bet we will be glued to our TV and social media this weekend. Follow Rich Mar Florist on Instagram and Twitter at @richmarflorist.”
Boyd at Dover
Boyd has only made one previous NGROTS start at Dover. That start came last season in the No. 20 for Young’s Motorsports, he started the event in 27th and went on to finish 22nd.
However, Boyd also has some experience at the track in the NASCAR Xfinity Series having made two starts in 2018 and finishing 30th and 32nd (suspension), respectively.
“Dover is a monster – for real. It will be hot, it will be brutal but I’m looking forward to it,” Boyd told Kickin’ the Tires. “You got to love Dover for the big drop into the corner and the raw speed it has.”
Tune into the KDI Office Technology 200 from Dover International Speedway this Friday at 5:00 p.m. Eastern live on FS1.
Photo Credit: Nigel Kinrade Photography / NKP Photo