we had a lot of corporate executives from smithfield there. obviously they -- you know, they've invested in me and making the switch over to stewart-haas racing. to have their support and the support from ford motor company, i wanted to make sure i got that in there. that's important to me. in our day and age, the sponsors and the manufacturer supports are what makes this go around. i wanted to use that opportunity to talk about the positive and not focus on the fact that things didn't go my way. >> you have to be proud of yourself. you had to be pretty happy as a driver that you put yourself in a position to win our biggest race. >> i was. you know, i think for me, you know, when i look back on it, i've replayed that a million times in my head like what could i have done different to win that race. it's a big race for all of us. i grew up as a kid in tampa, florida, two hours away. i've been going to that race since i was a kid. to win the daytona 500 would be the ultimate. to have myself in that position and literally be a half a lap away fr

i wanted to get smithfield to victory lane, ford to victory lane. put so much into me and my career and with this switch over to stewart-haas racing this off-season. i couldn't have thought of a better way to start off the new relationship with -- stewart-haas racing than to go to victory lane at the daytona 500. unfortunately, that wasn't the case. i did everything i could. unfortunately i ended up in the infield care center. i'm definitely devastated but the beauty is there's always next week. we'll go to atlanta and try and go win with smithfield and ford there. >> aric almirola, so close but ends up tenth. >> ryan blaney has come so close today. you led over 100 laps in the race. had one of the dominant race cars. talk about what happened in turn two. >> yes, the wreck there -- well, before i lost the lead, just blocking as hard as you can. i got loose and thought we made a decent charge back up through and i kind of got to the left of the 41 and i had somebody push me from behind. i turn him. you never want to do that. it's a shame you don't cl

we had a lot of corporate executives from smithfield there.in me and making the switch over to stewart-haas racing. to have their support and the support from ford motor company, i wanted to make sure i got that in there. that's important to me. in our day and age, the sponsors and the manufacturer supports are what makes this go around. i wanted to use that opportunity to talk about the positive and not focus on the fact that things didn't go my way. >> you have to be proud of yourself. you had to be pretty happy as a driver that you put yourself in a position to win our biggest race. >> i was. you know, i think for me, you know, when i look back on it, i've replayed that a million times in my head like what could i have done different to win that race. it's a big race for all of us. i grew up as a kid in tampa, florida, two hours away. i've been going to that race since i was a kid. to win the daytona 500 would be the ultimate. to have myself in that position and literally be a half a lap away from winning the daytona 500, i was proud of tha