Long Haul

Ten

With the pace laps started Ashton got everything set so she could hear her husband on the radio. She also made sure both Dayton and Bristol had their soundproof headphones on to protect their little ears.

"Let's get a Daytona win, have a good race. Ash, I love you, and I love my girls," Kade said, saying it before every race they ran.

"I love you too," she said to herself, taking a breath before she watched him come back around the track.

She watched the TV monitors as they decided to talk to Kade in the car. She switched to her Fox Sports app so she could hear what he had to say.

"Hey, Kade it's Tony up in the booth. You got me?" Tony Stewart asked him, waiting for a response.

"Yeah. I got ya," Kade answered.

"Daytona 500. I know this is a big one for you, what are you gonna do to win here tonight?"

"Anything I can. This place is already special and it can only get more special with a 500 win," he answered, moving his car back and forth to warm up the tires.

"You're starting in 21st. How much did you and Jack talk last night about strategy and what you can do to make it to the front?"

"I didn't get back to my bus until almost 11:30 last night with how much we were talking. We feel like we have a good chance and we're gonna do whatever we can to get the win," he smiled a little, hoping he was right and all of the talking and strategizing through the last few days was worth it.

"Well, good luck man. Hopefully, we can see you in victory lane," Tony said as he pretty much signed off Kade's radio.

"Appreciate it," Kade said before doing the same and focusing his attention on the race ahead.

They came down pit road one more time and ran a few more pace laps before the pace car came off and they went green.

Ashton held Bristol close to her while she fed her, watching the first stage go completely green.

Kade had managed to make it up to 15th and finish the stage there. He came in for a quick tire change and gas before heading right back out and gaining 3 spots coming off pit road.

"Where's daddy starting mama?" Dayton asked as she tried to figure out the choose rule.

"Daddy's gonna start in 12th now baby," Ashton told her, gently bouncing Bristol to hopefully get her to sleep.

"Okay. I hope they don't wreck. I don't want Daddy to wreck out like last time,"

"I know baby, that wasn't fun for any of us," Ashton chuckled slightly.

"Daddy was mad for days," the 6-year-old said as she shook her head.

The 2022 season hadn't ended the way they wanted at all. Kade was in the final 4 and in the top 5 of the entire race before the 47 of Ricky Stenhouse got loose, came up the banking, and stopped Kade right there.  Joey Logano took that championship last year. This year was hopefully going to be different.

Stage 2 wasn't spectacular by any means. There were plenty of cautions and Kade managed to miss the reason for cautions each time. After each caution and the wrecked-out cars were taken out or a lap down, Kade finished stage 2 in 7th.

The last stage had Ashton on the edge of her seat as he slowly made his way to the front, through multiple wrecks and cautions.

The last 2 laps were the most stressed Ashton had ever felt watching him. He managed to get into first place and she knew how special winning the 500 would be to him.

Another wreck happened as they were coming to the checkered and it was hard to see who won between him and Joey Logano who was right beside him. Close enough that they had to look at video footage frame by frame.

She kept her eyes on the big screen, waiting for them to announce the winner, feeling a ton of hope and anxiety.

"Come on baby," Ashton muttered, holding Bristol in one hand while she and Dayton watched in the pit box. Before she knew it, Kade's car was shown, crossing the finish line only inches in front of the 22, "YES!!!"

"Daddy won Mommy!!!" Dayton squealed, looking at the track to see Kade doing donuts.

"I saw baby! Let's go,"

As soon as they could, Ashton climbed down and helped Dayton, having Bristol handed to her before she let Dayton go running.

Kade met her halfway, picking her up immediately and hugging her tightly while Ashton made her way out with their little one.

"You did it!" She squealed, kissing him immediately before she handed Bristol to him.

"We won baby girl, your first race and we won," he smiled holding Bristol in one arm and pulling Dayton to him with the other.

Ashton, Dayton, and Bristol headed back across the infield and back to his team where everyone was celebrating while he brought the car in.

Kade celebrated with his team as he got out and sprayed the bottle of Coke after he shook it up in victory lane.

NASCAR was there with cameras and immediately had microphones in Kade's face as soon as he got out of the car.

"First win of the season and first time winning at Daytona Kade, how are you feeling right now?" Jamie Little asked, the second they were able to get him for an interview.

"I'm over the moon, I can't believe we finally got this win. I owe it all to my crew chief and spotter and my pit crew. Obviously my wife and my little girls who support me through it all too. Ash and I met here, our oldest Dayton is named after this track and it's Bristol's first race so it's very special," he beamed, keeping his arm around Ashton as she held Bristol in one arm and had the other draped over Dayton's shoulder.

"Big win. Something to celebrate, nice job Kade,"

"Thank you," he nodded, waiting until she walked away to lift Dayton up and kiss Ashton.

"I'm so proud of you!" Ashton beamed, "All 3 of us are,"

"We're 500 champions, baby!"

She just smiled and they got their few family pictures in victory lane before he did his interviews and the many sponsored hat photos.

He was forever a Daytona 500 winner and he was locked into the 2023 playoffs to hopefully win the championship this year.