DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Denny Hamlin prevailed in 2016 during the closest finish in Daytona 500 history.
On Sunday, Hamlin won one of the most chaotic.
A wild race featuring three wrecks and two red flag stoppages totaling nearly 40 minutes during the final 10 laps regulation came down three of NASCAR’s top drivers battling during overtime that extended the 200-lap race to 207 turns around the 2.5-mile oval at Daytona International Speedway.
During the second delay, a sellout crowd filled the time by reviving, “The Wave.” The 14 drivers still in the lead lap sat in their parked cars on the front-stretch and recharged for one final push during a green-white-checkered flag finish.
When the race resumed, Hamlin held the inside lane, with Kyle Busch on his tail and still seeking his first win at the Great American Race. Joey Logano, the 2015 winner, passed Busch and looked to pressure Hamlin, who would not be denied.
This would be no photo finish like in 2016, when Hamlin held off Martin Truex Jr. at the finish line.
Hamlin coasted to the win ahead of Busch. Erik Jones, who won the 2018 Coke Zero 400 at Daytona, finished third, followed by Logano.
Hamlin, a Tampa, Fla., native who lives in Richmond, Va., said he would enjoy this Daytona 500 win more than the first one. The 38-year-old said he was more overwhelmed three years ago.
This time, Hamlin has more perspective, too, having gone winless for the first time since he became a full-time Cup series driver in 2006.
“I’m going to have a terrible hangover tomorrow,” Hamlin said.
Unlike his driver, team owner Joe Gibbs was overcome by the moment.
“Denny racing like that was unbelievable,” Gibbs said. “I’m emotionally shot. What happened here was really unreal.”
Pole-sitter William Byron, 21, sat alongside 25-year-old Alex Bowman on the youngest starting front row in Daytona 500 history.
Byron’s lead lasted just three laps when Ricky Stenhouse Jr. moved to the front of the pack. By Lap 21, the lead had changed four times, with little-known Matt DiBenedetto and 51-time Cup series Kyle Busch each seizing the lead position.
Byron would resume the lead again later in the race, but would be caught up in the final wreck of the day. Busch remained in the mix until the end.
With 20 laps, the drivers fell into a single file, looking to bid their time until another fast-and-furious finish at Daytona International Speedway. But a single-car accident involved Kyle Larson quickly brought out the eighth caution flag of the day.
It would not be the day’s final delay.
The “Big One” was yet to come.
Following the restart, Paul Menard running in 19th position, caused a 21-car pile-up when he clipped the right rear-end of the car of Matt DiBenedetto. The miscue sent DiBenedetto No. 95 car into the wall and causing a chain reaction of flying sparks, twisted metal and broken dreams.
“I’ll take the blame for that one, I guess,” Menard said.
The list of those involved included seven-time Cup series champion Jimmie Johnson, 2018 winner Austin Dillon, two-time Daytona 500 pole-sitter Chase Elliott, 2018 Coke Zero 400 winner Erik Jones, 19-time series winner Martin Truex Jr. and little-known DiBenedetto, who led a race-high 49 laps.
The 27-year-old DiBenedetto entered the day without a single top-five finish in three seasons, but ran inside the top 10 much of the day. Driving for Levine Family Racing, the California native is in his first season with a full-time ride and had led a total of just 23 laps during the previous three seasons.
“Just a racing deal … just racing hard,” he said. “It was the most fun speedway event I’d had in my life. I’m very, very heartbroken, but appreciative to be here.”
With the race under red flag and stalled at Lap 191 for nearly 25 minutes, the 14 remaining drivers still in the lead lap recharged for one final push.
It would have to wait.
Two crashes during the ensuing seven laps — five of them run under caution — sent the race into overtime for the ninth time in 15 years.
