Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. won the Daytona 500 in double overtime and under caution on Sunday in the longest running of “The Great American Race.” The two overtimes pushed the 65th running of the race to a record 212 laps — a dozen laps beyond the scheduled distance and a whopping 530 miles.
Stenhouse’s win for JTG Daugherty Racing was the third of his career. JTG is the first single-car team to win the Daytona 500 since The Wood Brothers Racing did it with Trevor Bayne in 2011.
Stenhouse’s only other victories came in 2017, at Talladega and the summer race at Daytona.
Kyle Larson was collected in the race-ending crash after he jumped out of line too early in an attempt to win the race. His disappointment was alleviated by Stenhouse’s victory.
Reigning Cup champion Joey Logano finished second in a Ford for Team Penske, which won the race last year with Austin Cindric.
Christopher Bell was third in a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing and followed by Chris Buescher in a Ford for RFK Racing and pole-sitter Alex Bowman of Hendrick Motorsports in a Chevrolet. It marked the first time the pole-sitter has finished in the top five since Bill Elliott in 2001.
AJ Allmendinger was sixth for Kaulig Racing, Daniel Suarez seventh for Trackhouse Racing, and Ryan Blaney eighth for Team Penske. Ross Chastain of Trackhouse and Riley Herbst of Rick Ware Racing rounded out the top 10.
Action sports star Travis Pastrana finished 11th in his Daytona 500 debut, and Kevin Harvick was 12th in his final Daytona 500. Harvick is retiring at the end of the year.
Kyle Busch dropped to 0 for 18 in the Daytona 500, but contended for his new Richard Childress Racing team. He was the leader ahead of teammate Austin Dillon with three laps remaining in regulation when a spin by Daniel Suarez brought out the caution and sent the race to overtime.
Busch wound up 19th after the race-ending crash in second overtime.
Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson made his return to the series and ran inside the top 15 for most of the race. He was collected in one of the crashes in overtime and finished 31st. Johnson has returned from two years racing in the IndyCar Series as part owner of Legacy Motor Club and he plans to enter a handful of races.
Brad Keselowski led a race-high 42 laps, but finished 22nd. He declined to speak to reporters after dropping to 0 for 14 in a race he desperately wants to win.
The Cup Series races at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, next Sunday in the final race in the track’s current configuration. It will be renovated into a short track after the race — a project that will prevent the track from hosting any racing in 2024. Kyle Larson won last year’s race.
