Hamlin Stuns Kenseth, Truex to Win Daytona 500

It was Denny Hamlin's day yesterday at the Daytona 500. In the sport's biggest race, Hamlin put on a big show en route to victory. But it wasn't a straight forward win for sure.

It was 20 year old Chase Elliott who led the field to green Sunday in the 58th Daytona 500. Elliott led laps early, but lost control of his NAPA Chevrolet on lap 20. Elliott spun coming off the fourth corner and as the front nose of his 24 car hit the grass, the front nose dug into the ground and destroyed the car. Elliott finished 37th. 

Elliott's teammate, and favorite to win the race, Dale Earnhardt Jr., led 15 laps early, but fell back after the first set of pit stops. This caused his Chevrolet to lose the handling it once had, and Earnhardt never made it back to the lead. But in the late laps, Earnhardt Jr. had a real shot at getting back to Daytona's victory lane before crashing with 31 laps to go and ultimately finishing 36th. 

After leading the most laps of the race, Hamlin found himself outside the top five for the majority of the race's final one hundred miles. With his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates controlling the pace of the race at the front, Hamlin knew he had to make a move if he wanted to win the race that had eluded him for ten years. Hamlin made a bold move to the outside on the final lap in front of Kevin Harvick who pushed him forward. Hamlin made his move to the inside of race leader Matt Kenseth in turn three making it three wide with Martin Truex Jr. As Kenseth's Dollar General Toyota slid high, Hamlin and Truex battled door to door to the checkered flag where Hamlin took home the victory by 0.011 seconds - the closest finish in Daytona 500 history. 

A truly historic finish to one of the greatest Daytona 500's I have been privileged to watch. The photo finish goes along with other close finishes in Daytona history, including the very first one in 1959 where Lee Petty topped Johnny Beauchamp by half a car length. Then, in 2007, Kevin Harvick raced Mark Martin to the checkered flag where it was Harvick winning by 0.020 seconds. 

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia next Sunday for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, which you can listen to live on Overtime With Owens on RabbleTV starting at 1:00pm Eastern Time.