On the last lap teammates Car 22 Joey Logano & Car 2 Brad Keselowski had contact causing the last big crash and gave up the lead to Michael McDowell. Staring from 17th place Car 34 Michael McDowell Love’s Travel Stops Ford won the 63rd Annual DAYTONA 500, his 1st win in 358 NASCAR Cup Series races. This is his 1st win & 1st Top 10 finish in 2021. This is his 1st win & 7th Top 10 finish in 20 races at Daytona International Speedway. Eight drivers posted their first career NASCAR Cup Series victory with a win in the Daytona 500 ? Tiny Lund (1963), Mario Andretti (1967), Pete Hamilton (1970), Derrike Cope (1990), Sterling Marlin (1994), Michael Waltrip (2001), Trevor Bayne (2011) and Michael McDowell (2021). Three other drivers posted their career-first victory in (points-paying) qualifying races at Daytona: Johnny Rutherford (1963), Bobby Isaac (1964) and Earl Balmer (1966). McDowell?s 358 starts are the second-most in series history by a driver before their first win; behind Michael Waltrip with 463 starts before his first win in the 2001 Daytona 500. This crew chief Drew Blickensderfer’s second win in the Daytona 500 – 2009 Matt Kenseth, 2021 Michael McDowell. This is Front Row Motorsport?s 1st win the Daytona 500. This is Ford’s 16th win in the Daytona 500. 2nd Place Car 9 Chase Elliott NAPA Auto Parts Chevrole, started from 12th place posted his 2nd Top 10 finish in 11 races at Daytona International Speedway. 3rd Place Car 3 Austin Dillon Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Off Road Chevrolet, started from 4th place posted his 8th Top 10 finish in 16 races at Daytona International Speedway.
4th Place Car 4 Kevin Harvick Busch Light #TheCrew Ford, started from 8th place followed by 5th place Car 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Toyota, started from 25th place. 6th Place Car 37 * Ryan Preece Cottonelle Chevrolet, started from 11th place followed by 7th place Car 42 Ross Chastain Clover Chevrolet, started from 34th place. 8th Place Car 77 Jamie McMurray AdventHealth Chevrolet, started from 19th place followed by 9yj place Car 7 Corey LaJoie Youtheory Chevrolet, started from 16th place. Lastly in the Top 10 was Car 5 Kyle Larson Nations Guard Chevrolet, in 10th place, started from 13th place. Chase Briscoe (19th) was the highest finishing rookie.
The race had 7 Cautions for 40 Laps: 2 Big Crashes & 1 red flag. 1st Caution on lap 4 for #15 Incident Turn 4. 2nd Caution on lap 15 for #19, 43, 77, 48, 21, 8, 10, 17, 12, 24, 6, 20, 1, 36, 38, 99 Big Crash in Turn 3 / Weather [Red: 05:40:29]. 3rd Caution on lap 39 for #00, 14 Crash on the Frontstretch. 4th Caution on lap 67 for Stage 1 Conclusion. 5th Caution on lap 113 for #47, 20, 5, 77 Crash on the Backstretch. 6th Caution on lap 132 for Stage 2 Conclusion. 7th Caution on lap 200 for #2, 22, 37, 9, 42, 18, 23, 33 Crash in Turn 3.
The race had 22 Lead Changes among 13 drivers; A. Bowman 1; K. Harvick 2-17; *. Grala 18-27; C. Elliott 28-29; A. Dillon 30; C. Custer 31; D. Hamlin 32-71; *. Cindric(i) 72-73; D. Hamlin 74; C. Bell 75-106; A. Dillon 107-108; C. Elliott 109; K. Larson 110; D. Hamlin 111-117; J. Logano 118; K. Harvick 119; D. Hamlin 120-128; B. Wallace 129; D. Hamlin 130-132; A. Dillon 133-136; D. Hamlin 137-174; J. Logano 175-199; M. McDowell 200.
Stages:
Stage 1 Top 10: 11, 37, 3, 5, 33, 20, 23, 22, 42, 41
Stage 2 Top 10: 11, 4, 23, 9, 3, 22, 34, 5, 18, 2
NASCAR Cup Series Race Number 1
Race Results for the 63rd Annual DAYTONA 500 – Sunday, February 14, 2021. Daytona International Speedway – Daytona Beach, FL – 2.5 – Mile Paved. Total Race Length – 200 Laps – 500. Miles
Finish Start Car Team Laps Status
| 1. 17. Car 34 Michael McDowell Love’s Travel Stops Ford 200 Running |
| 2. 12. Car 9 Chase Elliott NAPA Auto Parts Chevrole 200 Running |
| 3. 4. Car 3 Austin Dillon Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Off Road Chevrolet 200 Running |
| 4. 8. Car 4 Kevin Harvick Busch Light #TheCrew Ford 200 Running |
| 5. 25. Car 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Toyota 200 Running |
| 6. 11. Car 37 * Ryan Preece Cottonelle Chevrolet 200 Running |
| 7. 34. Car 42 Ross Chastain Clover Chevrolet 200 Running |
| 8. 19. Car 77 Jamie McMurray AdventHealth Chevrolet 200 Running |
| 9. 16. Car 7 Corey LaJoie Youtheory Chevrolet 200 Running |
| 10. 13. Car 5 Kyle Larson Nations Guard Chevrolet 200 Running |
| 11. 27. Car 41 Cole Custer HaasTooling.com Ford 200 Running |
| 12. 9. Car 22 Joey Logano Shell Pennzoil Ford 199 Accident |
| 13. 24. Car 2 Brad Keselowski Discount Tire Ford 199 Accident |
| 14. 10. Car 18 Kyle Busch M&M’s Toyota 199 Accident |
| 15. 39. Car 33 * Austin Cindric(i) Verizon 5G Ford 199 Accident |
| 16. 5. Car 20 Christopher Bell DEWALT Toyota 199 Running |
| 17. 6. Car 23 Bubba Wallace DoorDash Toyota 198 Accident |
| 18. 21. Car 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Kroger/NOS Energy Drink Chevrolet 198 Running |
| 19. 30. Car 14 Chase Briscoe # HighPoint.com Ford 197 Running |
| 20. 28. Car 53 Joey Gase Page Construction Ford 196 Running |
| 21. 35. Car 51 Cody Ware Nurtec ODT Chevrolet 196 Running |
| 22. 20. Car 1 Kurt Busch Monster Energy Chevrolet 195 Running |
| 23. 38. Car 78 BJ McLeod(i) NASCAR Heat 5 Ford 195 Running |
| 24. 37. Car 52 Josh Bilicki Wisconsin Lighting Lab Ford 194 Running |
| 25. 26. Car 19 Martin Truex Jr. Bass Pro Shops Toyota 193 Running |
| 26. 2. Car 24 William Byron Axalta Chevrolet 191 Running |
| 27. 29. Car 8 Tyler Reddick Lenovo Chevrolet 188 Running |
| 28. 40. Car 16 * Kaz Grala Hyper Ice Chevrolet 115 DVP |
| 29. 33. Car 00 Quin Houff Mane ‘n Tail Chevrolet 37 Accident |
| 30. 14. Car 12 Ryan Blaney Menards/Blue DEF/PEAK Ford 14 Accident |
| 31. 22. Car 17 Chris Buescher Fastenal Ford 14 DVP |
| 32. 36. Car 38 Anthony Alfredo # Speedy Cash Ford 14 DVP |
| 33. 23. Car 21 Matt DiBenedetto Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford 14 DVP |
| 34. 3. Car 10 Aric Almirola Smithfield Ford 13 Accident |
| 35. 1. Car 48 Alex Bowman Ally Chevrolet 13 Accident |
| 36. 15. Car 99 Daniel Suarez iFly Chevrolet 13 Accident |
| 37. 18. Car 36 * David Ragan Select Blinds Ford 13 Accident |
| 38. 7. Car 6 Ryan Newman Kohler Generators Ford 13 Accident |
| 39. 31. Car 43 Erik Jones Armor All Chevrolet 13 Accident |
| 40. 32. Car 15 Derrike Cope Jacob Companies Chevrolet 3 Accident |
Race Comments: Prior to the start of the race, the following vehicle(s) dropped to the rear of the field under penalty for the reasons indicated: Nos. 23 (Multiple Inspection Failures), 43 (Engine Change), 19 (Radiator Change), 41, 24, 42, 2, 14, 16, 38 (Back Up Cars). Failed to Qualify: (4) 96 Ty Dillon(i), 13 Garrett Smithley(i), 66 Timmy Hill(i), 62 Noah Gragson(i). Time of Race: 3 Hrs, 27 Mins, 44 Secs. Average Speed: 144.416 MPH. Margin of Victory: Under Caution. Caution Flags: 7 for 40 laps. Lead Changes: 22 among 13 drivers. Busch Pole Award: Alex Bowman, #48 191.262 mph. Sunoco Rookie of the Race: Chase Briscoe, #14.
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series
Next Race: February 21, 2021 – DAYTONA Road Course
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