Photo Credit: Chuck Burton/ AP Photo
Denny Hamlin edged past Martin Truex Jr. to win the 58th running of the Daytona 500 by 0.010 at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday. The finish was the closest in the history of the race.
Matt Kenseth led the race for the final 40 laps. The big move from Hamlin, however, came on the final lap when he got to the outside lane and got a push from Kevin Harvick. Hamlin then squeezed between Kenseth and Truex Jr. He then made it a two-car race between himself and Truex Jr. that resulted in a photo finish; the closest since NASACAR started using electronic scoring in 1993.
It was Hamlin’s first Daytona 500 win and the first for team owner Joe Gibbs in 23 years. In a memorable race for Toyota, their drivers swept the top three with Truex placing second and Kurt Busch third. Kenseth finished in a distant 14th.
