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Ricky Stenhouse Jr. reacts to his 199 race winning streak
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. talks Daytona victory to return to victory lane for first time since 2017.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won the Daytona 500 in double overtime and under caution Sunday night in the longest run of “The Great American Race.”
The two extensions brought the 65th edition of the race to a record 212 laps – a dozen laps over the planned distance and a whopping 530 miles.
Stenhouse’s victory in a Chevrolet for JTG Daugherty Racing – a one-car team partly owned by former NBA player Brad Daugherty – 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.
Jodi Geschickter is the first female car owner to win the Daytona 500, while Daugherty, who left the track earlier Sunday with an eye irritation, became the first black woman car owner to win the race.
Stenhouse’s only other victories came in 2017 – at Talladega and the summer race at Daytona. His 199-race win streak was the fourth-longest span between wins in Cup Series history, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
Now the 35-year-old from Olive Branch, Mississippi, has clinched a repeat victory in NASCAR’s biggest race of the season at Daytona. And it came in his first race alongside crew chief Mike Kelley, who guided Stenhouse to two Xfinity Series championships earlier in his career.
“I think Mike has been just preaching this whole offseason about how much we all believe in each other. They left me a note in the car saying to believe in me and get the job done,” Stenhouse said. “Man, that’s incredible. This was the side of my last win in 2017. We worked really hard. We had a few shots to win last year and fell short.
“It’s been a tough season but man we did it, Daytona 500.”
Kyle Larson was caught falling at the end of the race after jumping out of line too early to win the race. His disappointment was tempered by Stenhouse’s win.
“Happy that Ricky won. I’m super happy. That’s all I could think about after falling and waiting for him to win,” said Larson. “He’s one of my best friends so I was screaming into my helmet as I helped get him to the top there. I was hoping he would stay green so he or I would have won.
“I can’t wait to get changed and give him a big hug because he’s one of my awesome buddies.”
Reigning Cup Champion Joey Logano was second in a Ford for Team Penske, who won last year’s race with Austin Cindric.
“Second is the worst, man,” said Logano. “Congratulations to Ricky. There’s nothing quite like winning the Daytona 500. That’s why finishing second hurts so much.”
Christopher Bell was third in a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, followed by Chris Buescher in a Ford for RFK Racing and polesitter Alex Bowman of Hendrick Motorsports in a Chevrolet. It was the first time the polesitter had 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. Trackhouse’s Ross Chastain and Rick Ware Racing’s Riley Herbst completed the top 10.
Action sports star Travis Pastrana finished eleventh in his Daytona 500 debut and Kevin Harvick finished twelfth in his last Daytona 500. Harvick is retiring at the end of the year.
Kyle Busch fell back to 0:18 in the Daytona 500 but was competing for his new Richard Childress Racing team. He was the leader ahead of teammate Austin Dillon with three laps remaining in the rule when a spin by Suarez brought out caution and sent the race into overtime.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s victory at the Daytona 500 sparked a 199-race win streak. His last win before Sunday also came at Daytona, in the 2017 summer race. Chris Graythen/Getty Images
“Back in 1998, that would be the win, boys,” Busch radioed his team, deliberately referring to the late Dale Earnhardt winning his only Daytona 500. There was no overtime then, and Earnhardt won cautiously.
Busch finished 19th in the second overtime after crashing at the end of the race.
“I think this is the first time I’ve led lap 200, so I wish it was 1998 rules,” Busch said. “But no, it’s normal, I’m just used to it and I come here every year to find out when and where I fall and what lap I get out of the care center. Who won? I don’t even know who got lucky.”
Busch was told Stenhouse was the winner.
“There you have it,” he replied.
Seven-time NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson returned to the series and drove in the top 15 for most of the race. He was picked up in one of the overtime crashes and finished 31st. Johnson has returned from two years of racing in the IndyCar Series as a Legacy Motor Club co-owner and plans to compete in a handful of races.
Brad Keselowski led a race best for 42 laps but finished 22nd, falling to 0:14 in the race he is desperate to win. He declined to speak to reporters after the race.
The 65th edition of the Daytona 500 marked the first time the reigning Cup, Xfinity and Truck Series champions were all part of the field.
Cup Champion Logano was second while Xfinity Series Champion Ty Gibbs was 25th and Truck Series Champion Zane Smith was 13th.
Smith had to work his way into the field of 40 drivers and won the opener of the Truck Series on Friday night. It was the Daytona 500 debut for Gibbs and Smith.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.