Daytona 500: Austin Dillon takes victory in No. 3

Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Austin Dillon won the 2018 Daytona 500 Sunday at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Fla.

He did it while driving the No. 3 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. The 27-year-old is Childress' grandson. He won the race on the 17th anniversary of Dale Earnhardt's death.

Childress was the team owner for Earnhardt during six of his seven Cup Series titles.

Darrell "Bubba" Wallace Jr. finished in second place. Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano and Chris Buescher rounded out the Top 5.

The race featured eight cautions and three huge wrecks. Dillon took out race leader Aric Almirola in the third corner of the last lap.

"I did what I had to do there at the end," Dillon told reporters after the race. "I hate it for the No. 10 [Almirola's] guys. We had a run, and I stayed in the gas. It is what it is here at Daytona.

"This is so awesome to take the No. 3 car back to Victory Lane. This one is for Dale Earnhardt Sr. and all those [Dale] Sr. fans. I love you guys. We are going to keep kicking butt the rest of the year!"

The win gave Dillon his second career victory. His first came in the 2017 Coca-Cola 600.