1 of 9 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. celebrates with team after winning the 65th Annual Daytona 500 at the Daytona International Speedway on Sunday in Daytona Beach, Fla. Photo by Mike Gentry/UPI |
License Photo
Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won Sunday's Daytona 500 in double overtime after a slew of late wrecks that pushed the race to a record 212 laps in Daytona Beach, Fla.
The 35-year-old won the 65th annual race under caution, making it his first win since July 2017.
"Man, this is unbelievable," Stenhouse told reporters following the race. "This was the site of my last win back in 2017. We've worked really hard. We had a couple shots last year to get a win and fell short.
"It was a tough season, but, man, we got it done. Daytona 500!"
Part owner of team JTG Daugherty Racing and former NBA player Brad Daugherty congratulated his driver on the win at the Daytona International Speedway.
"Well done, @StenhouseJr x @JTGRacing," he tweeted. "So proud of this entire team!"
With Stenhouse's victory, Daugherty becomes the first Black owner to win Daytona 500 and part-owner Jodi Geschickter becomes the first woman.
Joey Logano, of Team Penske, who won the race in 2015, finished second, and lamented to NASCAR immediately afterward that doing so stinks.
"Second is just the worst in this race," he said. "You're just so close and it means so much to win the 500 and it just stinks."
Asked what his start means for the rest of the season, he said he hasn't thought that far ahead.
"I'm still mad. Obviously, we're carrying momentum, which is good, right? And from the championships and being able to run up front, execute good races all the way through Speedways here, I'm proud of that," he said before shrugging and ending the interview.
Christopher Bell for Joe Gibbs Racing followed in third in his Toyota.
"I'm very, very happy for Ricky," Bell told NASCAR. "He's won a lot of these Speedway races and to finally get the Daytona 500 is really cool for him."
On Twitter, Bell said he was "obv disappointed that we can so close" but happy with his team's effort.
"Great star, let's keep it going!"
Stretching to 212 laps for 530 miles, the race was three laps and more than 7 miles longer than the previous Daytona 500 record set in 2020, according to NASCAR.
The race was relatively calm during the opening stages, and Stenhouse took the win after trailing Logano as they entered the second overtime, which pushed the race into historic territory.
The checkered flag was Stenhouse's after Bell gave him a timely push.
Comedian and actor Tiffany Haddish was the honorary starter for the race.