Stenhouse wins Daytona 500
Photo credit: stenhousejr.com
A big win for Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Sunday as he claimed the Daytona 500. The Olive Branch native won what NASCAR.com said turned out to be the longest race in NASCAR history.
“Stenhouse and reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano were battling for the lead on Lap 212 when contact from Aric Almirola’s Ford started Travis Pastrana’s Toyota spinning in Turn 2,” reported NASCAR.com. “Pastrana’s Camry clipped the Chevrolet of Kyle Larson and set it rocketing into the outside wall.”
Seven cars were part of the resulting crash, a collision that included defending race champion Austin Cindric.
NASCAR reported that when the yellow caution light was lit, Stenhouse’s No. 47 JTG Daugherty Chevrolet had nudged ahead of Joey Logano’s Ford. NASCAR says Stenhouse was the beneficiary of a timely shove from Christopher Bell’s Toyota that pushed it in front when the caution light went up.
The win was Stenhouse’s third in the Cup Series and first since he took the checkered flag in the Daytona summer race in 2017, snapping a streak of 199 races without a victory.
Among those congratulating Stenhouse for his victory was Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves.
