Daytona 500: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. wins ‘Great American Race’

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won his first Daytona 500 race on Sunday, edging Joey Logano in a race that was decided under caution in double overtime.

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Stenhouse earned his third victory on the NASCAR circuit and his second win at Daytona International Speedway, where he prevailed in July 2017. Stenhouse was awarded the victory after Kyle Larson and other cars crashed on the backstretch in Turn 2 during the second two-lap overtime session.

Stenhouse was ahead of Logano, the defending Series Cup champion who won the Daytona 500 in 2015, when the caution flag came out to notch his first win at NASCAR’s season-opening event, dubbed “The Great American Race.”

“I made a few mistakes but I was able to battle back,” Stenhouse said in a television interview after the race. “The whole team worked really hard this offseason.

“I hope y’all had fun. That was a heck of a race.”

Kyle Busch’s long drought continued at the Daytona 500, as he failed in his 18th attempt to win at the 2.5-mile superspeedway.

The longest race in Daytona 500 history -- it actually covered 530 miles -- went to a pair of green-white-checkered flags, as eight caution flags flew. A caution on Lap 203 involved 13 cars.

Busch was leading when the sixth caution flag went up after Daniel Suarez hit the wall with two laps to go, sending the race into overtime. But after the seventh caution flag flew in the first two-lap overtime, Busch lost the lead to Stenhouse.

This year’s race kicked off NASCAR’s 75th season. A field of 40 drivers, including former winners Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Logano, Austin Cindric, Michael McDowell, Austin Dillon and Jimmie Johnson, competed on the superspeedway.

The race had eight caution flags, including a seven-car pileup on Lap 182. The crash involved 2021 race winner McDowell, along with Harvick, Johnson, Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Preece, Ty Gibbs and Chase Briscoe.

A caution flag also was raised two laps into the third and final stage of the race after Ryan Blaney’s tire shredded. That sent debris onto the track.

Polesitter Alex Bowman and Noah Gregson later made contact on pit road, damaging Bowman’s No. 48 Chevrolet.

Brad Keselowski won the first stage of the race, while Ross Chastain won the second stage.

Bowman posted the top speed at Daytona International Speedway on Wednesday to start at the pole for the third time in his career. He was joined by Kyle Larson on the front row as the race began before a sellout crowd at the superspeedway.

The race was preceded by a flyover show by the Thunderbirds.

Check back for more on this developing story.

Daytona 500: Cars roar to a start as the 65th annual Daytona 500 began on Sunday. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

Daytona 500: The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds perform a flyover before Sunday's Daytona 500. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Daytona 500: Honorary starter Tiffany Haddish waves the green flag in the flag stand before the Daytona 500. (Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Daytona 500: Pete Davidson and Chase Sui walk the grid prior to the Daytona 500. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Daytona 500: Kyle Busch, driver of the #8 3CHI Chevrolet, looks on backstage during pre-race ceremonies before Sunday's Daytona 500. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

Daytona 500: The Bethune-Cookman University Marching Wildcats band performs before the Daytona 500 on Sunday. (James Gilbert/Getty Images)

Daytona 500: Driver Bubba Wallace poses with Ronald McDonald on the track before Sunday's Daytona 500. (JARED C TILTON/Getty Images)

Daytona 500: JGR team owner and Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs looks on at the Daytona 500 race on Sunday. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

Daytona 500: Ty Gibbs (54), Kyle Larson (5) and Erik Jones (43), spin after an on-track incident during the Daytona 500. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Daytona 500: Ross Chastain (1) leads the field during Sunday's Daytona 500. (JARED C TILTON/Getty Images)

Daytona 500: Drivers jockey for position during Sunday's Daytona 500 race. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Daytona 500: Riley Herbst (15) spins after an on-track incident during the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Daytona 500: Alex Bowman pits during the Daytona 500. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

Daytona 500: Drivers cross the start-finish line at Daytona International Speedway during Sunday's Daytona 500. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

Daytona 500: Tyler Reddick (45) and Ryan Blaney (12) spin on the track during the Daytona 500. (Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Daytona 500: Chase Elliott (9) and Erik Jones (43) spin during the Daytona 500 as eventual winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47) avoids the crash. (Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Daytona 500: The view of sunset at Daytona International Speedway. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Daytona 500: The lights came on as drivers competed at the Daytona 500. (JARED C TILTON/Getty Images)

Daytona 500: There were eight caution flags at the Daytona 500 on Sunday, including after this wreck. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Daytona 500: Cars crash during Sunday's Daytona 500 race. There were eight cautions during NASCAR's season-opening race. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Daytona 500: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and his crew celebrate after winning the Daytona 500 on Sunday. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Daytona 500: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. celebrates after winning the Daytona 500 on Sunday. ( Chris Graythen/Getty Images)