NASCAR Daytona 500 - Stock car racing's blue riband race, mile after mile around Florida's coast

Published 20 February 2011 by Mr. C

*Kasey Kahne heads the field during the Gatorade Duels on Thursday.*Credit: Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool

moderate

Daytona Beach, Florida, Sunday

24℃

Low 13℃
Humidity 37%

Intermittent clouds

NASCAR's blue riband race, the 500 mile race at Daytona Beach, Florida gets underway this evening. 200 laps of nose-to-tail racing and as the biggest names American motor sport run nose to tail at almost 200mph.

Ahead of the race, all the talk is of the repaved track surface requiring two-car tandem racing at extreme speeds. NASCAR has been back and forth on cooling restrictions to reduce the ability for cars to run close together, but on Saturday slightly relaxed earlier restrictions.

Live text

Along with live commenting the race, Sidepodcast will be offering text updates of significant events. Follow below to make sure you miss none of the action.

As it happened: Nascar Daytona 500

17:30
Good evening everyone!
17:31
We are testing out the Factbyte Factbox with some good ol' NASCAR at Daytona.
17:32
At the moment, we're enjoying some pre-race country music.
17:35
From Nascar.com: It is a beautiful day in Daytona Beach, Fla., for the Great American Race. It's currently 71 degrees under mostly sunny skies and should remain sunny throughout the afternoon. Green for the Daytona 500 is scheduled for 1:29 p.m
I'm assuming that's not Celsius, and that's definitely not GMT.

17:50

Qualifying Position
1	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	Amp Energy / National Guard
2	Jeff Gordon	Drive to End Hunger
3	Kurt Busch	Shell / Pennzoil
4	Jeff Burton	Caterpillar
5	Regan Smith	Furniture Row Companies
6	Clint Bowyer	Cheerios / Hamburger Helper
7	Kevin Harvick	Budweiser
8	Michael Waltrip	NAPA Auto Parts
9	Matt Kenseth	Crown Royal BLack
10	Kyle Busch	M&Ms

17:51
Apologies for the lengthy delay. I had to grab a snack, as all those Cheerio style sponsors made me hungry.
17:52
Tweet from @Hinchtown: In lieu of watching any Daytona Pre Race show, I'm watching Talladega Nights. #moreentertaining
17:53
For those who are watching the pre-race stuff, they're doing a piece on 5-time champ Jimmie Johnson.
17:54
This is the first race of a 36 strong calendar.
17:56
Tweet from @kleebanks: Almost time for the Daytona 500!!! Who's gonna win? Hubby and I are pulling for either Mark Martin or Dale Junior!! #NASCAR
18:00
Denny Hamlin on his tough week: "We've had everything... we even had the lights go out on us during practice. Things have progressively gotten a little bit better... we've got a good shot at it."
Hamlin starts 18th.
18:01
Another country music song, with racing lyrics. Apparently the crowd goes wild and no one can do it NASCAR style. That rhymes. Sort of.
18:04
Tweet from @Jersey2Bronx: While I am not a huge NASCAR fan, I usually consider the Daytona 500 the unofficial start of Spring, & reminder that Summer is coming soon
18:06
The Fox pundits (apologies for not knowing who they are) talk of the dual racing we're seeing at Daytona.
"These guys have perfected the fact, with 450 horsepower nose to tail, you've got 900 horsepower."
"Synchronised racing."
18:11
Rev. Dr. L Ronald Durham offers a prayer for the racers and for the greater world.
18:11
The crowd stands for the National Anthem, sung by Martina McBride.
18:13
The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds do a fly past.
18:13
4:50 to command. Command what, I don't know yet. Is it the engine thing?
18:14
The countdown, and lots more, is sponsored by Pizza Hut. This is also making me hungry.
18:15
From what I can see on Twitter, the fans appreciated Martina's rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. Goodo.
18:17
Pizza Hut predictions
Mike - Tony Stewart
Larry - Kurt Busch
DW - Earnhardt Jr
Hammond - Kevin Harvick
18:18
Start Your Engines.
18:20
Tweet from @MattTaliaferro: For as good as the Anthem was, they really mangled the command to fire engines. And every big race needs a good command. #NASCAR
18:22
Tweet from @slywheel: Tweeting from my phone for the first time ever to save on bandwidth for stream #nascar
That's dedication for you.
18:23
The field is beginning to form as they exit the pitlane.
18:23
Chevy Camero SS Pace Car leads the field. There are some Transformers cars at the back of the field.
18:25
The Transformers cars have dropped off the back now. Can't stand the pace, clearly.
18:26
Trevor Bayne from the car: "We're all here to win, but I understand it's my first 500 and we're all here to learn. It has the capability to run upfront, it's finding that buddy to work with. We've got a lot of support, we're pumped about it."
18:29
Comment from The Boston Red Scott: Montoya just got a mention. I'm cheering for him I think. I just miss his name from F1.
18:30 Lap 1
Race started.
18:31 Lap 1
They'll start pairing up now.
18:31 Lap 1
They have started pairing up already.
18:33 Lap 4
A nice tribute to Earnhardt Senior, with a silent lap 3. Everyone in the crowd held up 3 fingers as well.
18:34 Lap 4
Thankfully no one crashed, or that would have been an awkward silent lap.
18:34 Lap 4
Kyle Busch has spun it.
18:36 Lap 5
Yellow flags.
18:38 Lap 5
Replays show Kyle Busch drifting left and then back across in front of his drift partner but lost control on his own really.
18:39 Lap 7
Kyle's radio on the replay: "It was three wide, I had nowhere to go. Stupidly insane."
18:40 Lap 8
Michael Waltrip on the radio: "I didn't do anything wrong, I stayed right in the middle like he asked me too."
18:40 Lap 8
Busch is in pit road, they are realigning the front of his car.
18:41 Lap 8
The commentators have good facts: Some drivers can talk to up to 15 different competitors by selecting them on the radio. But some drivers, like Busch, have refused to give out their frequencies, and competitors have to go through their spotters.
18:41 Lap 9
Track is clear.
18:41 Lap 9
Kervin Harwick is currently leading.
18:43 Lap 11
The field is spreading slightly, the leaders are lining up, those at the back are trailing off. In the middle though, many cars going three or four wide.
18:43 Lap 11
Yellow flags for oil on track.
18:45 Lap 11
J.J. Yeley's car was spewing smoke which has caused the second caution.
18:45 Lap 12
Cars are piling into pit road to put fuel in their car. Half the field stopped during the earlier caution as well.
18:46 Lap 12
Kevin Harvick struggled to get away from his pit box, and almost took his fuel guy with him. All safe and sound though.
18:50 Lap 15
Dale Earnhardt Jr's spotter said on the radio he couldn't see the caution lights, which almost caused a collision.
18:52 Lap 16
Track is clear.
18:53 Lap 17
Labonte is currently leading, followed (rather closely) by Keselowski.
18:54 Lap 18
Menard and Stewart behind have just slipped into the lead.
18:55 Lap 20
For Montoya fans, he's up to third at the moment.
18:56 Lap 22
Montoya is partnered up with Jamie McMurray, they did a perfect swap to put Montoya in front. A third car joined up behind them as well!
18:58 Lap 22
This will change as soon as I've typed it: Menard, Stewart, Montoya, McMurray, Labonte
18:59 Lap 22
Tweet from @NASCAR24Maniac: Kevin Harvick just blew up. #NASCAR
18:59 Lap 22
It's quite tricky following Twitter. I'm seeing an alert for over 10,000 comments each time I refresh, which means about 30,000 tweets a minute. This Daytona business is quite popular!
19:00 Lap 23
Yellow flags.
19:00 Lap 23
Chaos in the pitlane. Montoya was leading when he came in.
19:01 Lap 23
It looks like Montoya retained his lead out of pit road.
19:02 Lap 25
Replays show Harvick's car blowing up, smoke filling the lane. Jeff Gordon couldn't see anything, and bumped into the car in front. He's in pit road with the crew examining the bumper. Back on track now.
19:02 Lap 25
Kevin Harvick climbs out of the car and removes his helmet.
19:03 Lap 26
Harvick: "They're suspecting a broken block. Didn't do anything different to what I had been doing. Just a ten, fifteen degree oil temperature difference... tough way to start the year but man, like you say, we never blow motors."
19:04 Lap 26
Tweet from @NASCAR_Rewards: Apparently that was the first blown engine for Harv in 150 races. Wow. #NASCAR
19:04 Lap 27
Track is clear.
19:05 Lap 28
Montoya has drifted back to sixth. Bowyer is leading for this lap. Earnhardt Jr behind.
19:07 Lap 29
Big Crash.
19:09 Lap 30
Replays showed Waltrip turning Reutimann. Then good grief, the collateral damage. Biffle was involved.
19:10 Lap 30
Comment from Steven Roy: Nose to tail at 200mph doesn't leave much reaction time
19:11 Lap 30
Reutimann in the garage: "I don't know, it's a product of this kind of racing. Mike was pushing me and I don't think I anticipated the guys moving up in front of us as they did. It's not Mike's fault, he's pushing, that's all you can do from behind. I was probably a bit slow on the draw there, giving him a head's up. It'll be a miracle [if we can get back out]"
19:12 Lap 30
Tweet from @jenlada: Slow motion does not do NASCAR crashes justice. Makes high speed collisions look like gentle caresses. Or amusement park bumper cars.
19:15 Lap 33
Ooops, got carried away with the crash and all.
19:18 Lap 34
Jeff Gordon: "It doesn't really matter at this point. Our chances of winning the 500 are over at this point, that's the disappointing thing... we were having a lot of fun... They need to let it thin out a little bit, as soon as it thins out then go to it, it can be very safe. I was just sitting there, waiting for it to thin out, I probably should have waited further back. They're pushing and shoving up the back straight, straight away. You can understand those guys in the first few rows... it's going to be a heck of a race to watch. It's hot, a little slicker today. Unfortunately for us, the damage is going to take a while to get it fixed, but we'll get back out there and get as many laps as we can."
19:19 Lap 34
Five damaged cars still on track, at the moment. The first six cars didn't pit under this cuation. McMurray and Montoya are leading.
19:19 Lap 36
Track is clear.
19:20 Lap 36
Commentator says: "The problem you have is, this is a race..."
Indeed.
19:22 Lap 39
Top five for now: Menard, Bowyer, Truex Jr, Keselowski, Smith.
19:23 Lap 40
Michael Waltrip, out of the car: "I just didn't get the information soon enough. I was pushing David, and he said give me some room, then all of a sudden said I've got to go low... when you change directions pushing in the corner, it's just a recipe for disaster. As a driver I'm frustrated, as an owner it's expensive, but as a fan, I can't wait to go watch."
19:25 Lap 42
Dale Earnhardt Jr stats: currently 13th, high 1st, low 36th.
19:28 Lap 42
Daytona resurfacing facts:
- Six months to repave
- Repaving started 5th July 2010
- Used 50,000 tonnes of asphalt
- 1.4 million square feet
- First repaving since 1979
19:29 Lap 45
Richardson crashes into the inside wall.
19:29 Lap 46
Fifth caution.
19:30 Lap 46
Tweet from @HockeyKamen: @factbyfactbox Not to mention temporarily removing floodlight stanchans and sections of fencing to get the paving equipmenmt to stay on the 31 degree banked turns
19:31 Lap 47
Comment from The Boston Red Scott: Richardson #37 was the lead car of a pair, car went off down into the inside wall for a relatively low impact collision.
19:32 Lap 47
Richardson spins around.
19:35 Lap 50
Tweet from @RSH2o: LeftLeftLeftLeftLeftLeftLeftLeftLeftLeftLeftLeftLeftLeftLeftLeftLeftLeftLeftLeftLeftLeftLeftLeft. ....NASCAR is so much fun....
19:35 Lap 50
Track is clear.
19:36 Lap 50
Blaney leading at the moment, as we reach "the quarter pole."
19:37 Lap 53
Commentators on why they are running in twos and not threes: "You can second-guess, but you can't third-guess."
19:37 Lap 53
Top five at the moment: Menard, Smith, Bowyer, Burton, Keselowski
19:39 Lap 55
Robert Richardson has been released from the care centre after his crash. He's okay.
19:40 Lap 56
Montoya is still up there, sixth or thereabouts at the moment.
19:40 Lap 57
The mid pack are still three wide, occasionally four wide!
19:41 Lap 57
Brian Vickers had damage from the earlier crash, he rejoined the track but has pulled off now. Doesn't look like he will make it back to the garage.
19:41 Lap 57
Yellow flags for Vickers, despite the fact he's miles off track.
19:43 Lap 57
Cars streaming into pit road again. Most going for fuel only.
19:44 Lap 58
Comment from Steven Roy: Sounds like NASCAR need to be able to cut in and scream YELLOW YELLOW YELLOW at all the drivers then let their spotters talk to them
19:46 Lap 59
Tweet from @mikehembree: Some cars mangled in the earlier Big One now returning to the track to mop up a few laps. A zany activity caused by points system. #nascar
19:47 Lap 60
Track is clear.
19:47 Lap 61
29 cars on the lead lap.
19:49 Lap 63
Montoya and McMurray discuss their drafting over the radio. McMurray says it was hard to lock up on his bumper when you're in traffic. Montoya says they have fast enough cars to get back up there.
19:49 Lap 63
Currently they are sitting 13th and 14th.
19:56 Lap 72
Smith, Busch and Earnhardt Jr lead at the moment. Earnhardt was just voted the Pizza Hut fan favourite on Fox. Mmm, pizza.
20:00 Lap 72
I saw a tweet fly past that read: "Why is NASCAR real?" That is quite the philosophical question.
20:02 Lap 76
Seventh caution of the day. Cars piling down pit road again.
20:02 Lap 76
Replays show Travis Kvapil hitting the wall. Commentators suggest it might have been a slow puncture.
20:04 Lap 76
Current standings: Logano, Burton and Earnhardt Jr.
20:05 Lap 80
Track is clear.
20:06 Lap 81
Earnhardt Jr takes the lead. The crowd goes wild.
20:06 Lap 81
28 cars still on the lead lap.
20:07 Lap 82
Earnhardt Jr crashed in practice and had to go to a backup car. He's battling for the lead, with Montoya and McMurray.
20:08 Lap 83
Again, McMurray is struggling to keep up with Montoya.
20:09 Lap 84
Commentators appear to have invented the word "co-opetition."
20:13 Lap 84
Tweet from @psychemedia: @factbytefactbox co-operative competition: share the common costs and recieve mutually exclusive, non-competing benefits
20:14 Lap 90
Kyle Busch was leading a draft pairing, but seems to be struggling with his car.
20:16 Lap 93
Tweet from @DavidKrimmel: This is Juan Pablo's year! #NASCAR
20:16 Lap 94
Jeff Burton's engine fails and he's running slowly round the inside.
20:17 Lap 95
Ambient temperature nudging 80 degrees - commentator suggests it's the warmest day of the week.
20:20 Lap 95
Tweet from @RacingWithRich: Both Burton and Harvick were pushing at the time engines expired. ECR engines need to lead. #NASCAR
20:21 Lap 100
Kurt Busch has led the most laps so far - 14.
20:21 Lap 100
We are halfway through.
20:22 Lap 101
Jeff Burton: "We're asking a lot of the engines here, for sure. These are tough situations. We thought we were well within our limits. I'm proud of everybody. We ran well all week. Disapponted, but proud of everybody."
Then proper tears!
20:24 Lap 104
Tweet from @bobpockrass: Walking from garage to media center, saw Robert Richardson Jr. outside fanzone bistro. Out of race, I guess you've got to eat. #nascar
20:25 Lap 104
Current top five: Newman, Logano, Smith, Kurt Busch, R. Gordon
20:25 Lap 104
This is a long green flag period, commentators suggest we are just 14 or so laps from green flag pit stops, which we haven't seen yet so far.
20:28 Lap 105
Montoya spins off to cause a caution.
20:29 Lap 106
We didn't get to those green stops.
20:30 Lap 108
Replays show Montoya losing control a little, but weaves back into it and gets to pit road.
20:32 Lap 109
Track is clear.
20:34 Lap 111
Montoya is 25th now.
20:34 Lap 112
Current top five: Kurt Busch, Smith, Truex Jr, Bayne, Bowyer.
20:36 Lap 114
Four pairs of cars up there fighting for the lead.
20:36 Lap 114
Apparently it was Trevor Bayne's birthday yesterday, he was 20 years old.
20:42 Lap 121
Throughout that ad break, we had great insight into the conversation between Dale Earnhardt and Tony Stewart.
20:43 Lap 123
Laps Led
Total Driver
17 Busch
16 Bowyer
11 McMurray
20:43 Lap 123
Seems to me that McMurray benefited from an awesome Montoya behind him and didn't necessarily return the favour.
20:43 Lap 123
Yellow flags - 9th caution.
20:44 Lap 123
Kvapil limps into pit road.
20:44 Lap 124
Tweet from @brotherflounder: Kvapil blows ANOTHER tire. Please park him. #NASCAR
20:46 Lap 124
Pit road is crazy chaos once more. Doesn't look like there are too many tyre changes. Busch definitely changing the right side.
20:47 Lap 124
Either Earnhardt or Stewart says to the other: "Why don't you get some more drink, man, you've been working hard out there."
Aw, they look after each other's health too.
20:49 Lap 124
Comment from CAMikaze: Will we have pit stops under green today?
20:50 Lap 126
The restart is put back a lap, not sure why.
20:52 Lap 128
Track is clear.
20:54 Lap 130
Bobby Labonte was running in the top five but has slowed down, looks like he's heading back to pit road.
20:55 Lap 132
Kenseth has a bit of bodywork sticking out which looks like it might be slowing him down.
20:56 Lap 133
Current top five: Bowyer, Menard, Stewart, Kyle Busch, Newman.
20:57 Lap 133
Tweet from @Xooma_Racing: this race may end up w/ a car many laps down pushing a teammate to the win #nascar
21:00 Lap 134
Kenseth has crashed heavily into the wall, but is okay. Looks like the car behind bumped him a bit too hard.
21:00 Lap 136
Yellow flags - 10th caution.
21:01 Lap 136
Apparently the race record for cautions is 11, which has happened three times. My guess is we're bound to make that four.
21:03 Lap 137
More pit road action.
21:05 Lap 138
Tweet from @bobpockrass: Mark Martin getting free pass and that will put 27 cars on lead lap with 63 to go. #nascar
21:07 Lap 139
Current top five: Bowyer, Menard, Stewart, Kyle Busch, Truex Jr.
21:08 Lap 139
Track reporters say that Bowyer has told Stewart he might hook up with Menard for a bit, but might be back later. Complicated!
21:08 Lap 140
Track is clear.
21:10 Lap 140
Montoya and Biffle crash. Montoya saves it to head for pit road. Biffle looks more damaged.
21:10 Lap 140
Yellow flags - 11th caution.
21:11 Lap 140
Biffle is climbing out of the car, not sure where he has come to a halt though.
21:13 Lap 141
Biffle's car being towed away now.
21:13 Lap 141
Cars in pit road again.
21:14 Lap 141
Biffle's car comes to a halt, after ploughing through plenty of grass.
21:15 Lap 141
Tweet from @TomSavage: These Drivers are all so nice to each other in these after crash interviews. I liked the old days when the would push and shove. #NASCAR
21:16 Lap 141
Tweet from @scottaltimaman: grass looks nice but does nothing to slow the cars down, time to pave it #nascar #daytona500 #comeonman
21:17 Lap 145
Current top five: Truex Jr, Bayne, Earnhardt Jr, Kyle Busch, Logano.
21:17 Lap 146
Track is clear.
21:18 Lap 146
Still 27 cars on the lead lap.
21:18 Lap 147
Montoya currently running 24th.
21:19 Lap 147
Tweet from @mikefraney: @factbytefactbox how many laps left?
21:19 Lap 147
Just 53 laps to go now.
21:19 Lap 147
58 lead changes in this Daytona 500 so far - the record is 60.
21:21 Lap 149
Tweet from @Msave69: Very expensive day for many teams at#daytona500 #nascar
21:21 Lap 150
Tweet from @HockeyKamen: @factbytefactbox At the 3/4 pole now. 50 Laps to go. #NASCAR #Daytona
21:22 Lap 151
It looks like Montoya has hooked up with McMurray again.
21:22 Lap 152
They're running around the 10th/11th mark.
21:23 Lap 153
Dale Earnhardt is up there scrapping for the win. It's been 93 races since his last Sprint Cup win. The crowd would go wild.
21:25 Lap 153
Comment from The Boston Red Scott: I'm enjoying watching a sport where minor contact doesn't finish a team's chances.
21:26 Lap 153
Tweet from @TheF1Archive: @factbytefactbox It's Jr. Best not confuse the Earnhardt's
Apologies. I figured it was a given that Sr wasn't racing, given we had a three minute silence for him earlier.
21:27 Lap 157
Yellow flags - the record breaking 12th caution.
21:28 Lap 157
Kvapil brushed up against the wall and knocked his car apart.
21:30 Lap 158
They're heading down to pit road now.
21:31 Lap 158
Looks like Montoya was fourth out of the pit road exit race.
21:31 Lap 158
Labonte looks like he's struggling to get back out again.
21:32 Lap 160
40 laps to go.
21:35 Lap 162
62 lead changes, 12 cautions so far.
21:35 Lap 162
Tweet from @littlepun: I can't believe kevin left!! I know it sucks to be out but I would just step out on pitroad and watch....maybe that's just me??#nascar
21:37 Lap 162
Assuming nothing else goes kaboom, the cars should be able to make it to the end of the race.
21:37 Lap 163
Track is clear.
21:38 Lap 163
NASCAR thermocam.
21:38 Lap 163
Tweet from @IzzieBristow: Really diggin the Heat cam that @Nascar has this year. Interesting to see whats hot and whats not!
21:40 Lap 166
Current top five: Hamlin, Newman, McMurray, D. Ragan, Bayne.
21:40 Lap 166
Keselowski has hit the wall. Smith also spun it.
21:41 Lap 166
13th caution.
21:41 Lap 166
Replays show contact between Keselowski and Jordan. The errant number 2 car narrowly missed Stewart and Montoya, plus a couple of others.
21:46 Lap 169
Current top five: Hamlin, Newman, D. Ragan, Bayne, Earnhardt Jr.
21:46 Lap 169
Track is clear.
21:47 Lap 169
None of the first sixteen drivers stopped under that caution.
21:48 Lap 171
Kyle Busch gets a wobble on but catches it expertly to remain in position.
21:48 Lap 172
Current top five: Newman, Hamlin, Menard, Stewart, D. Ragan.
21:50 Lap 172
Tweet from @montanaro28: Anyone else get goosebumps when NASCAR on FOX Cranks It Up? Still waiting for something else in sports that is as riveting.
21:52 Lap 177
Truex runs wide from the middle pack and ended up going through pit road.
21:54 Lap 177
Comment from CAMikaze: Top 10 finish by Blaney = Kids eat free at his sponsors restaurants.
21:55 Lap 180
Tweet from @blodger: Trevor Bayne is the story of the day. Amazing initiation for a young driver. #NASCAR
21:56 Lap 182
Current top ten: Newman, Hamlin, Bowyer, Busch, Ragan, Bayne, Busch, Smith, Stewart, Menard.
21:56 Lap 182
Yellow flags.
21:56 Lap 182
Kazey Kahne runs high and into the wall, a right front tyre failure.
21:57 Lap 182
Tweet from @PaulBenn: JPM JPM JPM JPM #nascar. What can I say. I'm a #f1 fan
21:57 Lap 182
69 lead changes, 14 cautions.
22:00 Lap 182
Laps Led
Total Driver
30
Bowyer
28 Newman
19 Kurt Busch
17 Truex Jr.
22:01 Lap 184
Carl Edwards ran over some debris from Kahne which gave him a puncture too.
22:01 Lap 185
Track is clear.
22:02 Lap 185
15 laps to go.
22:04 Lap 187
S Wallace heads to pit road with a tyre problem.
22:05 Lap 188
Newman out in front is doing 190+mph, the engines roaring at 9000rpm.
22:06 Lap 190
Commentator says of the engines: "At this point, forget the guages, run it till it blows."
22:06 Lap 190
10 laps.
22:07 Lap 191
Current leaders: Newman, Hamlin, Bowyer, Kyle Busch, Stewart, Earnhardt Jr.
22:08 Lap 193
Newman and his partner lost touch for a moment and have fallen backwards.
22:09 Lap 194
Stewart and Busch almost came together there.
22:09 Lap 194
Commentator: "And here comes... everybody."
22:09 Lap 195
There are six pairs of cars, and with five laps to go, it could be any of them.
22:09 Lap 195
Montoya, meanwhile, is down in 22nd. Never mind.
22:10 Lap 196
The pairs run three wide.
22:11 Lap 196
Yellow flags - 15th caution.
22:11 Lap 196
Smith had a spin, his car looks okay. Newman's does not.
22:12 Lap 196
Replays show a gap forming with Smith in front, the car behind got a push from the one behind that, who then pushed him into an angle.
22:12 Lap 196
Running before the accident.
22:13 Lap 196
Hamlin had a flat tyre so went into pit road.
22:13 Lap 196
Kyle Busch also has a bit of damage.
22:14 Lap 198
Now leading: Regan, Bayne, then x2 Buschs.
22:15 Lap 198
Smith gets a spin on.
22:15 Lap 198
Dale Earnhardt Jr on the radio suggesting his tyre is going down, a pit road visit follows.
22:16 Lap 200
We're on 200 laps now, but we've got to attempt to finish under green conditions.
22:18 Lap 200
Kyle Busch on the radio: "I told you, I told you, it don't matter how long you can push. It was always going to be a green, white, checker."
22:21 Lap 202
Track is clear.
22:22 Lap 202
I've just realised I don't have a white flag.
22:22 Lap 203
Accident!!
22:22 Lap 203
I may never need it!
22:22 Lap 203
Dale Earnhardt Jr is out. The crowd wail.
22:23 Lap 203
Before that there was talk of a black flag, it looks like Ragan didn't hold his lane on the restart.
22:24 Lap 203
We're watching replays but I can't figure out what happened. It looks like Earnhardt Jr was just collected in the aftermath of something else.
22:25 Lap 203
Kyle Busch visits pit road.
22:25 Lap 203
Ooh, I forgot the yellow flag again.
22:25 Lap 203
16th caution.
22:25 Lap 203
Comment from Pat W: A black flag just means a drive-through penalty not a DQ like in F1.
22:26 Lap 203
Newman was also involved, spinning off.
22:27 Lap 204
Regan shown punching the steering wheel in frustration, but he takes his drive through.
22:27 Lap 205
Bayne is leading now.
22:28 Lap 205
Pit reporter says Bayne is being told to save fuel as he may not have enough to get to the chequered flag. That depends how long it takes to get to the flippin' flag!
22:28 Lap 206
Track is clear.
22:29 Lap 206
Current top five: Bayne, Stewart, Labonte, Martin, Kurt Busch.
22:29 Lap 207
White flag goes here.
22:30 Lap 208
Trevor Bayne wins the Daytona 500!!
22:31 Lap 208
Debut race, birthday yesterday, 20 years old. They're saying it's a fairy tale.
22:32
Bayne does some showing off for the crowds. Victory celebrations are the sweetest.
22:32
Comment from Steven Roy: Great move by Bayne. Slid off Labonte's nose and parked in front of the guy who was passing him. That was really clever racing
22:32
I was about to say that.
22:33
Bayne is out of the car and celebrating with his team. Then back in the car.
22:34
Winning celebrations.
22:34
Top three: Bayne, Edwards, Gililand.
22:35
We ended up with 208 laps.
22:38
Well, it took five hours of Factbyte Factboxing, but we got a fantastic last few laps. Great work by Bayne, hopefully he'll get a chance to show what he can do in the future as well.
22:38
Thanks for joining me today, I'll see you soon for some more FBFBing. Hopefully not five hours worth!