Hamlin, JGR win Daytona 500

Hartford’s Ryan Blaney doesn’t finish after getting caught in pileup

Associated Press

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA.

Denny Hamlin came to the Daytona 500 determined to honor his late car owner with a victory.

He delivered in a storybook tribute for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Hamlin won NASCAR’s biggest race for the second time in four years Sunday, leading JGR in a 1-2-3 sweep of the podium in overtime. The race and the season have been dedicated to J.D. Gibbs, Joe Gibbs’ eldest son who died last month after battling a degenerative neurological disease.

J.D. Gibbs helped his father start the race team, ran it while Joe Gibbs was coaching the Washington Redskins, was a tire changer on the team’s first Daytona 500 victory and the one who discovered Hamlin during a test session at Hickory Motor Speedway in North Carolina. Hamlin was hired to drive the No. 11 — the number J.D. Gibbs used when he played football — and J.D. Gibbs’ name is on the Toyota.

When Hamlin stopped his car along the frontstretch to collect the checkered flag, he immediately credited J.D. Gibbs.

“The whole family, they did so much for me over the course of my career, and this one is for J.D,” Hamlin said. “We are desperately going to miss him the rest of our lies. His legacy still lives on through Joe Gibbs Racing and proud to do this for them.”

Kyle Busch and Erik Jones finished second and third as JGR became the second team in NASCAR history to sweep the Daytona 500 podium.

Kyle Busch finished second and Erik Jones was third as the Gibbs drivers held off Ford driver and reigning NASCAR champion Joey Logano’s frantic push in overtime.

The race was stopped twice for nearly 40 minutes for a flurry of late accidents — there were five wrecks in the final 20 laps of regulation — and only 14 cars finished on the lead lap.

Hartford native Ryan Blaney was among the drivers involved in a late 21-car accident.

Logano was fourth, followed by Michael McDowell. Ty Dillon was sixth in the highest-finishing Chevrolet.