In Play Magazine
In a photo finish, Trevor Bayne won the 53rd running of the Daytona 500. The green flag, commencing the race, waved at 1:29 p.m. EST. In a tribute during Lap 3, fans stood and raised three fingers while observing a lap of silence in memory of Dale Earnhardt, who died at the Daytona 500 in 2001.
 |
| Credit: Brandon Goodman/Getty Images for NASCAR Honorary Grand Marshals Michael Bay, Josh Duhamel and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley pose next to the No. 48 Wrecker from Transformers: Dark of the Moon. |
Fast forwarding to Lap 107, many lead changes later, and after 29 laps of green flag racing, the eighth caution of the day came out. The No. 42 car spun, but driver Juan Pablo Montoya managed to keep it straight and drive it onto pit road. The entire field followed, pitting on the next lap under the yellow flag.
 |
| Credit: John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR Michael Waltrip and David Reutimann spin which brings out the fourth caution of the Daytona 500. The incident involved 14 cars on lap 30 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. |
 |
| Credit: Jamie Squire/Getty Images Trevor Bayne and the No. 21 crew celebrates winning the 53rd Daytona 500 in the infield at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. |
Moving ahead to yellow flag no. 14, one of Kasey Kahne's tires went flat. With 16 to go, Darrell Waltrip, FOX Sports commentator and former driver said, "It's gonna get a little wild and crazy now."
He was absolutely correct; Newman was in the lead from the green flag being pushed by Hamlin, but Kurt Busch was right on their tails. Would they remain green until the finish? In typical Daytona 500 fashion, on Lap 197, the answer was no. Kurt Busch slammed into the back of Regan Smith, sending him into the wall and out of the race.
The green-white-checker flag waved on the final scheduled lap. However, another wreck resulted in another try at a green-white-checker.
With a record number of lead changes and cautions at the Daytona 500, rookie Trevor Bayne came away with the victory in a stunning finish. The 53rd running of the Daytona 500, the first on the brand-new racing surface at Daytona International Speedway, featured a track-record 74 lead changes and 22 leaders.
The lead-change record was especially noteworthy, considering the previous mark lasted more than three decades. The prior lead change mark was 60, set in the 1974 Daytona 500.
The lead-change record was especially noteworthy, considering the previous mark lasted more than three decades. The prior lead change mark was 60, set in the 1974 Daytona 500.
See full race results here.
 |
| Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR Trevor Bayne lifts the Harley J. Earl trophy with the No. 21 crew in victory lane after winning the 53rd Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. |
