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Toyota had to wait 10 years to bask in
the glory of a victory in NASCAR’s “Great
American Race,” but that wait was paid
back with interest. When Denny Hamlin
edged out Martin Truex Jr. at the line in the
closest finish in the 58-year history of the
race, it marked the first Daytona 500 win
for Hamlin and the Toyota Camry, and the
first since 1993 for NFL coaching legend
turned NASCAR car owner Joe Gibbs. With
Hamlin’s teammates Kyle Busch and Carl
Edwards taking third and fifth, respectively,
it was a dream come true for Toyota.
That order looked unlikely just a lap
earlier. Although Hamlin had dominated
the race, leading 95 of the 200 laps, he
had to leave it late to take his first victory
Closest finish ever for the Daytona 500 heads a
top-three sweep for Toyota in NASCAR’s big race
DOMINATION IN THE
BLINK OF AN EYE
in the 500 after being shuffled down the
order at the final set of pit stops.
Going into the final lap, Hamlin was
only fourth, but went high into Turn 4 and
then ducked back inside as race-leading
teammate Matt Kenseth got loose.
Hamlin then beat Truex across the line by
just 0.011 seconds.
“I don’t know what happened – I don’t
even know what I did,” said Hamlin. “This
wouldn’t have been possible without the
Toyotas sticking together all race long.”
The first Daytona 500 in 1959 was a literal
photo finish, with NASCAR founder Bill
France Sr. studying stills and film footage for
three days before determining that Lee
Petty had beaten Johnny Beauchamp.
“This wouldn’t have been possible
without the Toyotas sticking
together all race long”
DENNY HAMLIN
1 2016 0.011SEC
DENNY HAMLIN BEATS MARTIN TRUEX, JR.
2 2007 0.020SEC
KEVIN HARVICK BEATS MARK MARTIN
3 2008 0.092SEC
RYAN NEWMAN BEATS KURT BUSCH
DAYTONA 500 CLOSEST FINISHES
While nail-biter last laps are hardly a rarity in the
500, Hamlin’s squeaker was one for the books
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