NASCAR: Austin Cindric wins his first Daytona 500
Win comes in 64th running of The Great American Race
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Austin Cindric has won the 2022 Daytona 500.
Team Penske driver scored his first win in NASCAR's marquee race in just his eighth start in the Cup Series.
Cindric led the field across the start/finish line for a two-lap overtime shootout that came after two yellow-flag crashes in the final 10 laps of The Great American Race.
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The 2020 Xfinity Series champion is racing in his first full season in the top tier series. The win coincided with the 85th birthday of team owner Roger Penske, to whom Cindric sent his best wishes to during a post-race interview.
Bubba Wallace followed Cindric across the line in his 23XI Racing Chevrolet Camaro, which was missing a front fender from one of previous accidents. The two came into contact as Cindric made a last-second move to block Wallace and secure the victory by just .036 seconds. It was Wallace's second runner-up finish in the event.
Chase Briscoe, Ryan Blaney and Aric Almirola rounded out the top five. Almirola was competing in his final Daytona 500, as he has announced plans to retire from full-time racing at the end of the season.
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Pole-sitter and pre-race favorite Kyle Larson crashed out of the race with 10 laps to go when he ran into the back of Kevin Harvick, ending Harvick's day along with him.
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The 64th running of the Daytona 500 only had seven caution periods, which included only one serious accident on lap 63, when Harrison Burton was flipped and several cars, including Denny Hamlin, were wrecked out of the race.
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Burton escaped the dramatic incident without any significant injuries.