Denny Hamlin was one of the few drivers able to finish the Daytona 500 on Sunday.
And after a crash-packed final stage wiped out most of the field and led to a pair of red-flag delays, Hamlin emerged victorious for his second career Daytona 500 win (his first came in 2016). It was a bounce-back performance by the 38-year-old driver, who went winless last season.
MORE: 'Big One' with 10 to go takes out group of front-runners
After the race, an emotional Hamlin dedicated the win to J.D. Gibbs, the co-founder of the Joe Gibbs Racing organization under which Hamlin races. Gibbs died last month of a degenerative neurological disease at age 49.
"It was just one of those days where I felt like it was meant to be,” Hamlin told reporters. "Hats off to Kyle as well. I know he was eagerly wanting his first victory in the Daytona 500, but today we just weren’t going to be denied.
"The whole (Gibbs) family — they did so much for me over the course of my career. This one is for J.D. We’re desperately going to miss him the rest of our lives. His legacy still lives on through Joe Gibbs Racing and I’m proud to do this for them."
Sporting News tracked lap-by-lap results and highlights from the 2019 Daytona 500. See below for how Hamlin won the race. (Material from the NASCAR Wire Service was used in the section above.)
Daytona 500 results: 2019 winner, order of finish
The top 20 finishers from the 2019 Daytona 500 are in order below. Here's a full list of results.
Finish | Driver | Team (Car No.) | Laps led |
1. | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing (11) | 30 |
2. | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing (18) | 37 |
3. | Erik Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing (20) | ... |
4. | Joey Logano | Team Penske (22) | 11 |
5. | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports (34) | ... |
6. | Ty Dillon | Germain Racing (13) | ... |
7. | Kyle Larson | Chip Ganassi Racing (42) | ... |
8. | Ryan Preece | Joe Gibbs Racing (47) | ... |
9. | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports (48) | ... |
10. | Ross Chastain | Premium Motorsports (15) | ... |
11. | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports (88) | ... |
12. | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske (2) | ... |
13. | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Roush Fenway Racing (17) | 16 |
14. | Ryan Newman | Richard Childress Racing (6) | ... |
15. | Parker Kligerman | Gaunt Brothers Racing (96) | ... |
16. | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing (3) | ... |
17. | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports (9) | ... |
18. | Corey LaJoie | TriStar Motorsports (32) | ... |
19. | B.J. McLeod | Rick Ware Racing (51) | ... |
20. | Clint Bowyer | Stewart-Haas Racing (14) | ... |
MORE: Full 2019 schedule | New rule changes explained
Daytona 500 live updates, highlights
(All times Eastern)
7:33 p.m. — DENNY HAMLIN WINS IT! After going winless in 2018, Hamlin claims a chaotic Daytona 500.
"This one is for J.D." pic.twitter.com/r5iYk4yfvi
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 18, 2019
7:32 p.m. — Logano takes second! Can he catch Hamlin for first?
7:14 p.m. — Almost every car has taken at least some damage today.
Apparently only top five cars don't have any damage:
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) February 18, 2019
1. Denny Hamlin, coming off winless season, looking for second 500 win
2. Kyle Busch, has never won the 500
3. Joey Logano, last year's Cup champ
4. Michael McDowell, no career Cup wins in 285 starts
5. Ryan Preece, rookie
7:10 p.m. — Red flag.
7:02 p.m. — Welp. Bowyer smashes into Byron going for a late pass. Caution up again.
you guys... pic.twitter.com/PsWW5k6Vlz
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 18, 2019
7:01 p.m. — Back to green. Two more laps.
6:55 p.m. — ANOTHER WRECK. Stenhouse, Harvick and Larson all seriously involved.
. @StenhouseJr runs out of room between @KyleLarsonRacin and @KevinHarvick ! #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/4vOzh6LySP
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 17, 2019
6:52 p.m. — After a lengthy delay from a crash that involved 21 cars, according to NASCAR, it's green again at Daytona. Six laps to go.
6:31 p.m. — Logano avoided catastrophe, but many of his fellow drivers did not.
How big was the Big One? Believe that was a 19-car wreck. Per MRN, the drivers involved were A. Dillon, Newman, Hemric, Elliott, Almirola, Blaney, TDillon, Stenhouse, Truex, Jones, Menard, Reddick, Tifft, Buescher, Ragan, Larson, Suarez, Johnson, DiBenedetto. #Daytona500
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) February 17, 2019
6:26 p.m. — Here's a look at the big crash. Yikes.
THE BIG ONE STRIKES AT DAYTONA.
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) February 17, 2019
Matt DiBenedetto goes around, and multiple cars are totaled in this #Daytona500 . pic.twitter.com/BLnJweOjEa
6:21 p.m. — HUGE wreck with 10 laps remaining. We were trending toward this.
Involved: 21, 95 6, 19, 41, 10, 31, 8, 37,
— Jim Utter (@jim_utter) February 17, 2019
Red Flag
6:15 p.m. — Now it's Keselowski's turn to spin out. It's been an eventful final stage at Daytona.
. @keselowski goes around and we're under caution with 12 laps remaining.
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 17, 2019
Do NOT miss the finish of the #DAYTONA500 on FOX! pic.twitter.com/HAOt7NA5Ia
6:06 p.m. — Right after the latest restart, Kyle Larson spins into the wall. This is anyone's race.
Kyle Larson loses it. pic.twitter.com/dWESX4BuJs
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 17, 2019
5:57 p.m. — Argh. Caution flag back out for debris.
5:55 p.m. — OK, we have the green flag again with 29 laps remaining.
5:44 p.m. — The wreck was not Johnson's fault, but he took some of the worst damage.
That is not ideal for Jimmie Johnson. pic.twitter.com/9nzmFUvF46
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 17, 2019
5:35 p.m. — Caution. Crash at pit road. Jimmie Johnson was caught up in that.
You never know where chaos will strike at @DISupdates ! #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/fyQI74Fw4h
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 17, 2019
"Well damn, that was unlucky, huh." @JimmieJohnson says to crew in understatement of the race. #Daytona500
— Holly Cain (@_HollyCain) February 17, 2019
5:25 p.m. — Remember what we said about aggressive driving? Geez Louise.
Anyone else hold their breath during that pass by @ClintBowyer ? #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/9zLYlwhzPe
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 17, 2019
5:20 p.m. — There are 60 laps left in the Daytona 500. We're about to get to the point when things get very real. Byron remains in the lead, but there are likely many twists and turns left in this one.
5:11 p.m. — The young buck William Byron takes the lead!
5:05 p.m. — So, some thoughts: This race has been a pleasant surprise to this point given concerns about boring, single-file racing. Drivers are taking more chances, opting to go into the bottom lane more than they did in qualifying.
4:59 p.m. — Ryan Blaney wins Stage 2! He's followed by Keselowski and Byron. DiBenedetto is still in the top 10 after pitting.
Ryan Blaney wins Stage 2. Playoff point for him.
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) February 17, 2019
Others getting stage points:
2. Byron
3. Almirola
4. Keselowski
5. Stenhouse
6. DiBenedetto
7. Harvick
8. Suarez
9. Johnson
10. Logano
4:45 p.m. — Caution near the end of Stage 2.
CAUTION: @CJMearsGang and @pkligerman are involved. #DAYTONA500 | @DISupdates pic.twitter.com/FQ4nwZ84xl
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 17, 2019
4:39 p.m. — Twenty laps remain in Stage 2. DiBenedetto is hanging onto his improbable lead. He has now led 42 laps today. Top six still need to pit, though.
4:26 p.m. — DiBenedetto is back in the lead 23 laps into Stage 2.
With his 24th lap led, @mattdracing has led more today than his entire career to this point combined. #DAYTONA500 | @LFR95 pic.twitter.com/3JftVHJwrS
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 17, 2019
4:20 p.m. — Paul Menard is penalized for speeding on pit road.
4:03 p.m. — We're done with Stage 1. Kyle Busch is still in the lead, but his brother, Kurt Busch, was involved in the biggest crash of the day so far. Alex Bowman is in second place and Joey Logano runs in third.
3:51 p.m. — Caution. Kurt Busch involved in an accident.
Caution! Kurt Busch, Bubba Wallace and Jamie McMurray all involved. pic.twitter.com/jUPjLzzfkc
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 17, 2019
3:40 p.m. — Kyle Busch takes the lead, his first of the day.
3:35 p.m. — With the green flag back in effect, we're halfway through Stage 1. Stenhouse leads the way.
3:23 p.m. — Caution. Twenty laps in, Corey LaJoie has an issue.
Ow. :flushed: #DAYTONA500 | @CoreyLaJoie pic.twitter.com/psdNEThjZG
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 17, 2019
3:15 p.m.. — After the first 10 laps, Matt DiBenedetto is in the lead. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is in second place, followed by Martin Truex Jr.
3:07 p.m. — Green flag. Let's do this.
. @WilliamByron slides in front of @AlexBowman88 and holds the lead on Lap 1! @DISupdates | #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/Z2QzfGexjK
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 17, 2019
3:01 p.m. — Cars are rolling off pit road.