Daytona: Kyle Busch wins The Clash

Kyle Busch scored a dramatic victory Tuesday night in the Busch Clash, avoiding a crash between Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott, to kick off the season. NASCAR Cup Series with the annual exhibition held for the first time at the Daytona road course.

Busch led only the last of 35 laps at the wheel of the Toyota Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18, winning the Clash for the second time.

Defending Cup Series champion Elliott placed second, avoiding contact with Blaney in the bus stop. Joey Logano finished third with Tyler Reddick and William Byron rounding out the top five.

“I felt like there was an interesting opportunity,” Busch said of the Blaney-Elliott situation. “When this started happening, I was hoping their struggles would last long enough for me to win. It’s never over until it’s over in this sort of thing.”

Elliott had been demoted on the grid due to unapproved adjustments to his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. He won the series' only other appearance at the 3,61-mile Daytona Speedway last August as part of his current streak of four road course victories.

Elliott was strong again, leading four laps and chasing Blaney for the win on the final lap. But the two cars made contact and Blaney took the worst of the damage in the wall.

Martin Truex Jr. led twice but ran into trouble each time, shortly after moving ahead. He was the leader at the halfway mark, but missed the track's final chicane during the float period while looking to rejoin the pack. "I don't know why I did that," Truex said. Terrible mistake, sorry.”

He apologized again after crashing into the wall outside. He finished 20th in the 21-car field.