Michael McDowell, surprise from the chef at Daytona

He will only have led one lap, but the most important one. By rising to the forefront in the final loop of the Daytona 500 2021 following contact between the two Team Penske drivers Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski, Michael McDowell achieved the decisive action of the legendary American event, and thus achieved his first career success.

A prestigious victory for the resident of Front Row Motorsports – Ford, unaccustomed to first places in the regular season, but often well placed at Daytona (5th in 2019).

Chase Elliott, outgoing champion, finished 2nd with the Chevrolet – Hendrick Motorsports and preceded Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing – Chevrolet), Kevin Harvick (Stewart-Haas Racing – Ford) and Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing – Toyota), qui ne signera pas une troisième victoire d’affilée au Daytona 500.

A first career Victory Lane for McDowell, at the end of an event which will have seen everything, between a huge Big One from the start of the race caused by Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing – Toyota) and Aric Almirola (Stewart-Haas Racing) , and involving 16 cars, including pole sitter Alex Bowman (Hendrick Motorsports), Martin Truex Jr (Joe Gibbs Racing) and Kurt Busch (Chip Ganassi Racin – Chevrolet).

The event was also interrupted under a red flag for more than five hours due to the weather, with lightning and showers above the Florida route, before resuming overnight in Europe.

Race ranking

Discover the full report of the Daytona 500, in issue 2299 of AUTOhebdo, available this evening in digital version and this Wednesday on newsstands.