Sunday 18th February 2018

Twenty years after Dale Earnhardt Sr. earned his iconic victory at Daytona 500, Austin Dillon brought Richard Childress’s #3 Chevrolet back to Victory Lane. Dillon, Childress’s grandson who was photographed next to Earnhardt as a child after the earlier win, led only the final lap, bumping leader Aric Almirola out of the way, sending the latter’s Ford into the wall. Also of note, rookie Darrell Wallace Jr. finished in the runner-up spot, barely edging out 2016 winner Denny Hamlin, the highest finish for an African-American driver in the event’s history. It was also the final NASCAR race for Danica Patrick, who was collected in a multi-car wreck near the end of the second stage that also ended the days of Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick, among others.