DAYTONA BEACH, Florida – Michael McDowell was glued to Brad Keselowski’s bumper, watching and waiting for his chance to win the Daytona 500.
Joey Logano was the leader, the laps were slowing down and yet no one had the courage to get out of traffic. McDowell was sure that Keselowski would come to him eventually, and when he did, McDowell would play his hand.
On the last lap, Keselowski tried to get around Logano, but Logano threw a block at his teammate who beat them both. McDowell stayed exactly where he was, sunk in the accelerator, and drove through an accident scene for an impressive turn.
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“I knew he would try a winning move and my plan was to let him make that move,” said McDowell. “I knew I didn’t want to make my move too soon, so I was committed to the bumper (Keselowski) and when he made the move, the hole opened up.”
A 100-1 underdog when the race started on Sunday afternoon, McDowell won for the first time in the 358 World Cup, when the checkered flag finally flew about 15 minutes after midnight. The race was interrupted by rain for almost six hours and ended nine hours after the green flag was raised at the Daytona International Speedway.
Michael McDowell celebrates after winning the NASCAR Daytona 500 car race at the Daytona International Speedway, Monday, February 15, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Florida. (AP Photo / John Raoux)
“Many years ago I wondered what the hell am I doing and why am I doing this?” Said McDowell. “I always knew that if I kept fighting, one day everything would line up and work out.”
The NASCAR season opener was full of stories. Denny Hamlin was trying for a third consecutive record victory in the Daytona 500, and the team he started with Michael Jordan was debuting with pilot Bubba Wallace.
Kyle Larson was back after almost a year in exile for using racial slander, and Cup champion Chase Elliott was attempting his first victory at the Daytona 500.
And right at the bottom of the field, the 1990 Daytona 500 winner Derrike Cope did what he said would be his final start on NASCAR. At 62, he was the oldest driver on the field, and his unexpected victory 31 years ago was considered the greatest in racing history.
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McDowell did not take that title from Cope, in part because McDowell is a strong superspeedway driver, able to confuse himself with the usual suspects. If he could find himself in the right place at the right time, McDowell figured he could steal a victory.
“It has been a difficult road for me. I have had to spend many years trying to overcome this,” said McDowell. His career was stabilized for four seasons while driving for Front Row Motorsports, a small team of the Ford family that manages to stay in Daytona.
McDowell was in the mix even before the two Penske cars got in the way. His Ford was strong enough to push Keselowski, and McDowell imagined that, with the checkered flag in view, he would try to overtake Keselowski when they exited the final corner.
Logano’s Keselowski block – it seemed late, Keselowski had already started pulling alongside his teammate – triggered a stack of several burning cars that was in McDowell’s rearview mirror.
“Brad was turning right, Joey was turning left and I went straight through the middle,” said McDowell. “It’s just a blur from there.”
Keselowski subtly blamed Logano for the messy finish.
“I wanted to pass to win the Daytona 500 and it ended up really bad,” said Keselowski. “I don’t feel like I made a mistake, but I can’t drive everybody’s car. So frustrating.”
Logano had no explanation for the ending.
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“Pandemonium, I think. Chaos has broken out,” said Logano, who praised McDowell. “It is a real bummer that none of Penske’s cars won, but at least one Ford won and I am very happy for McDowell.
“If we couldn’t win, I’m very happy to see McDowell win that.”
McDowell, who led in less than half a lap, ran a drag race from Elliott and Austin Dillon until NASCAR finally called for a warning.
Several solid competitors were eliminated from the race just 15 laps after a 16-car accident that started in front of the field. This decreased the size of the platoon and established a final showdown between Kevin Harvick and Hamlin.
Hamlin and Harvick had the two best cars, but the boxing strategy ended Hamlin’s chance to win a record for a third consecutive Daytona 500. Ford drivers pit first as a group, followed by Chevrolets one lap later and, finally, Toyotas.
But the Toyota group has only five cars and they could not re-group to regain control of the race. This put Logano, Keselowski and the Ford drivers in the lead, and Logano led the final 25 laps until Keselowski made his move.
McDowell pushed Elliott and Dillon away. Harvick finished fourth and Hamlin fifth after leading 98 laps with the race record.
Only 11 cars finished on the first lap.