Denny Hamlin came out on top in the 61st running of the Daytona 500 Sunday — not long after a string of dramatic wrecks took out much of the competition in “The Great American Race.”

In all, the race had five crashes and two red flags over the final 20 laps of regulation.

Paul Menard triggered the biggest multi-car wreck shortly after a restart with 10 laps to go.

Another crash soon afterwards involved William Byron, Chase Elliott and Brad Keselowski, among others.

Hamlin raced to his second Daytona 500 victory in four years, holding off Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch.

The race and the season have been dedicated to J.D. Gibbs, Joe Gibbs' eldest son who died last month after battling a degenerative neurological disease. J.D. Gibbs helped his father start the race team, ran it while his father was coaching the Washington Redskins, was a tire changer on the team's first Daytona 500 victory and helped discover Hamlin during a test session at Hickory Motor Speedway in North Carolina. Hamlin's charity had said it would donate $111 to the J.D. Gibbs Legacy Fund for each lap he led.

He moved out front after a final restart and had Busch blocking in the final lap. Busch finished second, followed by Erik Jones. Defending Cup Series champion Joey Logano was fourth.

Menard turned Matt DiBenedetto, who slammed into the wall and started a chain-reaction crash that collected 21 cars. It brought out a red flag that stopped the race during the cleanup. There were no reports of anybody hurt.

Menard took responsibility for “The Big One” — NASCAR slang describing any crash usually involving five or more cars: “I’ll take the blame for that one.”

ANNETT WINS NASCAR DAYTONA XFINITY RACE

He also said: “It was go time, and I was pushing the 95 [Matt DiBenedetto] and it looked like he was trying to get to the middle and I started trying to get to the outside and just barely hooked him. Yeah, that was my bad. I wrecked a lot of cars. I feel bad about that.”

Defending Daytona 500 champion Austin Dillon, Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Aric Almirola and Daniel Suarez were among those involved in the mess.

Almirola seemingly had the wildest ride, his back wheels getting lifted off the pavement and landing on David Ragan’s windshield.

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Hamlin said he would soak up his win, and he said he knows he would have a hangover on Monday: “I’m going to hate tomorrow, but I’m going to love the rest of my life.”

The native of Chesterfield, Virginia, who was sponsored by FedEx Express, was the 2016 Daytona 500 champion; he won what was the closest finish in race history, barely edging Martin Truex Jr.

Fox News' Samuel Chamberlain and The Associated Press contributed to this report.</s>No other sport is it considered such a crowning achievement to win the official season opener. But NASCAR is different. The 2019 Daytona 500, the biggest race of the year for the series, is Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET, and a win can secure the legacy of a driver. A field of 40 will race around Daytona International Speedway for the opportunity to be presented the coveted Harley J. Earl Trophy in Victory Lane. Right now, the 2019 Daytona 500 odds have a trio of favorites, with Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski each at 8-1. It's a restrictor-plate race, which means nearly every driver has a chance to compete, as evidenced by 15 drivers at 25-1 or lower odds. With a strategic race expected, you'll want to see the NASCAR predictions from Vegas bookmaker and handicapper Micah Roberts before making your own 2019 Daytona 500 picks.

Roberts went with Jimmie Johnson as a hefty 25-1 long shot at this past Sunday's Advance Auto Parts Clash. The result: Johnson survived a huge crash and went on to win the rain-shortened race as Roberts' followers raked it in. He entered the 2019 NASCAR season after finishing big-time in the black in 2018. Those who wagered $100 on each of his picks last year have $1,750 in profit to show for it.

His biggest wins came when he went against the grain, taking Keselowski at 12-1 to win the South Point 400 at Las Vegas in the opening race of the NASCAR playoffs and going with Logano, also 12-1, to take the First Data 500 at Martinsville. He also nailed four of Harvick's nine series victories and three of Kyle Busch's nine wins.

That continued an astonishing run in which Roberts picked nine of the 10 winners in the 2017 NASCAR playoffs. In 2016, he took Denny Hamlin to win the Daytona 500 at 15-1, and took him again at 40-1 at Watkins Glen later that year. Anyone who's following his picks is up huge year after year.

Now, he has analyzed the field for Sunday's 2019 Daytona 500 from every possible angle and locked in his 2019 NASCAR at Daytona picks. You can see his projected leaderboard over at SportsLine.

One driver Roberts is fading is Martin Truex Jr., considered one of the top drivers yet to win a Daytona 500. Truex has had runner-up finishes in two races at Daytona, including the 500 back in 2016. But Roberts has other drivers he likes a lot more -- he doesn't project Truex finishing in the top 10.

Roberts, however is finding a lot to like with Denny Hamlin and his 10-1 odds. Hamlin edged Truex by a record 0.001-second margin for the 2016 Daytona 500 championship. Hamlin didn't win a single race in 2018, but he's had a history of competing on this track. If he's close, his 31 Cup victories prove he can get it done.

"He's starving for a win and this is probably his best shot," Roberts told SportsLine. "In the last eight Daytona 500s, he's been on the front row on the last restart five times. His 407 laps led at Daytona are the most among active drivers. He knows how to get up front and that's the name of the game."

Also, Roberts predicts three drivers with Daytona 500 2019 odds of 20-1 longer make a strong run at the title. His picks will shock many, but anyone who backs them could hit it with a massive payday, just like last week.

So which drivers are must-backs in the 2019 Daytona 500? And which underdogs shock NASCAR? Visit SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard from the nation's premier NASCAR handicapper, and find out.</s>Denny Hamlin celebrates in a flurry of confetti in Victory Lane after winning the Daytona 500 NASCAR race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach on Sunday, February 17, 2019. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)</s>Denny Hamlin has officially won the 2019 Daytona 500! Find out about the stock car racing driver here!

After a crash-filled Daytona 500 this year (there were three major crashes in the last 10 laps alone), a victor has emerged from the wreckage. Denny Hamlin managed to win the big race in overtime. Here’s everything you need to know about him.

1. This isn’t his first Daytona 500 win. Denny also won the annual race back in 2016.

2. This year, Denny won the checkered flag for Joe Gibbs Racing, just a month after after Joe Gibbs’ oldest son J.D. passed away at 49 after a battle with a neurological disease. After climbing out of his car post-victory, Denny said, “This one’s for J.D. We’re desperately going to miss him the rest of our lives.”

3. Denny hilariously joked about why he’s unpopular among NASCAR fans on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s podcast. “I always look at videos they have of me or pictures that are taken, and I look like I’m pissed off all the time,” Denny admitted on the Dale Jr. Download. “And I’m like, ‘Yeah, I probably wouldn’t approach him either.’”

4. He has two children. Denny and his longtime girlfriend Jordan Fish share a daughter Taylor James Hamlin, 6, and Molly Gold Hamlin, 1.

5. He has wracked up so many wins in his accomplished career. In his 13 seasons, he’s amassed 32 Cup wins, including two Daytona 500 races and two Southern 500 races (2010, 2017). We’ll keep you posted with all of the latest news in the world of NASCAR. In the meantime, check out all of the photos from Denny’s recent Daytona 500 win in our gallery above.</s>DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The Daytona 500 is shaping up to be a snoozer of a showcase.

Three exhibition races produced lackluster racing and little excitement beyond a pair of crashes Jimmie Johnson triggered. Now expectations are sinking in anticipation of Sunday's season-opening race and NASCAR has no plans to tweak the rules package, either.

Richard Petty, winner of a record seven Daytona 500s, was blunt Friday when asked if he thought Speedweeks had produced good racing.

"No, I don't," said The King.

The first race of the year was a 20-car, all-star event that ran single file until Johnson made an aggressive move for the win. His pass of Paul Menard for the lead collected 16 other cars in the lone highlight of the race.

Johnson erred again in a Thursday qualifying race when he made contact with Kyle Busch to cause Busch to spin. That was the extent of the action all the way through the second 150-mile race, another single-file parade until the last lap when Joey Logano pulled out of line from fourth place to drive to the win.

Denny Hamlin said his peers raced conservatively in the exhibitions.

"Guys just don't want to race until the end," Hamlin said. "There's just nothing rewarding until the end. Short of giving us points every 10 laps, this is going to be a lot of what you see on superspeedway races simply because guys just want to get to the end. Knowing it's 500 miles, there is no reward for running the first 150 miles aggressively."

NASCAR could have made adjustments to the rules package designed to tighten the racing for the 500, but any changes likely would have been needed prior to a pair of Friday practice sessions. Jay Fabian, the new director of the Cup Series, said NASCAR has had "zero discussions" about changing any rules.

Car owner Richard Childress was hopeful the action will be improved with the full, 40-car field Sunday. Team owner Rick Hendrick dismissed the complacency so far, saying drivers are merely protecting their Daytona 500 cars.

Roger Penske held out hope the Daytona 500 will be a better show.

"The racing will be certainly better on race day," said Penske, who has two of the favorites to win the Daytona 500 in Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano.

Tony Stewart, co-owner of four strong Ford entries, didn't want to link the early Speedweeks racing to the Daytona 500.

"The goal at the end of the day is to win the Daytona 500," Stewart said. "I don't think we put a lot of emphasis on winning the qualifying races. If you can win it, great. In no way do you want to jeopardize your primary car to do so."</s>Denny Hamlin has won his second Daytona 500 in four years, taking the checkered flag for Joe Gibbs Racing a month after Joe Gibbs’ oldest son died following a long battle with a degenerative neurological disease. J.D. Gibbs was 49.

Hamlin moved out front after a final restart and had teammate Kyle Busch blocking in the final lap. Busch finished second, followed by another team, Erik Jones. Defending Cup Series champion Joey Logano was fourth.

Joe Gibbs says “what happened here is really unreal.”

Joe Gibbs Racing and Fox Sports paid tribute to J.D. Gibbs early in the race. The team and the television network recognized Gibbs during the 11th lap of the Daytona 500.

Gibbs’ favorite number was 11, the car number Hamlin has driven for the team since 2005.

Before Hamling won, "The Big One" came late in the Daytona 500.

Paul Menard triggered a 21-car accident shortly after a restart with 10 laps to go in "The Great American Race."

Menard turned Matt DiBenedetto, who slammed into the wall and started a chain-reaction that collected more than two dozen cars. It brought out a red flag that stopped the race for a lengthy cleanup.

Menard says "I’ll take the blame for that one."

Defending Daytona 500 champion Austin Dillon, Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Aric Almirola and Daniel Suarez were among those involved in the mess.

Almirola seemingly had the wildest ride, his back wheels getting lifted off the pavement and landing on David Ragan’s windshield.</s>Scenes from he Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 61st Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 17, 2019 in Daytona Beach, Florida.

William Byron, driver of the #24 Axalta Chevrolet, and Alex Bowman, driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, lead the field during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 61st Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 17, 2019 in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Daytona 500 grand marshal and Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt answers questions during a news conference at the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 61st Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 17, 2019 in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, is introduced during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 61st Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 17, 2019 in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M's Chocolate Bar Toyota, is introduced before the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 61st Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 17, 2019 in Daytona Beach, Florida.

William Byron, driver of the #24 Axalta Chevrolet, and Alex Bowman, driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, lead the field during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 61st Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 17, 2019 in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Matt DiBenedetto, driver of the #95 Procore Toyota, leads the field during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 61st Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 17, 2019 in Daytona Beach, Florida.

William Byron, driver of the #24 Axalta Chevrolet, leads a pack of cars during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 61st Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 17, 2019 in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M's Chocolate Bar Toyota, leads a pack of cars during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 61st Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 17, 2019 in Daytona Beach, Florida.

William Byron, driver of the #24 Axalta Chevrolet, and Alex Bowman, driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, lead the field during pace laps prior to the start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 61st Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 17, 2019 in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Kurt Busch, driver of the #1 Monster Energy Chevrolet, and Bubba Wallace, driver of the #43 Aftershokz Chevrolet, are involved in an on track incident during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 61st Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 17, 2019 in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Darrell Wallace Jr. (43) gets caught up in a wreck with Kurt Busch (1) as Clint Bowyer (14) goes high to avoid the crash during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 61st Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 17, 2019 in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Alex Bowman, driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, pits during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 61st Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 17, 2019 in Daytona Beach, Florida.</s>DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Denny Hamlin won the Daytona 500 for the second time in four years, leading a 1-2-3 sweep for Joe Gibbs Racing.

The victory Sunday honored J.D. Gibbs, who died last month after battling a degenerative neurological disease. J.D. Gibbs co-founded the race team with his father and discovered Hamlin.

Hamlin drives the No. 11— J.D. Gibbs' number when he played football — and his name is on the Toyota. Hamlin said when he arrived at Daytona International Speedway that both the 500 and this season were dedicated to J.D. Gibbs.

Kyle Busch finished second and Erik Jones was third as the Gibbs drivers held off Ford driver and reigning NASCAR champion Joey Logano's frantic push in overtime.

The race was stopped twice for nearly 40 minutes for a flurry of late accidents — there were five wrecks in the final 20 laps of regulation — and only 14 cars finished on the lead lap.

Logano was fourth, followed by Michael McDowell. Ty Dillon was sixth in the highest-finishing Chevrolet.

Hamlin last year suffered through his first winless season in the Cup Series and made a crew chief change during the offseason. When he won the 500 in 2016 it was his debut race with crew chief Mike Wheeler, and this victory came in his first race with Chris Gabehart.</s>The 40 drivers competing in the 2019 Daytona 500, in order of starting position:

NOTEWORTHY: Daytona 500 pole-sitter and 2018 rookie of the year. Winless with four top-10 finishes in rookie season with Hendrick Motorsports.

NOTEWORTHY: Bowman starts on the front row for the second straight year. Won the pole in 2018 and starts behind Hendrick teammate William Byron on Sunday.

NOTEWORTHY: Won 2007 Daytona 500 with Richard Childress Racing. Third in points for the second straight season in 2018. Won a series-leading eight times, giving him 45 in his career.

NOTEWORTHY: Defending series champion and Team Penske star is looking to become the first since Jimmie Johnson in 2010 to win consecutive Cup titles.

NOTEWORTHY: Suffered slump after breakthrough 2017. Failed to win a race and finished 18th a year after making playoffs.

NOTEWORTHY: Won his first race since 2014, ending 149-race winless streak. Starts second season with Stewart-Haas Racing. Led 2018 Daytona 500 until last-lap accident.

NOTEWORTHY: One win in 435 Cup starts. Winless since taking checkered flag at Brickyard 400 in 2011. Wrecked by Jimmie Johnson with the lead at the exhibition Clash last weekend.

NOTEWORTHY: Made strides in second year at Stewart-Haas Racing. Won two races last season, his first since 2012. Winless in 13 Daytona 500 starts.

NOTEWORTHY: No top five finishes in 140 career starts.

NOTEWORTHY: 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion. Won four races and was runner-up to Joey Logano for championship in 2018. Starts first season with Joe Gibbs Racing after Furniture Row Racing folded.

NOTEWORTHY: 2017 Daytona 500 champion with Stewart-Haas Racing. Well-traveled driver making move to Chip Ganassi for 2019. Missed 2015 race because of suspension.

NOTEWORTHY: Was first black driver last year to start Daytona 500 since Wendell Scott in 1969. Finished second behind winner Austin Dillon.

NOTEWORTHY: Won second career Cup race last season at Charlotte “roval.” Starts second season driving for team owner Roger Penske.

NOTEWORTHY: Entering fourth full-time season. Only win came in rain-shortened race in 2016. Had only two top-10 finishes in 2018.

NOTEWORTHY: Won 2010 Daytona 500, same year he also won Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis. Expected to make final NASCAR start. Will transition to TV analyst for Fox Sports.

NOTEWORTHY: Seven-time NASCAR champion. An eighth title would push him past the late Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty for most ever, leaving him alone as NASCAR’s greatest.

NOTEWORTHY: Son of two-time Daytona 500 champ and Hall of Fame driver Bill Elliott won three times last season. Voted NASCAR’s most popular driver in 2018.

NOTEWORTHY: Starts first season driving for Jack Roush. Failed to post a top-five finish for first time in his career.

NOTEWORTHY: 2018 Daytona 500 champion. Won driving the iconic No. 3 Chevrolet that Dale Earnhardt piloted for most of his career. Spun Aric Almirola on the last lap to pull off the win. No driver has won two straight Daytona 500s since Sterling Marlin in 1994 and 1995.

NOTEWORTHY: Made five Cup starts last season. Takes over for AJ Allmendinger in the 47. Candidate for NASCAR rookie of the year.

NOTEWORTHY: Makes move to Stewart-Hass Racing. Pushed out at Joe Gibbs Racing to make room for Martin Truex Jr. Won first Cup pole at Pocono. Won Xfinity Series title in 2016, becoming NASCAR’s first foreign champion.

NOTEWORTHY: Won only Cup races in 2011 and 2013. Had just one top-10 finish last four years. Finished 30th at Daytona last season.

NOTEWORTHY: Followed breakthrough 2017 season with winless 2018. Fell from four wins to none but made playoffs for third straight season.

NOTEWORTY: Made 29 starts for StarCom in 2018. Winless in 288 career starts.

NOTEWORTHY: Won at Daytona in July for first career Cup win. Had nine top-fives and finished 15th in standings in first season at Joe Gibbs Racing.

NOTEWORTHY: Made two starts for RCR last season. First driver to race the No. 8 since Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hails from same hometown as the Earnhardts.

NOTEWORTHY: Winless in 58 Cup starts. Played college football and basketball at Georgetown, guarding Allen Iverson on practice court and becoming all-Big East kicker on gridiron. Earned one of the final transfer spots for the Daytona 500.

NOTEWORTHY: 2015 Cup Series champion has yet to win Daytona 500, a streak that stands at 13. Won eight races last season and finished fourth in season standings.

NOTEWORTHY: No top-10 finishes in 57 career starts. Son of two-time NASCAR second-tier series champion Randy LaJoie. Has his face painted on the hood of his car for Daytona 500.

NOTEWORTHY: Cup rookie missed part of the 2016 season after being diagnosed with a brain tumor, which was discovered during treatment for a back injury. Returned to racing 11 weeks after the tumor was removed. Has since become a spokesman for the National Brain Tumor Society. Raced full time in the Xfinity Series the last two years.

NOTEWORTHY: Winless in 285 Cup starts. Shines at Daytona. Finished fourth in 2017 Daytona 500, and ninth in 2018. Were his only top-10s each season.

NOTEWORTHY: 2012 series champion still looking for first Daytona 500 victory. Has at least three victories in each of the last three years at Team Penske, including three in a row late last year.

NOTEWORTHY: Making Daytona 500 debut for RWR, which bought NASCAR charter from Front Row Motorsports. Cars came from FRM and Leavine Family Racing.

NOTEWORTHY: Making Daytona 500 debut for RWR, which bought NASCAR charter from Richard Petty Motorsports. Cars came from FRM and Leavine Family Racing.

NOTEWORTHY: Driving a third car for RCR, a one-off ride for the Daytona 500. Reigning Xfinity champion left JR Motorsports to drive for RCR in the second-tier series.

NOTEWORTHY: Making his first Cup start since 2016. Has one victory in 488 Cup starts. Finished second in the 2006 Daytona 500.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>The Daytona 500 has long held a special place in NASCAR lore, serving as the season-opening race for more than 35 years and being part of the NASCAR circuit for 60.

The 500-mile track at Daytona International Speedway the site of some of the sports most iconic moments, from Richard Petty's record seventh Daytona 500 triumph in 1981 to Dale Earnhart's 1998 victory after years of near-misses.

MORE: NASCAR rule changes for 2019 explained

Nine different drivers have claimed the last nine Daytona 500 races, reflecting the unpredictability of the storied course.

This season, reigning champion Joey Logano looks an early favorite to win his second Daytona 500, having impressed in the Daytona Duels with a first-place finish. But a host of challengers, including fellow Duel winner Kevin Harvick, could unseat Logano.

Here's a look at the history of past Daytona 500 winners, including the record-holder for most wins all time.

Who has won the most Daytona 500 races?

Richard Petty won the most Daytona 500 races with seven victories.

Austin Dillon is the reigning Daytona 500 champion. He won driving the iconic No. 3 Chevrolet that Dale Earnhardt made famous.

Who is the oldest Daytona 500 winner?

Bobby Allison remains the oldest driver to win the Daytona 500. He won the 1988 race at 50 years old.

Who is the youngest Daytona 500 winner?

Trevor Bayne became the youngest Daytona 500 winner in 2011 at 20 years old.
Denny Hamlin wins the 2019 Daytona 500. It is his second win in the event, the first coming in 2016.