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Michael McDowell celebrates in victory lane after winning Sunday s NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Photo: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Michael McDowell drove through the middle when teammates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski made contact with half a lap to go and drove to one of the most improbable Daytona 500 victories in the 63 year history of the event.
McDowell was running in third and gave a shove to Keselowski as the lead trio powered down the backstretch for the final time.
That gave Keselowski a run on leader Logano, with the two making contact as Logano tried to block the run. That impact sent both cars spinning, with McDowell shooting the gap between the two. The caution flew seconds later, giving McDowell the victory by about a car length over defending series champion Chase Elliott.
Michael McDowell Just Won the Daytona 500
After a huge early wreck and a rain delay, McDowell drives through a controversial crash, arguably of his own creation, for as big an upset as the Daytona 500 has ever seen. Chris GraythenGetty Images
For the second time in four years, a driver partially to blame for a wreck among the leaders on the last lap has won the Daytona 500. It s also the second time in two years that the race ended with a massive wreck behind the leaders devolving into a fireball.
It is a worrying trend. Nonetheless, this is NASCAR s modern form of pack racing.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) 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 winding down and yet no one had the nerve to pull out of traffic..