Daytona 500 results: Joey Logano wins 2015 Daytona 500 (Video)

By Charles Rahrig V | Feb 22, 2015

Feb 22, 2015; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Joey Logano (22) celebrates winning the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /

Joey Logano was faster than the rest Sunday, as he captured the trophy and a spot in the chase.

Next: Complete list of Daytona 500 winners throughout history

On a day that was Jeff Gordon’s final Daytona 500, Gordon led the most laps of any driver on the track. However, it wasn’t meant to be as the trio of Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin and Clint Bowyer forced their way to the front pushing back Hendrick Motorsports drivers Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne.

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With all eyes on Gordon, the driver of the No. 24 led the field for most of the first half of the race with Logano and company trailing right behind him.

However, as the day wore on, Logano’s car became faster and Gordon’s car became slower. It almost wasn’t meant to be either for Logano.

As the race neared an end, Justin Allgaier wrecked and forced a green-white-checker finish. Logano had built up a decent lead on the pack and was forced to restart back with the pack. Logano wisely chose the outside lane, while Hamlin took the inside.

After the restart, it appeared Logano was about to coast to a victory but defending Sprint Cup Champion Kevin Harvick made a late push with Dale Earnhardt Jr. behind him and it appeared that Harvick would have a shot at taking the lead and the victory on the white-flag lap.

Unfortunately for Harvick, a major wreck involving Gordon and others brought out the caution and the race immediately came to an end with Logano taking the victory. Many speculated that with the four cars out in front, NASCAR might let them race to the finish, but the caution came out and the race was over.

While a caution ended the race, it was a beautiful day of rather clean racing. There were very few cautions and the end of the race featured some clean three-wide racing as drivers became frantic in pursuit of the Daytona 500 victory.

It was a much different feeling than the weeks leading up to the race that featured drivers wrecking in qualifying with NASCAR’s new group qualifying format.

Tony Stewart’s terrible luck at Daytona continued as early on in the race, Stewart hit the wall and had to go to the garage for repairs. He tried getting back on the track, but it was to no avail as he returned back to the garage and called it a day.

The wreck also involved Matt Kenseth, who looked like one of the stronger drivers heading into the race after the Budweiser Duel on Thursday. It was also a rough day for Brad Keselowski too, as he blew an engine and his day came to an end.

While it looked like for a while that Gordon’s career at Daytona would come to a storybook ending, it was all for naught as Gordon who once looked like the strongest racer on the track, was involved in a major wreck that brought out the final caution and finished 33rd.

For Logano, it was a dream come true for the 24-year-old. He picked up the first Daytona 500 victory of his career and earned himself a spot in the chase. Logano will have all the momentum in the world heading into Atlanta next week.

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