5 things to know from the Daytona 500

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Race of Firsts: While Newman snapped his 81-race winless streak with his first Daytona 500 victory, it was also the first Daytona 500 win for team owner Roger Penske, arguably the most successful owner in open-wheel history.

Toyota Is for Real: The addition of Joe Gibbs Racing gave Toyota instant credibility. Tony Stewart and Gibbs teammate Kyle Busch dominated most of the race. While Newman may have won, it was clear that Busch had the car to beat for most of the race.

Where Were the Crashes? Whether or not you are a fan of a good wreck, this year's Daytona 500 was a clear departure from last year's thrilling crash-filled finish. While Jimmie Johnson got spun on lap 176, most the race was relatively quiet.

Dream Team Had Poor Performance: Casey Mears and Johnson both wrecked and Jeff Gordon had to drop out. Dale Earnhardt Jr. had another strong showing, but without help from his teammates, his chances of winning were slim.

Stewart Was So Close: It appeared Stewart was finally going to get a Daytona 500 win on his 10th try, but he got steamrolled by the dynamic Penske duo of Newman and Busch. "I just made the wrong decision on the backstretch," said Stewart.

 

[rbroyles]

Race of Firsts: While Newman snapped his 81-race winless streak with his first Daytona 500 victory, it was also the first Daytona 500 win for team owner Roger Penske, arguably the most successful owner in open-wheel history.

Toyota Is for Real: The addition of Joe Gibbs Racing gave Toyota instant credibility. Tony Stewart and Gibbs teammate Kyle Busch dominated most of the race. While Newman may have won, it was clear that Busch had the car to beat for most of the race.

Where Were the Crashes? Whether or not you are a fan of a good wreck, this year's Daytona 500 was a clear departure from last year's thrilling crash-filled finish. While Jimmie Johnson got spun on lap 176, most the race was relatively quiet.

Dream Team Had Poor Performance: Casey Mears and Johnson both wrecked and Jeff Gordon had to drop out. Dale Earnhardt Jr. had another strong showing, but without help from his teammates, his chances of winning were slim.

Stewart Was So Close: It appeared Stewart was finally going to get a Daytona 500 win on his 10th try, but he got steamrolled by the dynamic Penske duo of Newman and Busch. "I just made the wrong decision on the backstretch," said Stewart.

1. I would drop arguably.

2. Agree, but Daytona doesn't translate to any other track.

3. Lack of wrecks makes for better actual racing.

4. He still had a chance, but his crew dropped the ball on pit call.

5. Wrong decision was to count on his teammate.

 

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1. I would drop arguably.

agree. and it's not even debatable.