First-generation iPhone sells for more than $63,000

A factory sealed, first-generation iPhone sold at auction for a whopping $63,356.40 – more than 100 times its original price – after a woman was gifted the phone in 2007, but never opened it because she didn't want to get rid of her other phone.

The 2007 phone, still sealed in its box, was consigned by the owner and sold on LCG Auctions after bidding closed on Sunday.

In all, 27 people bid for the phone that had been expected to sell for $50,000.

The item went up for auction on Feb. 2.

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Karen Green, the phone's original owner according to the listing, had it appraised in 2019. Because it was an 8GB – not 4GB – and was still in the original box, it was estimated to be worth $5,000.

In 2007, the phone came out and, that summer, Green was gifted the phone when she got a management job at PetSmart, according to Business Insider.

At the time, Green already had three phone lines with Verizon, and iPhones would only use AT&T, the outlet reported. To avoid a pricey termination fee, she "left the phone on a shelf for years, unopened and unused, wrapped in a pair of felt pajamas for extra measure."

"I didn't want to get rid of my new phone," Green said in a 2019 appearance on "Doctor & The Diva."

When Green recently heard of another original, unopened iPhone listing on eBay for $10,000, something sparked.

"I thought to myself, 'Oh my God, I think I have the original,'" she told the outlet. "I called my son and I was like, 'Go get the phone and make sure it's not opened."

Now, 15 years later, she's $63,000 richer.

Natalie Neysa Alund covers trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund

iPhone 14: What to expect at Apple's 'far out' event | CNN Business

CNN Business —

Apple is expected to debut its iPhone 14 lineup at the company’s annual September keynote event on Wednesday.

The product event, which has been teased with a “far out” tagline, will take place at Apple’s Cupertino, California, headquarters and will be livestreamed on Apple’s website and social media channels.

This year’s invitation featured a night sky with a constellation of stars forming the Apple logo, leading some to speculate there will be major camera upgrades on iPhones to allow for better nighttime or long-distance photography. But in typical Apple fashion, the tech giant was sparse on details as it builds up excitement and urges customers to tune in on the big day.

The event will kick off at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET on Wednesday, and CNN Business will carry live coverage of it. Here is a look at what to expect from CEO Tim Cook and his team.

The star of the show

As it has done every year for about a decade, Apple is widely expected to unveil its latest iPhone at the September keynote.

Apple is expected to go big with the iPhone 14 — literally. It’s rumored that it will debut a 6.7-inch phone that’s not a Pro model, meaning it will have the bigger screen size but without the higher price tag. The rumor mill also suggests that Apple might ditch its cheaper, mini-sized iPhone in the 14 lineup so that they don’t compete with iPhone SE sales.

A woman walks past an image of an iPhone 13 Pro at an Apple Store on the day the new Apple iPhone 13 series went on sale, in Beijing, China, on September 24, 2021. Garcia Rawlins/Reuters

Forecasts point to the latest Pro model being slightly slimmer, and the much-disliked notch around the front-facing camera system to be absent in the new iPhone models.

Apple watchers are also getting excited about a potential major camera quality upgrade with the iPhone 14 — possibly one that can shoot 8K video. If this happens, it could be among the biggest changes to the iPhone’s camera quality to date.

How Apple will price the iPhone 14 is already shaping up to be a test, as broader economic conditions for both the tech sector and consumers have entered choppy waters. A handful of analysts have already forecast slight price hikes for the latest-and-greatest iPhone model. “My expectation is that Apple will probably have to nudge prices up,” Ben Wood, chief analyst at market research firm CCS Insight, told CNN Business ahead of the event.

Currently, the regular, non-mini iPhone 13 starts at $799, the iPhone 13 Pro starts at $999 and the iPhone 13 Pro Max starts at $1,099. Some analysts are predicting a $100 price hike on at least the higher-end Pro and Pro Max models. But given the strain consumers are facing, he thinks Apple will also do “everything they can to make that as minimal as possible.” This could mean offering attractive trade-in bonuses, payment installment plans, and other offers.

Despite rising inflation and other economic headwinds, Cook said in the company’s most recent earnings call that there has been “no obvious evidence” of macroeconomic impact on iPhone sales yet. This doesn’t mean the tech giant is immune to a worsening economic climate. It reported a nearly 11% decline in profits during the three months ending in June, compared to the same period a year ago. This event also comes amid supply chain hiccups linked to China’s zero-Covid policy.

Customers walk past a digital display of an Apple iPhone 13 pro inside the Apple Store on 5th Avenue in Manhattan, in New York City, on March 18.

Finally, there has been some chatter that Apple could remove the iPhone’s Lightning port in new models and opt for a design with charging via wireless MagSafe. There have also been rumors that some US models may launch without a physical SIM slot, as Apple moves towards an eSIM-only design.

Apple Watches, iOS 16 release date, and more

New Apple Watch models are expected to be unveiled on Wednesday, including a higher-end offering. An official release date for iOS 16, the much-hyped latest update that will let users personalize their iPhone lock screens (like Android does) and features a revamped iMessage, is also expected to be announced.

What not to expect

With the new iPhone expected to take center stage, many analysts don’t expect Apple to release new iPads or Mac computers until October. Of course, the rumor mill can always be wrong about these things. Apple is also unlikely to debut its previously rumored and much-anticipated AR headset on Wednesday.

Despite rival Samsung’s love affair with foldable devices, Apple is still not expected to unveil such an iPhone this fall.

CNN Business will carry live coverage of Cook’s big production, so tune in here as the world’s most valuable tech company finally puts all rumors to rest and reveals some of its latest gadgets on the cusp of the busy holiday shopping season.

Catherine Thorbecke Samantha Murphy Kelly

Food stamp cuts, holidays stress food banks

Jake Grovum

Pew/Stateline Staff Writer

The %245 billion cut in food stamp benefits will affect about 48 million Americans

For those who help the hungry%2C 2013 is looking a lot like the years since the recession began

15%25 of all Americans are considered %22food insecure%2C%22 and many of those people don%27t use food stamps

Food banks across the country are bracing for what has become an annual occurrence during this season: a spike in demand as millions of Americans struggle to put holiday meals on their tables.

For those who help the hungry, 2013 is looking a lot like the years since the recession began—with the added challenge of a $5 billion cut in food stamp benefits, which took effect Nov. 1. About 48 million Americans will be hit by the reduction in the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), which will subtract $36 per month for a family of four. Total benefit amounts vary by state.

"Nobody's been able to catch their breath," said Ross Fraser of Feeding America, a nationwide network of 200 food banks that supplies 63,000 agencies around the country. "Everyone's scared to death about these SNAP cuts."

Bad timing

As advocates for the hungry tell it, the reduction in food stamp benefits — the result of an expiration of a temporary boost enacted in 2009 — couldn't have come at worse time.

The Great Recession has already stretched food banks' ability to help the 15% of all Americans who are considered "food insecure," according to an Agriculture Department report. Many of those people do not use food stamps.

Many food banks are holding extra food drives, or asking companies to make special seasonal donations – turkeys, for example. Others food banks just buy more food; one reported buying 50% more this month compared to October.

The cut in food stamp benefits will only increase the demand.

Enrollment in food stamps is almost three times what it was in 2000, but that hasn't lessened the dependence on food banks. Since 2006, the number of Americans receiving aid from food pantries and similar services is up almost 50%, according to Feeding America.

A survey by the nonprofit Food Bank for New York City found that almost half of its food pantries and soup kitchens were forced to turn visitors away at some point last year, with 83% blaming a lack of food. At the same time, the group said their ranks shrank during the recession, with 247 of its partners closing since 2007.

In Indiana this year, lawmakers approved using state funds to pay for the processing of deer meat donated by hunters across the state. This was the first year the state chipped in to pay for the processing in an attempt to boost donations. In the past, hunters or processors covered the cost.

That led to a welcome infusion of meat donations to the state's food banks, supplementing the normal fare comprised largely of canned vegetables and other non-perishables, said Jake Bruner of the Hoosier Hills Food Bank in Bloomington, Ind.

Those additional donations were well-timed. Hoosier Hills has already distributed more than 3.2 million pounds of food this year, Bruner said, more than in 2011 or 2012.

"Some pantries are serving thousands of people a week," he said.

Perishables move

The spike in demand has led to an unexpected benefit: In the past, fresh food and produce often lingered on shelves so long it went bad. Now, that's not a concern.

"A lot of those are fairly rural counties," Bruner said of the areas his food bank serves. "We're seeing agencies, a mom-and-pop food pantry, being able to take full bins of bananas and distribute them quickly."

In Fort Smith, Ark., near the Oklahoma border, the River Valley Food Bank is nearing the end of its own record-setting year, having distributed more than 8 million pounds of food in 2013, compared to 6.7 million last year.

The reason for the jump is a mix of still-increasing demand and the bank's ability to store more food, said its director, Ted Clemons. "When you can distribute 8 million pounds and the pantries are still taking that food, that shows there is a demand," he said.

Unlike past years, the food bank didn't receive any donated turkeys this year. So River Valley held a one-day "turkey drive" last week. Halfway through Friday's effort, Clemons, reached by phone while out collecting turkeys, said they'd already collected more than 300, with a goal of 800 for the day.

Still not enough

But even the most robust food banks aren't able to fill the need, a fact that was true even before the recent food stamp cuts. By Feeding America's estimate, the benefit cuts will cost 1.9 million meals for low-income Americans next year—more than half the number of meals the organization distributes in a given year.

Even at Washington, D.C.'s Capital Area Food Bank, which moves 45 million pounds of food each year from its 100,000-square-foot facility a few miles from the U.S. Capitol, organizers know they can't feed everybody who is hungry.

The facility covers parts of Virginia and Maryland, along with the nation's capital itself, where almost one in four residents is on food stamps. In preparation for the holidays, the food bank bought 50% more food this month than it did in October. Two weeks ago, it received a donation of 1,000 turkeys from a grocer.

"It would be great to put ourselves out of business," Page Crosland, director of media and events at the food bank, said last week. "But I don't see that happening."


Ricky Stenhouse Jr. wins 2023 Daytona 500, edging Joey Logano in ...

After all the adversity and a long stretch of futility, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. can now call himself a Daytona 500 champion.

Stenhouse, driving the No. 47 Chevrolet, edged reigning Cup Series champion Joey Logano on Sunday at Daytona International Speedway in double overtime to etch himself among the legends of racing with a victory in NASCAR's most famous race.

Stenhouse, who had been winless in the series since capturing the summer race at Daytona in 2017, notched his third career Cup victory 199 races after first celebrating at Daytona.

"I made a few mistakes but I was able to battle back," Stenhouse said. "The whole team worked really hard this offseason.

"I hope you all had fun. That was a heck of a race."

WINNERS: Every driver who has won the Daytona 500 by year

The 65th annual Daytona 500 — the longest race by laps (212) and miles (530) in history — ended under caution when a multi-car crash broke out after the white flag flew. Stenhouse, who was the leader at the start of the second overtime, put just enough distance between himself and Logano, in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford, to be declared the winner by NASCAR as the yellow flag flew.

Christopher Bell finished third, Chris Buescher fourth and pole-sitter Alex Bowman fifth.

"Second is the worst, man. You're so close," Logano, who won the 2015 race said. "Congratulations to Ricky. There's nothing like winning the Daytona 500. That's why it stings so much finishing second."

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Stenhouse, 35, also gave single-car team JTG Daugherty Racing its biggest moment in racing. Tad Geschickter and his wife Jodi – the JTG in the name – joined with former NBA All-Star center Brad Daugherty to form the team in 2009, and prior to Sunday, the team had tasted victory just once – at Watkins Glen in 2014 with driver AJ Allmendinger.

JTG Daugherty Racing was the first single-car team to win the race since The Wood Brothers Racing did it with Trevor Bayne in 2011.

"WELL DONE @StenhouseJr x @JTGRacing. So proud of this entire team! #DAYTONA500," Daugherty, who became the first Black owner to win a Daytona 500, tweeted.

Allmendinger, now driving for Kaulig Racing, was caught up in the final crash along with three former Cup Series champions: Kyle Larson (2021), Brad Keselowski (2012), Kyle Busch (2015, 2019). Aric Almirola, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Bubba Wallace, Travis Pastrana were also involved in the incident that helped seal the deal for Stenhouse at Daytona.

Larson was collected in the race-ending crash after he jumped out of line too early in an attempt to win the race.

“Happy that Ricky won. I’m super happy. That’s all I could think about after I crashed, waiting to hear that he won,” Larson said. “He’s one of my best friends, so I was like yelling into my helmet when I helped push him to the lead there. I was hoping it was going to stay green so it would have been me or him win."

Overtime No. 1

In the first overtime, Austin Dillon, the 2018 Daytona 500 winner, spun out in his No. 3 Chevrolet when the front of the inside line got stacked up behind him. Dillon got bumped by William Byron in the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, setting off a chain reaction, which collected 13 cars, including three other Daytona 500 winners – Hamlin (a three-time winner), Jimmie Johnson, who won it twice, and last year's winner Austin Cindric – though Hamlin had minimal damage. Also involved: Stage 2 winner Ross Chastain, Keselowski, Riley Herbst, Harrison Burton, Justin Haley, Zane Smith, Todd Gilliland and Noah Gragson.

Daniel Suarez, in the No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, spun out with three laps remaining in the race to set up the first overtime finish. Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Busch (No. 8 Chevrolet), seeking his first Daytona 500 win in his illustrious career, was leading Dillon, his Richard Childress Racing teammate, when the caution flag flew.

Pit stops breed calamity

Shortly after the final green-flag pit stops began on Lap 176 of 200, a couple of former Cup Series champions and a Daytona 500 winner got caught in some on-track chaos. As cars were spread out and trying to get back up to speed, Michael McDowell, the 2021 Daytona 500 champ, made contact with Ryan Preece, running 14th and 15th, causing Preece to spin and triggering a multi-car incident.

Martin Truex Jr., the 2017 series champion, and Kevin Harvick, who won the 2014 title, found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time, as did Harvick's Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Chase Briscoe in the No. 14 Ford.

Stage 2

Chastain, in the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, edged Bowman (No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet) at the line to win the second stage. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. drove the JTG Daugherty Racing No. 47 Chevrolet to third, Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano (No. 22 Team Penske Ford) was fourth and Logano's teammate, Austin Cindric, the 2022 Daytona 500 winner, was fifth in the No. 2 Ford.

Rounding out the top 10: Truex (No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota), Byron, AJ Allmendinger (No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet), Buescher (No. 17 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford) and Bell (No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota).

Welcome to the jungle

The first major incident occurred on Lap 118 of 200 when Tyler Reddick, battling for fourth in the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota, got loose after a bump from Kevin Harvick in the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 4 Ford. Reddick then careened into Blaney in the No. 12 Team Penske Ford and both cars spun out, setting off an eight-car accident.

Harvick, Larson (No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet), Chase Elliott (No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet), Truex, Erik Jones (No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet) and Daniel Suarez (No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet) all got a piece of the crash with Reddick, Elliott and Jones, in a Guns N' Roses paint scheme, suffering the biggest damage and retiring from the race.

Stage 1

Hendrick Motorsports teammates Bowman, who won the pole, and Larson, led the field to the green flag in the opening stage. The Chevrolet drivers looked strong early, but following green flag pit stops starting on Lap 37 of 65, Toyota drivers took control of the race. Ford would have the final say, however, with the manufacturer's drivers claiming the top five spots and seven of the Top 10.

Owner/driver Brad Keselowski surged to the lead on the final lap in the Roush Fenway Keselowski No. 6, Stewart-Haas Racing's Ryan Preece (41) finished second, Keselowski's RFK teammate Buescher was third, Preece' teammate Harvick was fourth, and 2021 Daytona 500 champ Michael McDowell (34) of Front Row Motorsports was fifth.

Ty Gibbs of Joe Gibbs Racing (54) was the highest-finishing Toyota in sixth. He was followed by Jimmie Johnson (84), who returned to Daytona as a driver/owner of Legacy Motorsports Club as the top-finishing Chevrolet, SHR's Almirola (No. 10 Ford), Truex and FRM's Todd Gilliland (No. 38 Ford).

Ty Dillon, in the Spire Motorsports No. 77 Chevrolet, was the first team to encounter an issue. On lap 27 Dillon was forced to drive his car to pit road and then to the garage as smoke billowed from his engine.

Legendary command

Most races have one Grand Marshal. The Daytona 500 isn't most races.

Delivering today's starting command was a baseball team full of Grand Marshals – nine drivers who have won both a Cup Series championship and a Daytona 500.

That starts with the King, Richard Petty, who won seven of each, and Jimmie Johnson, who tied Petty with seven championships, while winning the Daytona 500 twice. Jeff Gordon, now a co-team owner at Hendrick Motorsports, has four championships and three 500 wins. Bobby Allison and Dale Jarrett won the Daytona 500 three times apiece and each one a Cup championship, while Bill Elliott celebrated a Daytona 500 win twice along with the 1988 Cup title. The just-retired Kurt Busch finally earned a 500 victory in 2017 to go along with his 2004 Cup championship, while Kevin Harvick, who announced this season will be his last as a full-time Cup driver, paired a 2007 Daytona win with his 2014 championship. Last but not least is two-time Cup champion Joey Logano, who took the Daytona checkered flag in 2015.

Contributing: Daytona Beach News-Journal and the Associated Press

Daytona 500 winners by year: Every driver who has won NASCAR's ...

The Daytona 500 has produced kings, kicked off championship dynasties, cemented legacies and lifted relative unknowns into the biggest spotlight.

The "Great American Race" has been held 64 times, with the patriarch of the Petty family, Lee Petty, taking the first Daytona 500 checkered flag in 1959. His son, Richard "The King" Petty, holds the record for most Daytona 500 victories, winning the first of his seven Harley J. Earl trophies in 1964.

Five other drivers have won NASCAR's premier event at least three times: Cale Yarborough (four), Bobby Allison (three), Dale Jarrett (three), Jeff Gordon (three) and Denny Hamlin (three).

Jimmie Johnson, who won twice, began a run of five consecutive Cup Series championships after winning the 2006 race, while his Daytona triumph in 2013 kicked off a season that led to his sixth Cup title at the end of the year (Johnson would later add a record-tying seventh Cup championship in 2016).

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. snapped a 199-race winless streak when he won the 2023 Daytona 500 on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the previous two drivers to triumph in the Daytona 500 — Michael McDowell (2021) and Austin Cindric (2022) — also scored their very first victories in the Cup Series.

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NEWSLETTER: Sign up to get sports news and features delivered daily

Here are the Daytona 500 winners by year:

1959: Lee Petty

1960: Junior Johnson

1961: Marvin Panch

1962: Fireball Roberts

1963: Tiny Lund

1964: Richard Petty

1965: Fred Lorenzen

1966: Richard Petty

1967: Mario Andretti

1968: Cale Yarborough

1969: LeeRoy Yarbrough

1970: Pete Hamilton

1971: Richard Petty

1972: A.J. Foyt

1973: Richard Petty

1974: Richard Petty

1975: Benny Parsons

1976: David Pearson

1977: Cale Yarborough

1978: Bobby Allison

1979: Richard Petty

1980: Buddy Baker

1981: Richard Petty

1982: Bobby Allison

1983: Cale Yarborough

1984: Cale Yarborough

1985: Bill Elliott

1986: Geoff Bodine

1987: Bill Elliott

1988: Bobby Allison

1989: Darrell Waltrip

1990: Derrike Cope

1991: Ernie Irvan

1992: Davey Allison

1993: Dale Jarrett

1994: Sterling Marlin

1995: Sterling Marlin

1996: Dale Jarrett

1997: Jeff Gordon

1998: Dale Earnhardt Sr.

1999: Jeff Gordon

2000: Dale Jarrett

2001: Michael Waltrip

2002: Ward Burton

2003: Michael Waltrip

2004: Dale Earnhardt Jr.

2005: Jeff Gordon

2006: Jimmie Johnson

2007: Kevin Harvick

2008: Ryan Newman

2009: Matt Kenseth

2010: Jamie McMurray

2011: Trevor Bayne

2012: Matt Kenseth

2013: Jimmie Johnson

2014: Dale Earnhardt Jr.

2015: Joey Logano

2016: Denny Hamlin

2017: Kurt Busch

2018: Austin Dillon

2019: Denny Hamlin

2020: Denny Hamlin

2021: Michael McDowell

2022: Austin Cindric

2023: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

The Latest: Kurt Busch wins Daytona 500 for Stewart-Haas

AP

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The Latest on the Daytona 500 (all times local):

6:25 p.m.

Kurt Busch has won the Daytona 500, surviving a crash-filled season opener to win the race for the first time in 16 tries.

Busch passed Kyle Larson final lap before cruising to the victory. Larson ran out gas shortly after passing Chase Elliott, who also came up short on fuel.

Busch led only one lap — the only one that mattered. He won in the No. 41 Ford that was partly sponsored by Monster Energy, the new title sponsor for NASCAR.

Busch prevailed in a race that saw many of NASCAR biggest stars knocked out in crashes. Seven-time and defensive Cup series champion Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Danica Patrick, Jamie McMurray and Brad Keselowski were among those eliminated long before the checkered flag flew.

— Mark Long

___

5:20 p.m.

NASCAR's biggest stars continue to crash out of the Daytona 500.

Seven-time and defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson wrecked, and at least 16 other cars suffered some sort of damage. Stewart-Haas Racing teammates Danica Patrick and Clint Bowyer were involved, ending their race.

SHR drivers Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick were involved in the melee but stayed on the track.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth are among the favorites knocked out earlier in the race.

The race returned to green, and there was yet another wreck that collected Roush Fenway Racing drivers Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and former Daytona 500 champion Trevor Bayne.

—Dan Gelston

___

5:05 p.m.

Kevin Harvick has won the second stage of the Daytona 500, earning key points under NASCAR's revamped race format.

Harvick earned one playoff point and 10 driver points for leading the race through the first 120 laps.

The stages in NASCAR's biggest race are scheduled to end on laps 60, 120 and 200. Kyle Busch won the first stage but triggered a multi-car wreck and was knocked out of the race in the second.

The top 10 drivers at the end of Stage 1 and Stage 2 will be awarded points on a 10-through-1 scale. The third portion of the race will be for the overall victory, and although traditional point scoring will be applied for that stage, the win will be worth 40 points.

Joey Logano was second through the second stage, followed by Kurt Busch, Brad Keselowski and Danica Patrick. Harvick, Busch and Patrick are all driving Fords for the first time for Stewart-Haas Racing.

— Dan Gelston

___

4:55 p.m.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is out of the Daytona 500 in his first Cup race since July.

Earnhardt was caught up in multi-car accident triggered by Kyle Busch. Busch spun to start the accident, and collected not only his Toyota teammates, but Earnhardt as well.

The 42-year-old Earnhardt, a two-time Daytona 500 champion, brought the No. 88 Chevrolet to the garage. Under new rules, cars that go to the garage aren't allowed to return to race.

"I had a good car, boy. Sorry about that," Earnhardt said over the radio.

"Nothing you could do," crew chief Greg Ives said.

The race was stopped for 17 minutes because of the debris from the wreck that also knocked out Matt Kenseth and Erik Jones. Earnhardt's Hendrick Motorsports crew tried to repair the damage, but the 88 was unsalvageable.

Earnhardt made his comeback during Speedweeks after missing the second half of last season.

— Dan Gelston

___

4:20 p.m.

Kyle Busch spun to start a multi-car accident that collected not only his Toyota teammates, but fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr., as well.

Busch may have had a tire problem that triggered his spin. He turned directly in the path of Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Matt Kenseth, but Erik Jones, a de facto Gibbs driver at Furniture Row Racing.

"Fantastic. Right rear went down entering Turn 3," Busch said as he headed to the garage.

Earnhardt went to pit road, where he had just five minutes to repair the damage to his car or risk being parked for the remainder of the race.

"Man, tore up three JGR cars and Junior as well," Busch said. "Goodyear tires just aren't any good at holding air."

Busch had won the first stage of the race.

— Jenna Fryer

___

4:11 p.m.

Fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. is leading at the halfway mark of the Daytona 500.

NASCAR's most popular driver crossed the finish line first on Lap 100, just ahead of Elliott Sadler and seven-time and defending NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson.

Earnhardt is trying to make a triumphant return from his fifth documented concussion, the latest costing him half of last season.

All 40 cars remain in the 500-mile race, although only 33 remain on the lead lap.

— Mark Long

___

3:30 p.m.

Kyle Busch won the first stage of the Daytona 500, the first one completed under NASCAR's revamped race format.

Busch earned one playoff point and 10 driver points for leading the race through the first 60 laps.

The stages in NASCAR's biggest race are scheduled to end on laps 60, 120 and 200.

The top 10 drivers at the end of Stage 1 and Stage 2 will be awarded points on a 10-through-1 scale. The third portion of the race will be for the overall victory, and although traditional point scoring will be applied for that stage, the win will be worth 40 points.

Kevin Harvick was second in the first stage, followed by Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

— Dan Gelston

___

3:15 p.m.

Hendrick Motorsports used teamwork to help Chase Elliott settle into the Daytona 500.

Elliott started on the pole but struggled to hold the lead during the first stage of the race. During a caution period, veteran Dale Earnhardt Jr. was asked by his crew if he could relay any advice to how Elliott was attacking the race.

Earnhardt said Elliott needed to understand when to side draft and when to jump into a gap to deliberately slow a line of traffic.

Earnhardt is a two-time Daytona 500 winner and started on the front row next to Elliott.

— Jenna Fryer

___

3:05 p.m.

Corey LaJoie created the first caution of the Daytona 500.

LaJoie seemingly made a late call to try to get on pit road, locked up his brakes and then slid across the track and slammed into the outside wall. LaJoie's No. 83 Toyota sustained damaged to its front-ride fender, but managed to stay in the race.

"What the hell was he doing?" fellow driver Clint Bowyer said over his radio. "Glad he went the other way."

Former NASCAR champion Kurt Busch was penalized during the caution flag for speeding on pit road.

— Mark Long

___

2:55 p.m.

Rookie Daniel Suarez made a rare mistake in his first Daytona 500.

Suarez was caught speeding on pit road as the Toyota drivers all made their first pit stops at the same time. The idea was to keep the Toyota drivers together, but the speeding penalty forced the rookie back to pit road.

The mistake cost Suarez a lap, and he was running last in the 40-car field.

Suarez is the only foreign-born, full-time driver in NASCAR's Cup Series. The Mexican won the Xfinity Series championship last year and got an unexpected promotion to NASCAR's top level when Carl Edwards decided not to return to Joe Gibbs Racing.

Suarez is a rookie in the Daytona 500, which is the longest race of his career.

— Jenna Fryer

___

2:40 p.m.

The 59th running of the Daytona 500 is underway, with pole-sitter Chase Elliott leading the 40-car field to the green flag waved by Pro Football Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson.

Elliott started on the pole for the second consecutive year, with Hendrick Motorsports teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. also on the front row. Earnhardt is trying to make a triumphant return from his fifth documented concussion, the latest costing him half of last season.

Two-time race winner Michael Waltrip is making his final NASCAR start. Four drivers — rookies Daniel Suarez and Erik Jones as well as Corey LaJoie and D.J. Kennington — are making their first start in "The Great American Race."

Denny Hamlin is the defending Daytona 500 winner, and his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates are among others to watch. So are Team Penske teammates Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano, who three of four restrictor-plate races last season.

Three drivers dropped to the back of the field because of engine changes: seven-time and defending NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson, Paul Menard and Ryan Blaney.

— Mark Long

___

1: 15 p.m.

The Gronk Spike has touched down at Daytona.

Rob Gronkowski, known as much for his off-field frivolity as his on-field talent for the New England Patriots, was the star of the show before the Daytona 500.

He had Monster Energy drinks and Monster girls all around him, a winning party combo for Gronk.

"I'm a fan of both of 'em," Gronkowski said. "I make the girls make my own drink so I get the benefit of both."

Gronkowski mingled with drivers in the garage, though he skipped riding the Monster Energy motorcycle "Ball of Death" in the fan zone.

"I got my one boy, Bobby Goons. He does all the stunt double (work) for me I'm not allowed to do," he said. "He rode a bull about a couple of weeks ago in New York."

Gronkowski attended his first Daytona 500 as a guest of Monster Energy, the new title sponsor in NASCAR's Cup series. Gronkowski has an endorsement deal with Monster and wore a black T-shirt sporting a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series logo.

Daytona seemed the perfect fit for Gronk.

"I'm just having a blast," he said. "I never really got to tailgate. I never really got to run-around (on Sundays). It's cool to run-around and meet people, enjoy the atmosphere, see what really goes down on this side of the stadium."

Gronkowski received the loudest ovation among all actors, athletes and other dignitaries introduced at the pre-race drivers meeting. Gronkowski had back surgery in December and missed New England's Super Bowl win over Atlanta.

"It's definitely tough, I ain't gonna lie," Gronkowski said. "It makes me want to go harder. Makes me want to rehab, makes me want to get back out on the field and be out with the boys."

— Dan Gelston

___

12:10 p.m.

NASCAR chairman Brian France issued a stern warning to drivers about blocking during the pre-race meeting for the Daytona 500.

France rarely wades into competition issues, but used his time at the microphone to warn the field that NASCAR will not interject if a driver tries to block another and it goes wrong.

"Blocking is part of racing," France told drivers. "It causes big crashes. When you block somebody, you better hope there is a good Samaritan behind you."

In other words, NASCAR won't penalize a driver who wrecks someone trying to block.

Blocking caused multiple accidents in the Truck Series and Xfinity Series season openers at Daytona earlier this week.

— Jenna Fryer

___

11:50 a.m.

Daytona 500 crasher!

Owen Wilson might need more time to rehearse his lines as the race's grand marshal. Wilson's quip that he should have an easy time instructing drivers to start their engines for the Daytona 500 backfired when he messed up one of the key words.

"Well, yeah, um, it shouldn't be too tricky. I think it's, 'Racers, start your engines?'" Wilson said.

Told it was, "drivers," Wilson cracked, "Oh, see, I already made a mistake."

Rule #76: No excuses. Give the command like a champion! Luckily for him, he gets a second take.

Wilson will voice Lightning McQueen in the upcoming movie "Cars 3." Wilson said his former "Cars" co-star Paul Newman would have been the actor that would have been the best NASCAR driver. Newman, who died in 2008, was a passionate race fan, driver and team owner.

"I just saw a documentary on his racing and he seemed to have almost more of a passion for that than the stuff he was doing in the movies," Wilson said.

Wilson received some Daytona tips from "Wedding Crashers" co-star Vince Vaughn, who served as grand marshal two years ago.

"His big tip was not to watch his YouTube clip of him doing it because why see perfection?" Wilson said.

With "Zoolander 2" out of the running for an Oscar, Wilson picked "La La Land" as the favorite to win some awards in tonight's ceremony.

"That 'La La Land' I thought was pretty good," he said. "I went in seeing that, I was like, 'I don't know how much I'll like a musical.' But I felt that one was good pretty. And then, umm, yeah."

— Dan Gelston

___

11:45 a.m.

A star-studded lineup of actors, musicians and celebrities is usually on hand for the Daytona 500. A handful of them have definitive roles for the season opener.

There are always more just taking in NASCAR biggest event.

The list this year includes actor Keanu Reeves, former NFL coach Rex Ryan, Hall of Fame outfielder Ken Griffey Jr., New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, New York Jets receiver Brandon Marshall, former Green Bay Packers general manager Ron Wolf, four-time IndyCar champion Dario Franchitti, comedian Larry The Cable Guy, home improvement celeb Ty Pennington and celebrity chef Guy Fieri.

Others include major league catcher A.J. Pierzynski, Orlando Magic players Nikola Vucevic and Jeff Green, actor/singer Jamie Lynn Spears, comedian Nate Bargatze, comedian Bill Burr, UFC fighter Anthony "Rumble" Johnson, rapper Waka Flocka Flame, hip hop disc jockey DJ Whoo Kid and Olympic gold medalist Laurie Hernandez, a gymnast who is the most recent winner of "Dancing with the Stars."

Actor Owen Wilson, the grand marshal for the race, drew the biggest crowds.

Even other celebrities took notice.

"What was it like having Owen Wilson up here?" said Dave Haywood, one-third of the trio Lady Antebellum. "I was kind of geeking out on that."

— Mark Long

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11:20 a.m.

NFL Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson seems like the perfect person to wave the green flag to start the Daytona 500.

"Jimmie Johnson told me, 'Just don't drop it,'" Tomlinson said. "I wasn't a guy that fumbled a lot, so I'm not worried about dropping it today."

The flag should be in sure hands: Tomlinson fumbled just 30 times in nearly 4,000 touches over his 11-year NFL career.

Tomlinson is the honorary starter, and former "American Idol" contestant Jordin Sparks will sing the national anthem.

Sparks and Tomlinson, who star in the film "God Bless The Broken Road," both called attending the race a bucket list item.

Sparks says she plans to shave almost 20 seconds of her anthem performance in the 2008 Super Bowl. She earned rave reviews for her rendition.

"Usually in a football stadium or a different stadium, half the crowd is behind me," she said. "Now, I can see as far as my eye can see. Just a little more pressure."

Her performance will be followed by a flyover from the famed U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.

—Dan Gelston

___

10:45 a.m.

Mario Andretti is at Daytona as an honorary race official, 50 years after his victory in "The Great American Race."

Andretti won the 1967 Daytona 500 and is one of only four drivers to win both the 500 and the prestigious Rolex 24 sports car race. He joins AJ Foyt, Jamie McMurray and Jeff Gordon in that club.

Andretti is a fixture in IndyCar, and his visits to NASCAR are rare. But he understands this race is the equivalent of the Indianapolis 500 and a Daytona 500 victory carries the same weight on a drivers' resume.

"There are many drivers who are deserving to win, and never win the big ones," Andretti said. "I guarantee during the driver meeting, there is more tension than any other race. This is the crown jewel of NASCAR. The winner of today's race will have a big, big feather on his or her hat."

Daytona International Speedway officials presented Andretti with a painting of his two winning cars at Daytona.

— Jenna Fryer

___

10:20 a.m.

Denny Hamlin is trying to join an exclusive club of repeat Daytona 500 champions.

Hamlin would become only the fourth driver to win consecutive Daytona 500s, and the first in 22 years. Richard Petty, a seven-time Daytona 500 champ, went back-to-back in 1973 and 1974. Cale Yarborough did the same in 1983 and 1984. Sterling Marlin was the last driver — in 1994 and 1995 — to have his name etched on the Harley J. Earl Trophy two straight years.

Hamlin defeated Martin Truex Jr. by 0.010 seconds last year, the closest finish in race history.

Hamlin is in solid shape in the No. 11 Toyota to be a contender to repeat. He won a 150-mile qualifying race last week and starts fourth.

— Dan Gelston

___

10:15 a.m.

The Daytona 500 will have perfect weather.

The high is expected to be 67 degrees in Daytona Beach, with clear skies, plenty of sunshine and zero chance of rain.

NASCAR's season opener was delayed by rain twice in the last five years, getting pushed into prime time in 2014 and postponed to Monday in 2012.

The exhibition Clash at Daytona last week was postponed a day because of heavy rain.

— Mark Long

___

10 a.m.

It's Daytona Day!

The 59th running of the Daytona 500 begins Sunday afternoon, with Chase Elliott on the pole for the second consecutive year. Although Elliott had the fastest car in qualifying, Hendrick Motorsports teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. is getting most of the attention. Earnhardt is returning from his fifth documented concussion, the latest costing him half of last season.

Earnhardt will start alongside Elliott on the front row of "The Great American Race."

Elliott won one of two qualifying races Thursday. Joe Gibbs Racing's Denny Hamlin, the defending Daytona 500 winner, won the other.

Others to watch in the season opener — NASCAR's most prestigious race — include Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano. The Team Penske teammates won three of four restrictor-plate races last season.

— Mark Long

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More AP auto racing: www.racing.ap.org

Buescher wins NASCAR Xfinity Series title at Homestead

AP

HOMESTEAD, Fla. (AP) — Chris Buescher never made a major mistake, never got rattled and never even tried to contend for a victory.

He gladly settled for a championship.

Buescher won the Xfinity Series title Saturday, helping offset the sting of an unsatisfying season in Sprint Cup for Roush Fenway Racing.

The 23-year-old Buescher won the championship by finishing 11th in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, bringing home a fifth second-tier series crown for team owner Jack Roush.

"I was a little bit nervous, but all things considered, that was exactly what we needed to do," Buescher said. "And we knew that and we knew we were capable of doing this. We made it through and now we get to celebrate."

Buescher was the last driver on the lead lap and finished 15.9 seconds behind race winner Kyle Larson.

Larson had led most of the race early and cleared Austin Dillon for good with four laps left for his third career Xfinity win.

"I love this track," Larson said. "I almost won the last two races here the last two years. It feels good to finally get it done."

Dillon, the 2013 series champion, was second, followed by Truck Series champ Erik Jones, Brian Scott and Ryan Blaney.

Buescher needed to finish 13th or better without leading a lap to win the championship in Homestead. He also held off defending series champion Chase Elliott, Ty Dillon and Regan Smith, all within striking distance of knocking off Buescher.

Dillon was seventh, Elliott was eighth and Smith ninth.

In 33 starts in the No. 60 Mustang, Buescher posted wins at Iowa and Dover. He had 11 top-fives, and 20 top-10s.

"I'm not a points racer," he said. "I don't like it. It's not the most fun way to run the last 10 races of the season. But it's important. This is what we've been fighting for since February and Daytona."

Not as well-known as his closest three rivals, Buescher held the lead this season for 23 straight weeks. He denied Elliott's bid to go back-to-back in his final full Xfinity season. Elliott finished 15 points behind Buescher.

Elliott, the son of Hall of Fame inductee and 1988 NASCAR champion Bill Elliott, is taking over Jeff Gordon's ride in the No. 24 Chevrolet at Hendrick Motorsports next year. The team had to find a seat for him at NASCAR's top level or risk losing the 19-year-old to another organization.

Elliott planned to keep a low profile on Sunday.

"I definitely don't want to get in the middle of what they have going on," Elliott said. "I'll be one of the biggest 24 fans here tomorrow night to see them compete for the championship."

Buescher, a former ARCA champion in his second full Xfinity season, joined Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and two-time champ Ricky Stenhouse Jr. as series championship drivers for Roush.

Roush had put at least one driver in the Chase every season since its 2004 inception before missing the playoffs this season. Stenhouse, Biffle and 2011 Daytona 500 champion Trevor Bayne all struggled this season.

Roger Penske claimed the owners' championship, and Chevrolet took its 17th manufactures' title. Daniel Suarez won rookie of the year with a sixth-place finish.

Larson and Kyle Busch dominated the majority of the race and seemed poised for a hard battle down the stretch.

Busch, who led 64 laps, finished 30th after a pair of late-race mishaps — a loose tire on pit road, then brushing the inside wall — and crippled his push at the checkered flag on the same track where he'll race for his first career Sprint Cup championship on Sunday. Busch posted the third-fastest qualifying lap, best among the Chase finalists.

Once hailed as the next big NASCAR star, Larson is winless in 74 career Cup starts and entered Homestead with two wins in 74 Xfinity starts.

Larson showed class after the win, refusing to participate in the celebratory burnout.

"This is championship week and this is all about, the champions. So congrats to Chris Buescher," Larson said. "I wanted him to celebrate. It's always kind of odd when I was sitting in the stands and there were two cars doing burnouts. I wanted Chris to have to his moment there

NASCAR storylines to watch as Daytona 500 kicks off 2020 season

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — After one of the shortest offseasons in sports, it's Daytona 500 time again, and the race kicks off the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Kyle Busch is the defending series champion after winning his second title in November, and the top three Xfinity Series drivers, including 2019 champion Tyler Reddick, have moved up to the premier series.

Oh, and seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson is retiring at the end of the year.

There are several storylines to keep track of this season, so here are the top five questions we have going into the first race of the year.

1. Will Jimmie Johnson win a race in his final season?

This will surely be one of the dominant stories of the 2020 season. Johnson's 19th full-time season will be his last, and despite his 83 wins, the Hendrick Motorsports driver is in the middle of the worst stretch of his career. He hasn't been to victory lane since 2017, when he won three races, and didn't make the playoffs in 2019.

WHAT TO EXPECT:Dale Jr., Jeff Gordon and Danica's advice for Johnson

NEXT UP:Which Hendrick driver fills the void after Johnson retires?

But this is his first full season with crew chief Cliff Daniels, who took over in the middle of last season, and Johnson told NBC Sports at the time he brings "a spark there that I'm not sure we were aware we were missing."

When USA TODAY Sports asked Johnson on Wednesday at Daytona International Speedway if he would be OK without winning at least one more, he said simply: "I wouldn’t have a choice."

Johnson’s No. 48 Chevrolet had some speed during qualifying for the Daytona 500 last Sunday, coming in fourth behind pole winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Hendrick teammates Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott. He'll be starting next to Aric Almirola in Row 3 on Sunday.

So maybe that's the first sign of hope for Johnson and his team. Whether you're a 48 fan or not, it's hard to deny the poetic finish of Johnson winning at least one more race and qualifying for the playoffs. But we won't know if his car has lasting and versatile speed for a few more weeks.

2. Will Joe Gibbs Racing continue its ridiculous dominance?

Joe Gibbs Racing opened the 2019 season with Denny Hamlin winning the Daytona 500 and closed it with Kyle Busch winning his second championship, beating out teammates Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr., along with Stewart-Haas Racing's Kevin Harvick. Along with Erik Jones, the JGR drivers combined to win 19 of 36 races last season. But can they keep it up?

"It's almost impossible," said Hamlin. "I enjoy the challenge of us going out there. I like our chances any time there are changes, that our organization adapts quicker than anyone."

Last season was unprecedented for a team's dominance, so that's a high bar to clear. However, there's no reason to think Busch's and Hamlin's teams won't pick up right where they left off. Truex will need to adjust to a new crew chief in James Small, formerly the team's lead engineer, after the often brilliant Cole Pearn announced his surprise retirement at the end of last year.

And in his third season with the powerhouse team, Jones, who won the Busch Clash exhibition race Sunday, looks poised to start pulling his weight with more than one win a season.

3. How will the 2020 Cup Series schedule changes impact the competition?

Homestead-Miami Speedway is in March, Pocono Raceway has two races in two days, Daytona's summer race is the regular-season finale, Darlington Raceway and Bristol Motor Speedway are on the playoff schedule – with Bristol hosting the first elimination race — and Phoenix Raceway is hosting championship weekend in November.

NASCAR spiced up the 36-race schedule a little, drivers dig it and things could get wild, especially in the latter half.

4. Will Silly Season start early?

Almost certainly, and it practically already has with NASCAR's potential future free agents and their contracts being a popular topic going into the Daytona 500. Several of the sport’s biggest names could end up switching teams at the end of the 2020 season, including Chip Ganassi Racing's Kyle Larson, Team Penske's Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney, Hendrick’s Bowman, JGR’s Jones and Stewart-Haas Racing's Clint Bowyer.

Plus, with Johnson retiring, there's a guaranteed opening with Hendrick, and a lot of potential for movement should these guys, and more, become free agents.

“There are always rides available, but there are usually limited amounts of very good rides, and this year there are several of them," Bowyer said Wednesday at Daytona International Speedway.

"We all know that you are only as good as your last race. You can’t go on a swing of bad races or have a bad year or whatever else. You have to be the total package and that is probably more so today’s day in age than ever. You have to be the total package in that race car and out of it as well."

5. Which driver will win his first race?

I’d bet on William Byron, who’s in his third season with Hendrick Motorsports. He and crew chief Chad Knaus have one year together under their belts, and it wouldn’t surprise anyone if they make it to victory lane at least once.

Another option is Matt DiBenedetto, who came close at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2019 before finishing second and is now in his first season in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford.

Or maybe it's Cole Custer, a rookie who’s taking over the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford.

NASCAR: Surprises from the first half of the 2017 Cup season

As the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series makes the turn for home, with 18 races complete and 18 to go, here’s a look at some surprising story lines so far:

New names in victory lane: Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Austin Dillon and Ryan Blaney. All are familiar to die-hard NASCAR fans, but they probably weren’t in the lexicon of new viewers.

Stenhouse was better known as Danica Patrick’s boyfriend for some, but in his fifth full-time season with Roush Fenway Racing, he changed that. His first career win finally came at Talladega Superspeedway in May, which also earned him his first playoff slot. And his next-to-last-lap pass during an overtime finish at Daytona International Speedway earlier this month proved his team finally has found its groove.

Dillon, who made headlines when he took the No. 3 made famous by seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt Sr. to the Daytona 500 pole as a rookie in 2014, also got his first win. He broke through in NASCAR’s longest test — the Coca-Cola 600 in May.

MORE NASCAR:

Intermediate tracks key as Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr. battle for regular-season title

Q&A: Dale Earnhardt Jr. talks NASCAR playoffs, retirement, replacement, more

Matt Kenseth likely done at Joe Gibbs Racing after this season

And then there’s Blaney. His victory at Pocono Raceway last month put the Wood Brothers back in victory lane for the first time since Trevor Bayne won the 2011 Daytona 500. There has been chatter that Team Penske is looking to make room for Blaney in a third car. The Wood Brothers are considered a satellite team and Blaney, in this third season with them, probably will find himself under the Team Penske umbrella sooner rather than later.

2017 NASCAR CUP SERIES RACE WINNERS

Blaney’s star on rise: Speaking of Blaney, the 23-year-old is a hit off the track, too. His social media game is strong. Blaney has made headlines for his 2-minute recap of every Star Wars movie — not surprising considering part of his Twitter bio reads ‘Aspiring Jedi’ — to his back-and-forth chatter with close friend Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Joe Gibbs Racing: This four-car team makes the list, but for all the wrong reasons. In 2016, JGR rang up 12 wins in 36 races and saw two drivers — Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards — advance to the championship race. While a repeat of that feat would have been difficult, everyone expected the team to have won a race by now. But 18 races in, Busch, Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin and rookie Daniel Suarez — who replaced the retired Edwards — still haven’t visited victory lane.

Stage racing: The concept may have been confusing to viewers at first and the TV interviews may sometimes be stilted, but there’s no question the intensity of the racing has picked up as drivers vie for those precious points awarded to stage winners and those in the top 10. Martin Truex Jr. has proven a master, with 16 stage wins – including three race victories — at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway and Kentucky Speedway. His 28 playoff points has him lapping the field, with seven-time series champion Jimmie Johnson next-closest with 16.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: NASCAR’s 14-time most popular driver was under intense scrutiny at the beginning of the season as he returned to the sport after missing half of 2016 with concussions. He got married in the offseason to longtime girlfriend Amy Reimann and there was speculation this year could be his last. But he seemed to put that notion to bed when he returned at Daytona, again detailing all of the hard work and rehabilitation that went into getting him prepared to be back in the car. He told reporters before the Daytona 500: "There’s motivations to racing: the fans and camaraderie and all the great things you get to experience, but if I’m gonna come back I have to be racing because I want to be out there."

But just two months later, Earnhardt announced he was stepping away from full-time driving at the end of this season, sending Junior Nation into shock and landing another blow to a sport that has seen four-time champion Jeff Gordon and three-time titlist Tony Stewart leave since 2015. While he has been competitive, Earnhardt still lacks a win that would put him in the playoffs and give his fall retirement tour more juice.

Follow Tucker on Twitter @HeatherR_Tucker

PHOTOS: BEST SHOTS OF THE 2017 CUP SEASON

Drivers competing in the 2019 Daytona 500

AP

The 40 drivers competing in the 2019 Daytona 500, in order of starting position:

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No. 24 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

DRIVER: William Byron

BORN: Nov. 29, 1996

HOMETOWN: Charlotte, North Carolina

CREW CHIEF: Chad Knaus

SPONSOR: AXALTA

TWITTER: @williambyron

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

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No. 88 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

DRIVER: Alex Bowman

BORN: April 25, 1993

HOMETOWN: Tucson, Arizona

CREW CHIEF: Greg Ives

SPONSOR: Nationwide

TWITTER: @AlexBowman88

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.

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No. 4 Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing

DRIVER: Kevin Harvick

BORN: Dec. 8, 1975

HOMETOWN: Bakersfield, California

CREW CHIEF: Rodney Childers

SPONSOR: Busch Beer Car2Can

TWITTER: @KevinHarvick

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.

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No. 22 Ford, Team Penske

DRIVER: Joey Logano

BORN: May 24, 1990

HOMETOWN: Middletown, Connecticut

CREW CHIEF: Todd Gordon

SPONSOR: Shell Pennzoil

TWITTER: @joeylogano

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

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No. 17 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing

DRIVER: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

BORN: Oct. 2, 1987

HOMETOWN: Olive Branch, Mississippi

CREW CHIEF: Brian Pattie

SPONSOR: Fastenal

TWITTER: @StenhouseJr

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

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No. 14 Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing

DRIVER: Clint Bowyer

BORN: May 30, 1979

HOMETOWN: Emporia, Kansas

CREW CHIEF: Mike Bugarewicz

SPONSOR: Rush Truck Centers/Mobil 1

TWITTER: @ClintBowyer

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.

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No. 21 Ford, Wood Brothers

DRIVER: Paul Menard

BORN: Aug. 21, 1980

HOMETOWN: Eau Claire, Wisconsin

CREW CHIEF: Greg Erwin

SPONSOR: Motorcraft/Quick Lane

TWITTER: @RCR27PMenard

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.

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No. 10 Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing

DRIVER: Aric Almirola

BORN: March 14, 1984

HOMETOWN: Tampa, Florida

CREW CHIEF: John Klausmeier

SPONSOR: Smithfield Foods

TWITTER: @aric_almirola

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.

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No. 95 Chevrolet, Leavine Family Racing

DRIVER: Matt DiBenedetto

BORN: July 27, 1991

HOMETOWN: Grass Valley, California

CREW CHIEF: Michael Wheeler

SPONSOR: Procore

TWITTER: @mattdracing

NOTEWORTHY: No top five finishes in 140 career starts.

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No. 11 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing

DRIVER: Denny Hamlin

BORN: Nov. 18, 1980

HOMETOWN: Chesterfield, Virginia

CREW CHIEF: Chris Gabehart

SPONSOR: FedEx Express

TWITTER: @dennyhamlin

NOTEWORTHY: 2016 Daytona 500 champion. Won closest finish in race history, barely edging Martin Truex Jr.

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No. 19 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing

DRIVER: Martin Truex Jr.

BORN: June 29, 1980

HOMETOWN: Mayetta, New Jersey

CREW CHIEF: Cole Pearn

SPONSOR: Bass Pro Shops

TWITTER: @MartinTruexJr56

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.

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No. 1 Ford, Chip Ganassi Racing

DRIVER: Kurt Busch

BORN: Aug. 4, 1978

HOMETOWN: Las Vegas

CREW CHIEF: Matt McCall

SPONSOR: Monster Energy

TWITTER: @KurtBusch

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.

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No. 43 Chevrolet, Richard Petty Motorsports

DRIVER: Darrell "Bubba" Wallace Jr.

BORN: Oct. 8, 1993

HOMETOWN: Mobile, Alabama

CREW CHIEF: Derek Stamets

SPONSOR: AfterShokz

TWITTER: @BubbaWallace

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

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No. 12 Ford, Team Penske

DRIVER: Ryan Blaney

BORN: Dec. 31, 1993

HOMETOWN: High Point, North Carolina

CREW CHIEF: Jeremy Bullins

SPONSOR: Menards/Peak

TWITTER: @Blaney

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

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No. 37 Chevrolet, JTG Daugherty Racing

DRIVER: Chris Buescher

BORN: Oct. 29, 1992

HOMETOWN: Prosper, Texas

CREW CHIEF: Trent Owens

SPONSOR: Kleenex Wet Wipes

TWITTER: @Chris_Buescher

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

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No. 40 Chevrolet, Spire Sports

DRIVER: Jamie McMurray

BORN: June 3, 1976

HOMETOWN: Joplin, Missouri

CREW CHIEF: Scott Eggleston

SPONSOR: McDonald's/Cessna/Bass Pro

TWITTER: @jamiemcmurray

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.

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No. 48 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

DRIVER: Jimmie Johnson

BORN: Sept. 17, 1975

HOMETOWN: El Cajon, California

CREW CHIEF: Kevin Meendering

SPONSOR: Ally

TWITTER: @JimmieJohnson

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.

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No. 9 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

DRIVER: Chase Elliott

BORN: Nov. 28, 1995

HOMETOWN: Dawsonville, Georgia

CREW CHIEF: Alan Gustafson

SPONSOR: NAPA Auto Parts

TWITTER: @ChaseElliott

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.

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No. 6 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing

DRIVER: Ryan Newman

BORN: Dec. 8, 1977

HOMETOWN: South Bend, Indiana

CREW CHIEF: Scott Graves

SPONSOR: Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh

TWITTER: @RyanJNewman

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

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No. 3 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing

DRIVER: Austin Dillon

BORN: April 27, 1990

HOMETOWN: Welcome, North Carolina

CREW CHIEF: Danny Stockman Jr.

SPONSOR: Dow

TWITTER: @austindillon3

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.

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No. 47 Chevrolet, JTG Daugherty Racing

DRIVER: Ryan Preece

BORN: Oct. 25, 1990

HOMETOWN: Hartford, Connecticut

CREW CHIEF: Tristan Smith

SPONSOR: Kroger.com

TWITTER:@RyanPreece—

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

___

No. 13 Chevrolet, Germain Racing

DRIVER: Ty Dillon

BORN: Feb. 27, 1992

HOMETOWN: Lewisville, North Carolina

CREW CHIEF: Matt Borland

SPONSOR: GEICO

TWITTER: @tydillon

NOTEWORTHY: Younger brother of Austin Dillon. Grandson of team owner Richard Childress.

___

No. 41 Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing

DRIVER: Daniel Suarez

BORN: Jan. 7, 1992

HOMETOWN: Monterrey, Mexico

CREW CHIEF: Billy Scott

SPONSOR: Haas Automation

TWITTER: @Daniel_SuarezG

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.

___

No. 38 Ford, Front Row Motorsports

DRIVER: David Ragan

BORN: Dec. 24, 1985

HOMETOWN: Unadilla, Georgia

CREW CHIEF: Seth Barbour

SPONSOR: SelectBlinds.com

TWITTER: @DavidRagan

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

___

No. 96, Toyota, Gaunt Brothers Racing

DRIVER: Parker Kligerman

BORN: Aug 8, 1990

HOMETOWN: Stamford, Connecticut

CREW CHIEF: Mark Hillman

SPONSOR: Gaunt Brothers Racing

TWIITER: @pkligerman

NOTEWORTHY: Doubles as NBC Sports broadcaster. Winless in 14 career starts.

___

No. 42 Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing

DRIVER: Kyle Larson

BORN: July 31, 1992

HOMETOWN: Elk Grove, California

CREW CHIEF: Chad Johnston

SPONSOR: Credit One Bank

TWITTER: @KyleLarsonRacin

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

___

No. 00 Chevrolet, StarCom Racing

DRIVER: Landon Cassill

BORN: July 7, 1989

HOMETOWN: Cedar Rapids, Iowa

CREW CHIEF: Wayne Carroll

SPONSOR: Permatex

TWITTER: @landoncassill

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

___

No. 20 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing

DRIVER: Erik Jones

BORN: May 30, 1996

HOMETOWN: Byron, Michigan

CREW CHIEF: Chris Gayle

SPONSOR: Sport Clips

TWITTER: @erik_jones

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.

___

No. 8 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing

DRIVER: Daniel Hemric

BORN: Jan. 27, 1991

HOMETOWN: Kannapolis, North Carolina

CREW CHIEF: Luke Lambert

SPONSOR: Bass Pro Shops/Caterpillar

TWITTER: @DanielHemric

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.

___

No. 62 Chevrolet, Beard Motorsports

DRIVER: Brendan Gaughan

BORN: July 10, 1975

HOMETOWN: Las Vegas

CREW CHIEF: Darren Shaw

SPONSOR: Beard Oil/South Point Casino

TWITTER: @Brendan62

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.

___

No. 18 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing

DRIVER: Kyle Busch

BORN: May 2, 1985

HOMETOWN: Las Vegas

CREW CHIEF: Adam Stevens

SPONSOR: M&M's Chocolate Bar

TWITTER: @KyleBusch

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.

___

No. 32 Ford, GO FAS Racing

DRIVER: Corey LaJoie

BORN: Sept. 25, 1991

HOMETOWN: Charlotte, North Carolina

CREW CHIEF: Randy Cox

SPONSOR: Old Spice

TWITTER: @CoreyLaJoie

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.

___

No. 36 Ford, Front Row Motorsports

DRIVER: Matt Tifft

BORN: June 26, 1996

HOMETOWN: Hinckley, Ohio

CREW CHIEF: Michael Kelley

SPONSOR: Speedco

TWITTER: @matt_tifft

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.

___

No. 34 Ford, Front Row Motorsports

DRIVER: Michael McDowell

BORN: Dec. 21, 1984

HOMETOWN: Glendale, Arizona

CREW CHIEF: Drew Blickensderfer

SPONSOR: Love's Travel Stops

TWITTER: @Mc_Driver

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.

___

No. 2 Ford, Team Penske

DRIVER: Brad Keselowski

BORN: Feb. 12, 1984

HOMETOWN: Rochester Hills, Michigan

CREW CHIEF: Paul Wolfe

SPONSOR: Discount Tire

TWITTER: @keselowski

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.

___

No. 15 Chevrolet, Premium Motorsports

DRIVER: Ross Chastain

BORN: Dec. 4, 1992

HOMETOWN: Alva, Florida

CREW CHIEF: Peter Sospenzo

SPONSOR: Nutrien Ag Solutions

TWITTER: @RossChastain

NOTEWORTHY: Eight-generation watermelon farmer making Daytona 500 debut. Landed sponsorship to race in Xfinity Series this season, but FBI raid on that company derailed his plans. He's now cobbled together races across all three national series.

___

No. 52 Chevrolet, Rick Ware Racing

DRIVER: Cody Ware

BORN: Nov. 7, 1995

HOMETOWN: Greensboro, North Carolina

CREW CHIEF: George Church

SPONSOR: Winn-Dixie

TWITTER: @CodyShaneWare

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

___

No. 51 Chevrolet, Rick Ware Racing

DRIVER: B.J. McLeod

BORN: Nov. 17, 1983

HOMETOWN: Wauchula, Florida

CREW CHIEF: Michael Hillman

SPONSOR: Jacob Companies

TWITTER: @bjmcleod78

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

____

No. 31 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing

DRIVER: Tyler Reddick

BORN: Jan. 11, 1996

HOMETOWN: Corning, California

CREW CHIEF: Justin Alexander

SPONSOR: Symbicort

TWITTER: @TylerReddick

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.

___

No. 27 Chevrolet, Germain Racing

DRIVER: Casey Mears

BORN: March 12, 1978

HOMETOWN: Bakersfield, California

CREW CHIEF: Pat Tryson

SPONSOR: Rim Ryderz

TWITTER: @CJMearsGang

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

___

More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/apf-AutoRacing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Daytona 500: Austin Dillon wins in No. 3 after overtime crash

Bob Velin

USA TODAY

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — How the 60th annual Daytona 500 played out Sunday at Daytona International Speedway:

Winner: Austin Dillon won NASCAR's most prestigious race, driving the No. 3 to victory lane 20 years after Dale Earnhardt Sr. captured his lone Daytona 500 title in the same car. Dillon drives for grandfather Richard Childress, who was the team owner for Earnhardt during six of his record-tying seven Cup Series championships.

Dillon took the checkered flag in overtime when race leader Aric Almirola crashed after being pushed by Dillon while taking the white flag. The final lap was the only one Dillon led the entire race.

"I did what I had to do at the end; I hated for the 10 (Almirola's Stewart-Haas Racing) guys," Dillon said immediately after performing a series of burnouts. "It's so awesome to take the 3 car back to victory lane 20 years after Earnhardt did it. "This is for Dale Sr. and all those Earnhardt fans. We're going to keep kicking butt the rest of the year."

Childress was visibly overcome with emotions during a TV interview with Fox.

"Being able to win with the 3 car 20 years after Dale won in ’98, is so special," Childress said. "I can’t let the fans know enough how special this is."

Darrell Wallace Jr., driving for seven-time series champion and seven-time Daytona 500 winner Richard Petty, finished second.

"I got so many emotions right now," Wallace said. "All in all a great day. Just an incredible experience for me to be here. Thank you to The King (Petty) for giving me this opportunity. Hell of an ending for us tonight. P2 for my first Daytona 500, I'll take it."

Denny Hamlin finished third, followed by Joey Logano and Chris Buescher.

Big One at the end: Defending Daytona 500 champion Kurt Busch tried to pass race leader Hamlin with two laps to go but contact from behind by Ryan Blaney turned Busch, leading to a huge multi-car crash. Alex Bowman, Brendan Gaughan, Matt DiBenedetto and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. were also invovled. The race then headed to overtime with Hamlin and Aric Almirola on the front row.

Blaney captures Stage 2: Blaney, 24, in the No. 12 Ford for Team Penske, collects the 10 points for winning the second stage. The caution flag was out for eight laps.

Huge crash brings out fifth caution: A major wreck on turn 3 of lap 101 involved Chase Elliott, one of the favorites, Danica Patrick, racing for the final time in NASCAR, Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick, David Ragan and Kasey Kahne. The caution flag was out for laps 103 through 108. So far, 11 cars are out of the race. Keselowski was not happy. “The 24 got loose and spun out in front of us all and I got caught up in it," the pre-race favorite said. It just really sucks. We had a great car and were in a great position. I guess that’s the way it goes. I went to pass the 24 on the bottom and he came down. I can’t tell if I made contact or not, but obviously he turned and there was nothing I could do. We were all wrecked.”

PATRICK:NASCAR career comes to a close with Daytona 500 crash

Fourth caution flag: On lap 93, the caution flag came out for debris on the track, from William Byron's No. 24 car. The caution lasts from lap 94 to 97, four laps. Martin Truex Jr. took the lead after choosing not to make a pit stop.

Major wreck ends stage 1: 2017 Daytona 500 winner Kurt Busch won Stage 1, his first stage win ever, which is worth 10 points toward seasonal standings. But he missed his box coming in to the pits and was penalized. The crash during lap 60 involved seven cars, including Byron, Erik Jones, Ty Dillon, Daniel Suarez, Jimmie Johnson, Truex and Kyle Larson. It was the third car Johnson wrecked this week. Johnson, Suarez, Jones and Dillon are out of the race. "It is disappointing for this Lowes team and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports for all the work they put into it," Johnson said. "But we'll get this Camaro ZL1 dialed in for Atlanta and take it over there." Said Suarez: “It looked like the 17 (Ricky Stenhouse Jr.) just got freed up there by the 12 (Blaney), unfortunately. We tried to check up and everybody got stacked up, and caused a big wreck. It’s unfortunate because the DEWALT Camry was definitely fast – we just didn’t get to the end to see what we could really do. We were in position I thought to have a good race. We were staying upfront and out of trouble, it just didn’t work out.”

Second caution flag: Kyle Busch spun out, apparently due to the same tire problem he had on lap 30. The first 10 cars did not stop to pit, waiting instead for the end of the first stage,

Busch flat: On lap 30, Kyle Busch's left rear tire went flat, and he dropped from 5th to 38th to get the tire changed.

First caution flag: Came on lap nine as Corey LaJoie apparently blew an engine in Turn 2. Hamlin's 11 car was penalized one lap for pitting outside the box during the caution. The flag was out for three laps.

Joey's new spotter: Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s longtime spotter T.J. Majors is now the spotter for Joey Logano, which is why Earnhardt picked Logano to win the race.

Patrick's finale: Patrick looked to be fully focused on the task at hand as she was introduced for the final NASCAR race of her career and the first half of the "Danica Double." She is expected to get a ride in the Indianapolis 500 in May. Patrick was dressed in her familiar green Go-Daddy driving suit and tweeted “Ready to go!!!!!!” a few hours before the race at Daytona International Speedway. Patrick posted a photo on Instagram on Saturday of her and her new boyfriend Aaron Rodgers with her family at the beach. She wrote ”Doing Daytona with all the people that mean the most to me.” An emotional Patrick hugged and kissed her family before strapping in for the final time to her Go-Daddy Chevrolet for Premium Motorsports.

EARNHARDT JR:Finds life in post-racing career more fun, less stressful

Honorary starter: Academy Award-winning actress Charlize Theron was selected as the honorary starter for the race, and waved the green flag. She said she was pulling for Patrick, 35, the only woman to start the Daytona 500 from the pole position and is the highest-finishing woman in the race's 60 years. "As a woman, that just seems pretty incredible,” Theron said Sunday. ”For me to be able to witness her last race, that feels very special. The girl in me is secretly obviously cheering for her."

Junior and Peyton: Earnhardt Jr., the most popular driver in NASCAR for the last 15 years, is the grand marshal, and gave the order, "Drivers, start your engines." And future NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning drove the pace car.

Hammerin' Hank to Bubba: Darrell "Bubba" Wallace Jr., the first African American full-time NASCAR Cup driver since 1971, received a phone call from baseball legend Hank Aaron. "From one Mobile (Ala.) son to another, always believe in your dreams and anything is possible, Aaron told Wallace, who is driving the iconic No. 43 Chevrolet for Richard Petty Motorsports.

DAYTONA 500 RESULTS

Sunday from the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway (starting position in parentheses):

1. (14) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 207 laps, 0 rating, 42 points.

2. (7) Darrell Wallace Jr, Chevrolet, 207, 0, 39.

3. (2) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 207, 0, 35.

4. (5) Joey Logano, Ford, 207, 0, 41.

5. (21) Chris Buescher, Chevrolet, 207, 0, 32.

6. (16) Paul Menard, Ford, 207, 0, 42.

7. (3) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 207, 0, 48.

8. (13) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 207, 0, 29.

9. (22) Michael McDowell, Ford, 207, 0, 39.

10. (20) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 207, 0, 27.

11. (37) Aric Almirola, Ford, 206, 0, 33.

12. (29) Justin Marks, Chevrolet, 206, 0, 0.

13. (18) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 206, 0, 28.

14. (39) David Gilliland, Ford, 206, 0, 0.

15. (10) Clint Bowyer, Ford, 206, 0, 22.

16. (19) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 205, 0, 21.

17. (1) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 205, 0, 29.

18. (24) Martin Truex Jr, Toyota, 205, 0, 30.

19. (38) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 204, 0, 18.

20. (34) Gray Gaulding, Toyota, 204, 0, 17.

21. (27) Jeffrey Earnhardt, Chevrolet, 204, 0, 16.

22. (40) Mark Thompson, Ford, 203, 0, 15.

23. (33) William Byron, Chevrolet, 203, 0, 14.

24. (30) D.J. Kennington, Toyota, 201, 0, 13.

25. (12) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 200, 0, 12.

26. (11) Kurt Busch, Ford, accident, 198, 0, 21.

27. (36) Matt DiBenedetto, Ford, accident, 198, 0, 10.

28. (25) Brendan Gaughan, Chevrolet, accident, 198, 0, 9.

29. (9) Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Ford, accident, 197, 0, 15.

30. (15) David Ragan, Ford, accident, 107, 0, 7.

31. (6) Kevin Harvick, Ford, accident, 105, 0, 10.

32. (31) Brad Keselowski, Ford, accident, 102, 0, 5.

33. (4) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, accident, 101, 0, 7.

34. (26) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, accident, 101, 0, 3.

35. (28) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, accident, 101, 0, 2.

36. (8) Erik Jones, Toyota, accident, 59, 0, 1.

37. (17) Daniel Suarez, Toyota, accident, 59, 0, 1.

38. (35) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, accident, 59, 0, 1.

39. (23) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, accident, 59, 0, 1.

40. (32) Corey Lajoie, Chevrolet, engine, 8, 0, 1.

–––

Race Statistics

Average Speed of Race Winner: 150.551 mph.

Time of Race: 3 hours, 26 minutes, 15 seconds.

Margin of Victory: 0.260 seconds.

Caution Flags: 8 for 37 laps.

Lead Changes: 24 among 14 drivers.

Lap Leaders: A.Bowman 0; D.Hamlin 1-10; J.Marks 11; Ku.Busch 12-14; A.Bowman 15-22; E.Jones 23-33; R.Stenhouse 34-44; C.Elliott 45-48; J.Logano 49-51; Ku.Busch 52-62; A.Bowman 63-67; R.Blaney 68-93; P.Menard 94; M.Truex 95-98; R.Blaney 99-122; A.Allmendinger 123; R.Blaney 124-170; D.Hamlin 171-173; R.Blaney 174-193; D.Hamlin 194; Ku.Busch 195-196; R.Blaney 197; D.Hamlin 198-205; A.Almirola 206; A.Dillon 207

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Led, Laps Led): R.Blaney, 5 times for 113 laps; D.Hamlin, 4 times for 18 laps; Ku.Busch, 3 times for 13 laps; A.Bowman, 3 times for 11 laps; E.Jones, 1 time for 10 laps; R.Stenhouse, 1 time for 10 laps; C.Elliott, 1 time for 3 laps; M.Truex, 1 time for 3 laps; J.Logano, 1 time for 2 laps; A.Allmendinger, 1 time for 0 laps; A.Almirola, 1 time for 0 laps; A.Dillon, 1 time for 0 laps; J.Marks, 1 time for 0 laps; P.Menard, 1 time for 0 laps.

Wins: A.Dillon, 1.

Top 16 in Points: 1. R.Blaney, 48; 2. A.Dillon, 42; 3. P.Menard, 42; 4. J.Logano, 41; 5. M.McDowell, 39; 6. D.Wallace, 39; 7. D.Hamlin, 35; 8. A.Almirola, 33; 9. C.Buescher, 32; 10. M.Truex, 30; 11. A.Bowman, 29; 12. R.Newman, 29; 13. T.Bayne, 28; 14. A.Allmendinger, 27; 15. C.Bowyer, 22; 16. Ku.Busch, 21.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. celebrates at Waffle House with Daytona 500 ...

Waffle House is becoming the go-to celebration stop for sports stars.

The latest patron is Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who won the Daytona 500 in double overtime on Sunday, his first win in 199 races. After partying for hours with his team in victory lane at Daytona International Speedway, Stenhouse took the trophy to the popular restaurant chain.

Stenhouse went to Waffle House with his wife, Madyson Joye Stenhouse, who documented the event on her Instagram stories. She posted a picture of the trophy on a table and Stenhouse wearing a Waffle House paper hat while holding up a No. 1 finger with a championship ring.

PARTY TIME:Stenhouse, team celebrate 'perfect ending' with Daytona 500 win

STENHOUSE: Wins 2023 Daytona 500 to snap long winless drought

Another post by Blue Delta Jean Co. showed Stenhouse proudly sauntering into the diner gripping his very own replica of the Harley J. Earl Trophy — given annually to the winner of NASCAR's most famous race — with both hands. The Waffle House employees greeted him with applause.

DINNER OF CHAMPIONS:Trevor Lawrence's love for the Waffle House is real, and it's spectacular

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence also went to Waffle House last month after upsetting the Los Angeles Chargers in an AFC wild card game. His victory meal: a Texas bacon cheesesteak, hash browns with cheese and a pecan waffle.

Waffle House was established in 1955 in Avondale Estates, Georgia as a local 24-hour diner and now has nearly 2,000 locations across the country.

Johnson saluted, but Mohr steals show at NASCAR awards

Nate Ryan

USA TODAY Sports

Jimmie Johnson closed his championship speech by quoting the late Nelson Mandela

Host Jay Mohr drew glares from Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. after delivering a zinger

Mohr returned as host after a seven-year absence and drew praise from most drivers

LAS VEGAS — NASCAR saluted immortality with a dash of irreverence Friday night at its 2013 Sprint Cup Series awards ceremony.

For the sixth time, the focal point was Jimmie Johnson, who is one championship short of tying Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the all-time mark.

The Hendrick Motorsports driver downplayed his achievements, though, in a typically humble champion's address at the Wynn ballroom. Johnson said he found comfort in Earnhardt's speech after his sixth title.

"He was just as nervous up here as the rest of us are, and that built a lot of comfort up here in me tonight," he said. "To do something only two men have done is crazy, wild and humbling, and I'm so thankful for the opportunity. We're all indebted to them for their contributions to the sport, so mad respect and props to them."

In a seven-minute speech, Johnson hardly focused on a season in which he notched six victories, his second Daytona 500 win and a payout of $5,226,405 from title sponsor Sprint.

"This was clearly a huge year professionally, but personally it was so much more," said Johnson, whose wife, Chandra, gave birth to their second daughter in September. "Being a parent is the greatest thing I've ever experienced in my life, and I love my girls so much."

He closed with a quote from Nelson Mandela, the human rights activist and Nobel Prize winner who died Thursday.

"Sport has the power to change the world, it has the power to inspire, it has the power to unite people in a way that little else does," Johnson said. "And that's NASCAR."

It was a rare instance of gravitas in a mostly light-hearted affair. Many Sprint Cup drivers said the ceremony's highlight was comedian Jay Mohr, who returned to host after a seven-year absence.

There were no sacred cows as Mohr tackled the season's biggest controversy and skewered some of the sport's biggest stars without mercy in a topical monologue:

--Mohr joked that a Wynn valet attendant tweeted that Dale Earnhardt Jr. wanted him to park his car in victory lane, but his GPS couldn't find it.

--There were several shots at Jeff Gordon being added as the 13th driver in this year's Chase after the team orders scandal at Richmond International Raceway, suggesting the four-time champion would be added to the Best Picture category in the Oscars. "I have breaking news right here in my earpiece," Mohr said. "This just in: Jeff Gordon has been added to the BCS championship game. It's going to be Jeff against Florida State."

He later said Jimmie Johnson should consider retiring or, "do what Jeff Gordon did — win four (championships) and then quit."

--Clint Bowyer also was lampooned for his spin that started the chicanery at Richmond and that he initially defended staunchly as being unintentional. "Clint, Clint, Clint, how's that poison oak treating you, brother?" Mohr asked, referring to Bowyer's crew chief telling him to "itch" his arm just before the spin. "I guess I'm not the only bad actor here."

On Bowyer's recent engagement, Mohr said, "You're going to be great at marriage since you're already good at apologizing at things you may or may not have done."

--But the juiciest target was Danica Patrick, who was attending the ceremony with boyfriend and rookie of the year winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. "Danica, I hope you are not too uncomfortable tonight," Mohr said. "I know you're not used to being this close to the front."

The news drew steely glares from Stenhouse and Patrick, who returned fire while accepting a Sprint award later in the show. "I'd like to thank all of my fans, and I think it's pretty safe to say that Jay Mohr's not one of them."

The second half of the show began with an apology by Mohr, who said he "could not be more of a Danica Patrick fan," bringing smiles from Patrick and Stenhouse.

But Mohr's humor went over well, even with those who bore the brunt of it such as Earnhardt, Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick. Virtually all the top 10 drivers who were honored Saturday heartily endorsed the routine.

"He's had a hell of a night," Bowyer said. "I don't know who's writing his stuff, but I'm impressed. Danica's going to kick his (butt)."

In his speech, Gordon cracked he omitted a joke because he thought it wasn't funny but should have included it because "Jay Mohr's been doing it for years."

The four-time champion later said Mohr was a good friend who did well and added he liked when the NASCAR industry could laugh at itself.

"We're a sport that just doesn't get it sometimes," Gordon said. "I don't think Jay Mohr expects everyone in this audience to laugh, because some of those things are sort of true. That's the tough part about being a comedian and why I don't put jokes into my speech."

Joey Logano said Mohr was "hilarious, the best part of the show" and took his own shot at Tony Stewart, who had accused Logano of having a privileged upbringing after a March altercation at Auto Club Speedway.

"All you guys have silver spoons," Logano told the crowd. "I'm confused that Tony Stewart's not here giving you a hard time about that."

Mohr's humor seemed infectious as many drivers' speeches were filled with quips. Among the best were from Matt Kenseth, who finished runner-up in the standings despite a series-high seven wins.

"Jimmie, I hope you seriously contemplate retirement," Kenseth said. "Buy yourself an island. Take up some new hobbies. Enjoy yourself! We'll all chip in."

Follow Ryan on Twitter @nateryan


Godzilla the alligator found in New York park | The Week UK

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How naked mole rats could hold the secret to reversing the ...

Naked mole rats could hold the key to reversing the menopause, a new study suggests.

Female naked mole rats are able to produce new eggs throughout their lifetime, the study found, unlike other mammals which have a finite number of eggs. That discovery could lead to dramatic “improvements in human infertility research”, said New Scientist.

Scientists at Cornell University and the University of Pittsburgh conducted the study by comparing the ovaries of naked mole rats and mice at different stages of development. They found that naked mole rats were not only born with an extraordinary number of egg cells (95 times more than mice), but also that depletion of these cells was also slower. The most telling finding however was that at ten years old naked mole rats still developed new egg cells, suggesting that production could continue throughout their lifetime of more than 30 years.

The next step is for scientists to “find out what genetic process is triggering the continued production of eggs”, said The Telegraph, with the hope that this can eventually be applied to humans and “help women to continue to have their own children later in life”.

In humans, the number of eggs cells is “capped at birth” with an initial “one-to-two million egg cells” then dropping to “300,000-500,000 by puberty”, explained New Atlas. The number of egg cells then continues to decline until menopause.

The study’s findings give “very useful insight” that could “reset the whole paradigm for how we treat menopause” if it can be transformed into a clinical application, Scott Sills at the Center for Advanced Genetics in California told New Scientist.

People should remain ”cautious” though about concluding that this is an “answer to the menopause”, warned Aspasia Destouni at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece, “they’re not there yet”.

Many deaths from heart disease, stroke could be avoided

Nanci Hellmich

USA TODAY

About 800%2C000 people die each year from cardiovascular disease

About 200%2C000 of the deaths a year from heart disease%2C stroke could be avoided

Many people need to make healthy changes including exercising%2C not smoking

About 800,000 people die each year from cardiovascular disease. But as many as 200,000 of the deaths from heart disease and stroke could be prevented if people made healthy changes including stopping smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, doing more physical activity, eating less salt and managing their high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, says a government report out today.

Although the rate of death (deaths per 100,000 people) from cardiovascular disease declined by 29% between 2001 and 2010, it's still the leading cause of death in the USA, says the report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It accounts for one in three deaths in this country.

"These findings are really striking because we are talking about hundreds of thousands of deaths that don't have to happen when they happen," says Thomas Frieden, director of the CDC.

For the latest analysis, CDC researchers looked at National Vital Statistics System mortality data from the period 2001-2010.

Preventable/avoidable deaths were defined as all deaths from heart disease and stroke in people under age 75 because if their risk factors (smoking, blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, physical inactivity) had been under control they should have lived longer, says the lead author Linda Schieb, a CDC epidemiologist. The current life expectancy in the USA is age 78 so if people died sooner than that it is considered early or premature, she says.

• About 56% of preventable deaths from cardiovascular disease (112,000 deaths) in 2010 occurred in people under 65 years old. That number remained about the same between 2001 and 2010.

• The number of preventable deaths from heart disease and stroke decreased by 25% between 2001 and 2010 for people ages 65 to 74.

• Still, the highest overall death rate from cardiovascular disease was in the 65-74 age group with 401.5 deaths from cardiovascular disease per 100,000 people.

• Men have the highest risk of death from heart disease and stroke across all races and ethnic groups. Black men are most at risk.

• Blacks are nearly twice as likely as whites to die early from heart disease and stroke.

• Compared with whites, blacks have a higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors including high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, obesity, physical inactivity, low consumption of fruit and vegetables and poor control of bad (LDL) cholesterol.

• Rates of preventable death from heart disease and stroke are highest in the South.

It's unfortunate that your longevity may be influenced more by your "ZIP code" than "genetic code," Frieden says.

He says preventable death rates may decrease when more people have health coverage and access to screening and treatment through the Affordable Care Act.

"This report shows we're making some improvements, but we're not making enough improvements especially for people at high risk such as black men and women," says preventive cardiologist Gina Lundberg, an assistant professor of medicine at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta.

"Americans need to take better control of their health and be more aggressive in controlling their blood pressure, their cholesterol, their weight, their exercise habits — and to stop smoking," she says.

Cardiologist Mariell Jessup, president of the American Heart Association, says the biggest barriers to success in changing this trend are projected increases in obesity and type 2 diabetes, and only modest improvements in diet and physical activity. "Despite progress in smoking, high cholesterol and high blood pressure rates, obesity and diabetes are on the rise and must be addressed for heart disease and stroke deaths to drop 20% by 2020, a major American Heart Association goal."

The CDC recommends:

• People have a conversation with a health care provider about the ABCS (aspirin when appropriate, blood pressure control, cholesterol management and smoking cessation) of heart health to help control blood pressure and high cholesterol, including taking medications as directed.

• If you don't smoke, don't start. If you do smoke get help to quit.

• Try going for a brisk 10-minute walk, three times a day, five days a week.

• Eat a heart-healthy diet, high in fruits and vegetables and low in sodium and trans fats.

• Work to maintain a healthy weight.

• Know the signs and symptoms of heart attack and stroke and get help as needed.

According to the American Heart Association, most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach. It may include shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort. Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

The heart association says that signs of a stroke include face drooping, arm weakness or numbness and speech difficulty.

For more information, go to heart.org/warningsigns.