Matt Kenseth Wins 51st Daytona 500

Matt Kenseth was the driver up front when rain finally hit the Daytona International Speedway, bringing the Daytona 500 to a close 48 laps from the scheduled distance. The field had been racing the rain since before the halfway point.

Kevin Harvick helped push Matt Kenseth by Elliott Sadler and into the lead through turn two just before Aric Almirola spun on the backstretch bringing out the final caution. The race was never restarted.

Kyle Busch was the dominant leader throughout the race, but was involved in a lap 124 accident on the backstretch that involved several other cars. The accident began following a restart when Brian Vickers and Dale Earnhardt Jr. were racing each other to be the first car one lap down. Vickers blocked Earnhardt Jr. to below the double yellow line and when Earnhardt Jr. came back onto the racetrack he made contact with Vickers' rear bumper, sending him spinning into Busch and much of the field.

Earnhardt Jr. was penalized a lap on the previous pit stop for having his right front tire on the pit box line.

Harvick finished second, A.J. Allmendinger third, Clint Bowyer fourth and Sadler fifth.

Eighteen year old Joey Logano's debut in the Home Depot #20 Toyota ended with heavy contact with the inside wall on the frontstretch. He attempted to avoid a bobble by fellow rookie Scott Speed and came across Greg Biffle's front bumper, spinning to the inside. He was unhurt in the accident.