2020 Daytona 500 facts for kids

The 2020 Daytona 500 was a super exciting car race in the NASCAR Cup Series. It happened on February 16 and 17, 2020. The race was held on a big asphalt track called a superspeedway, which is about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) long. Even though it was planned for 200 laps, the race actually went on for 209 laps! This race was the very first one of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season.

The race had some famous people involved right from the start. The President of the United States, Donald Trump, was the Grand Marshal, which means he helped start the race. He even had his special Presidential car lead the opening lap! A popular wrestler named Sheamus also drove the pace car for the first few laps. And to officially begin the race, Dale Earnhardt Jr., who had won the Daytona 500 twice before, waved the green flag.

The race was supposed to start on February 16, but it rained so much that it had to stop after only 20 laps. The race was then moved to 4 p.m. on February 17, 2020. This was only the second time in history the Daytona 500 was moved to a Monday because of rain. The first time was in 2012.

Most of the race was going well until lap 185. Then, a huge crash happened involving at least 20 cars on the backstretch of the track. The race had to be stopped because of this big accident. After the race restarted in overtime, Denny Hamlin won by a tiny amount, just 0.014 seconds, over Ryan Blaney. Chris Buescher, David Ragan, and Kevin Harvick also finished in the top five. On the very last lap, Ryan Newman was in a serious crash. He was quickly taken to a hospital. He was badly hurt, but thankfully, his injuries were not life-threatening.

How the Race Unfolded

The Daytona 500 is divided into three parts called "stages." Drivers earn extra points for finishing well in each stage.

Stage One Highlights

The first stage of the race lasted for 65 laps.

• Chase Elliott won Stage One, earning 10 points.
• Alex Bowman came in second place.
• Other top drivers like Aric Almirola and Joey Logano also earned points.

Stage Two Highlights

The second stage also lasted for 65 laps.

• Denny Hamlin won Stage Two, showing he was a strong contender.
• Kyle Busch finished second in this stage.
• Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Martin Truex Jr. also did well.

The Final Stage and Finish

The last stage, Stage Three, was 70 laps long. This is where the race got really exciting!

• Denny Hamlin won the entire race! He finished all 209 laps.
• Ryan Blaney was right behind him, finishing second by a tiny margin.
• Chris Buescher came in third.
• David Ragan and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top five.

Race Statistics

Here are some interesting facts about the race:

• The lead changed 23 times among 13 different drivers. This means many drivers took turns being in first place!
• There were 9 caution periods, which slowed the race for 39 laps.
• The race was stopped with a red flag 3 times: once for rain and twice for crashes.
• The total time of the race was 3 hours, 42 minutes, and 10 seconds.
• The winning difference was incredibly small: 0.014 seconds.
• The average speed of the race was about 141.11 miles per hour (227.10 km/h).

After the Race

Right after the race, Denny Hamlin and his team were celebrating their big win. They didn't know how serious Ryan Newman's crash was at first. When Hamlin got out of his car, some people in the crowd booed him. Joe Gibbs, Hamlin's team owner, later apologized for the celebration. Hamlin said he found out about Newman's crash when NASCAR decided not to do the usual winner's interview on the front stretch.

Driver Standings After the Race

After the Daytona 500, drivers earn points based on how well they finished. This race was the first step in the season-long championship.

• Denny Hamlin was in first place with 50 points.
• Ryan Blaney was second with 43 points.
• Kevin Harvick was third with 39 points.
• Chris Buescher was fourth with 38 points.
• Ryan Newman was fifth with 36 points.

Images for kids

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  The program cover for the 2020 Daytona 500.

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  Daytona International Speedway, the track where the 62nd Daytona 500 took place. The first twenty laps were raced on Sunday, and the rest were finished on Monday.

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  Ricky Stenhouse Jr. started the race from the very front, a position called the pole position.

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  Ryan Newman crashed on the final lap as Denny Hamlin (#11) and Ryan Blaney (#12) raced to the finish line.

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  Denny Hamlin won the race.

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  Denny Hamlin (car #11) beat Ryan Blaney by just 0.014 seconds. This was the second closest finish in Daytona 500 history!