Two massive crashes on the final lap turned the finish of the 68th running of the Daytona 500 into pure chaos, and somehow it still delivered one of the most thrilling finishes in recent memory. Tyler Reddick led one lap, the only one that mattered, and gave 23XI Racing and Michael Jordan their first Harley J. Earl Trophy. Eric breaks down the carnage, the controversy, and why this spectacular mess is exactly what makes Daytona so unforgettable. Groovy Gauge powered by Lectric eBikes.
Groovy Gauge Score: 85%
- Eric believes this was one of the best Daytona 500s he’s covered, packed with meaningful storylines
- Eric thinks the fuel mileage stretches, especially Toyota’s slow play to open stage 3, didn’t ruin the race flow, with handling, strategy, and constant positioning battles keeping things from going stale.
- Eric believes the green flag run to the checkered added legitimacy to the finish, and that watching Tyler Reddick time his move and execute the winning pass made it more satisfying than a simple crash and survive outcome.
- Eric thinks this edition compares favorably to last year’s late chaos that handed the win to William Byron, arguing this one required more precision and clutch execution.