Massive crash at Daytona: Hamlin and Allgaier involved, Wallace escapes

In a season opener full of emotions, Sunday’s Daytona 500 gave us an unexpected spectacle. The “Big One”, as the massive crash is known, arrived earlier than expected, triggering an accident involving twenty cars and several of the main contenders. The incident occurred shortly after the halfway point of the race, marking a turning point in the competition. Justin Allgaier, leading the race in a car that previously belonged to Dale Earnhardt Jr., was involved in the crash when Denny Hamlin tried to pass him. Allgaier made a late block, cornering Hamlin against the wall and initiating chaos with seven laps to go in the second stage. Hamlin, seeking his fourth victory in the Daytona 500, ended up in the infield grass. Other prominent drivers such as Michael McDowell, Alex Bowman, Shane van Gisbergen, Ross Chastain, Erik Jones, and John Hunter Nemechek were also affected.

Bubba Wallace, who had already been runner-up in the Daytona 500 on two occasions, managed to avoid the accident and took the lead, winning the stage under a yellow flag. Wallace competes for 23XI Racing, owned by Hamlin and Basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan. The final victory went to Tyler Reddick, in a car owned by Jordan, after Chase Elliott crashed while battling for the win with Reddick. The race was brought forward an hour in the hope of avoiding the afternoon rains.