Matt Kenseth Wins the Daytona 500

By - Kris Fletcher

Matt Kenseth overcame overheating issues and avoided two big crashes on the tri-oval before holding off Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Greg Biffle in a green-white checkered finish to win Monday night's Daytona 500, a race delayed thirty hours due to rain and another two following an explosive crash on the track late in the race.

Photo by: Jerry Lai

With 40 laps to go, Juan Pablo Montoya's car slammed into a jet drying vehicle while the race was under caution. Montoya was traveling at a high rate of speed on the backstretch while rejoining the field, but lost control and slid into the back of the jet dryer located in turn three. The vehicle, which had jet fuel on board, burst into flames. No one was injured.

However, NASCAR halted the race for an extensive track cleanup effort.

Dave Blaney was leading at the time of the accident, but had to pit once the race got back underway, allowing Kenseth to take over the top position for good.

Two multi-car crashes occurred during the closing laps, with the last one setting up the two-lap overtime finish.

Kenseth pulled away from Earnhardt Jr. and Biffle, his Roush Fenway Racing teammate, coming out of the final turn on the last lap. He beat Earnhardt Jr. to the finish line by 0.2 seconds. Biffle finished a close third.

Denny Hamlin and Jeff Burton rounded out the top-five.

Kenseth, the 2003 Sprint Cup Series champion, also won the 2009 Daytona 500, a race shortened due to rain.