Cindric beats Wallace in photo finish to win NASCAR's Daytona 500

Cindric, in his first full season in Cup Series, led the way on the start of the two-lap overtime following a crash involving Ricky Stenhouse Jr and Chris Buescher. 

But as the last lap got underway, he got a big shove out from Penske team-mate Ryan Blaney that took him clear of outside lane runner Brad Keselowski (RFK Ford).

Blaney then went to high side in an attempt to get around Cindric, but the rookie blocked his advance and edged Blaney’s Ford towards the wall.

As Blaney fell back, Cindric outran Wallace's 23XI Racing Toyota to take his first Cup victory in NASCAR’s biggest race, on team owner Roger Penske’s 85th birthday.

Cindric is just the fourth driver since 1994 to score his first Cup victory in the Daytona 500 after 2021 winner Michael McDowell, Trevor Bayne (2011), Michael Waltrip (2001), and Sterling Marlin (1994).

The 23-year-old champion of the second-tier Xfinity Series in 2020, who narrowly missed out on defending his title in a photo-finish in the 2021 Phoenix finale, said:  "This makes up for losing a championship in the last race I was in.

"I'm surrounded by great people, that's all there is to it.

"I know there's going to be highs and lows , being a rookie. I'm just grateful for the opportunity and excited to climb the mountain ahead of us on the #2 team.

"We're in the playoffs - that's one box checked. My gosh, what an awesome group of fans; what an awesome race car. I'm just really thankful."

Cindric beat Wallace to the flag to win the Daytona 500

Photo by: Jasen Vinlove / NKP / Motorsport Images

Chase Briscoe, who had been pushing Keselowski on the last lap before mounting a late challenge to the 2012 Cup champion's outside, recovered from an early spin to finish third for Stewart-Haas Racing