Las Vegas native Kurt Busch uses last-lap pass to capture first Daytona 500

Feb 26, 2017; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kurt Busch (41) celebrates winning the 2017 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

Feb 26, 2017; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kurt Busch (41) celebrates winning the 2017 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Kurt Busch celebrates with members of his team in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Feb 26, 2017; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kurt Busch (41) celebrates with New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski after winning the 2017 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Feb 26, 2017; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; The crew of NASCAR Cup Series driver Kurt Busch (41) celebrates winning the 2017 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Feb 26, 2017; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kurt Busch (41), NASCAR Cup Series driver Danica Patrick (10) and NASCAR Cup Series driver Brad Keselowski (2) during the 2017 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Feb 26, 2017; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; The field crosses the start finish line during the 2017 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

Kurt Busch greets fans before the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Kyle Busch, right, and Michael McDowell, left, greet fans before the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Chase Elliott waves to fans before the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Danica Patrick greets fans before the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Dale Earnhardt Jr. greets fans before the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Feb 26, 2017; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch (18) makes a pit stop during the 2017 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Feb 26, 2017; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson (42) and NASCAR Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick (4) lead a restart during the 2017 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Feb 26, 2017; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88) before the 2017 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Feb 26, 2017; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch (18) leads the field during the 2017 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Feb 26, 2017; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Cup Series drivers Kyle Busch (18), Denny Hamlin (11) and Martin Truex Jr. (78) during the 2017 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Feb 26, 2017; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Cup Series drivers Kyle Busch (18), Erik Jones (77) and Matt Kenseth (20) wreck during the 2017 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Feb 26, 2017; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88) and NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch (18) wreck during the 2017 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Erik Jones (77) and Matt Kenseth (20) collide with Kyle Busch (18) during the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017. (AP Photo/Darryl Graham)

Feb 26, 2017; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; The car of NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch (18) in the garage after a wreck during the 2017 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

Feb 26, 2017; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch (18) in the garage after a wreck during the 2017 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

Feb 26, 2017; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Jimmie Johnson (48), NASCAR Cup Series driver Chris Buescher (37) and NASCAR Cup Series driver Clint Bowyer (14) wreck during the 2017 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Feb 26, 2017; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (17), NASCAR Cup Series driver Trevor Bayne (6) and NASCAR Cup Series driver Elliott Sadler (7) wreck during the 2017 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

More Stories

Driver Noah Gragson, #10 with Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, readies to enter his car for the Pennz ...

Las Vegas native gets career-best Cup Series finish at LVMS

Kyle Larson chugs a Prime energy drink to celebrate winning the Pennzoil 400 NASCAR Cup Series ...

Larson fends off Reddick to win Pennzoil 400 at LVMS — PHOTOS

Driver John Hunter Nemechek, 20, holds up his trophy after winning the LiUNA NASCAR Xfinity Ser ...

Cup driver dominates LVMS Xfinity race, local finishes 5th — PHOTOS

Driver Joey Logano, #22 of Team Penske Ford, shares a laugh in his pit before the Pennzoil 400 ...

‘Statement-type lap’: Logano wins pole at LVMS after glove infraction

By JON MARK SARACENO LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

February 26, 2017 - 3:30 pm

Updated February 27, 2017 - 1:13 am

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Kurt Busch led a solitary lap of the Daytona 500.

It was the right one. The last one.

And, finally — vroom! — his desertlike drought at the Daytona 500 was quenched. As long shadows descended late Sunday afternoon over iconic Daytona International Speedway, the 38-year-old Las Vegas native won the Super Bowl of stock car racing in dramatic fashion. Driving a Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, Busch made a pulse-elevating last-lap pass around Kyle Larson’s fuel-less Chevrolet to take the checkered flag.

The triumph was particularly uplifting for the bearded driver, who has endured a career filled with incredible highs and crushing lows. After 16 failed attempts to win the Daytona 500, Busch managed to steer clear of the track mayhem that devoured others in several multicar wrecks. There were nine caution periods and 37 lead changes. Only 25 cars of the original grid of 40 finished.

One accident collected brother Kyle Busch, 31, who precipitated a crash when a rear tire failed. He led the race three times for 18 laps but finished a disappointing 38th.

After an initial celebration in the winner’s circle, Kurt Busch, a Durango High graduate, was overcome by emotion after being hugged and kissed by his wife.

“This,’’ he said, “is incredible.’’

Indeed. No other winning Daytona 500 driver ever led just one lap.

Ryan Blaney, 23, finished second in a Ford.

Kevin Harvick’s powerful Ford led fully one-quarter of the race, snatching the lead a half-dozen times. He finished fourth. Pole-sitter Chase Elliott, driving a Chevrolet, led five times for 39 laps. But his car ran out of fuel, and he slipped to 14th.

With only 30 laps to go, and several cars behind the leaders, the winner said, “My rearview mirror fell off — it was an omen. I didn’t have to look at it anymore.’’

“He (Kurt Busch) is a helluva race car driver, I’ve always said that,’’ A.J. Almendinger said of his former Penske Racing teammate. “He’s no secret. He has had his ups and downs like all of us.’’

The victory literally was a Monster win for Busch: Not only did he win the season-opening Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race, his Ford is sponsored by the beverage company. Naturally, the ecstatic driver guzzled down the energy drink in Victory Lane.

Jon Mark Saraceno can be reached at jsaraceno@reviewjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @jonnysaraceno.

DAYTONA 500 RESULTS

At Daytona International Speedway

Daytona Beach, Fla.

Lap length: 2.50 miles

(Start position in parentheses)

1. (8) Kurt Busch, Ford, 200 laps, 0 rating, 48 points.

2. (36) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 200, 0, 44.

3. (38) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 200, 0, 39.

4. (13) Aric Almirola, Ford, 200, 0, 33.

5. (33) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 200, 0, 32.

6. (15) Joey Logano, Ford, 200, 0, 40.

7. (26) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 200, 0, 30.

8. (30) Michael Waltrip, Toyota, 200, 0, 29.

9. (25) Matt DiBenedetto, Ford, 200, 0, 28.

10. (11) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 200, 0, 27.

11. (39) Brendan Gaughan, Chevrolet, 200, 0, 0.

12. (16) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 200, 0, 33.

13. (35) Martin Truex Jr, Toyota, 200, 0, 24.

14. (1) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 200, 0, 23.

15. (22) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 200, 0, 22.

16. (27) Landon Cassill, Ford, 199, 0, 21.

17. (4) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 199, 0, 23.

18. (17) Cole Whitt, Ford, 199, 0, 19.

19. (10) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 199, 0, 18.

20. (40) Elliott Sadler, Chevrolet, 199, 0, 0.

21. (14) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 198, 0, 18.

22. (5) Kevin Harvick, Ford, 197, 0, 34.

23. (29) Joey Gase, Toyota, 196, 0, 0.

24. (31) Corey Lajoie, Toyota, 193, 0, 13.

25. (20) David Ragan, Ford, 188, 0, 12.

26. (32) Jeffrey Earnhardt, Chevrolet, accident, 145, 0, 11.

27. (7) Brad Keselowski, Ford, accident, 143, 0, 24.

28. (3) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, accident, 141, 0, 13.

29. (19) Daniel Suarez, Toyota, accident, 141, 0, 8.

30. (18) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, accident, 140, 0, 7.

31. (23) Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Ford, accident, 133, 0, 6.

32. (6) Clint Bowyer, Ford, accident, 128, 0, 9.

33. (12) Danica Patrick, Ford, accident, 128, 0, 11.

34. (24) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, accident, 127, 0, 5.

35. (37) Chris Buescher, Chevrolet, accident, 127, 0, 2.

36. (28) D.J. Kennington, Toyota, accident, 127, 0, 1.

37. (2) Dale Earnhardt Jr, Chevrolet, accident, 106, 0, 7.

38. (21) Kyle Busch, Toyota, accident, 103, 0, 11.

39. (34) Erik Jones, Toyota, accident, 103, 0, 1.

40. (9) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, accident, 103, 0, 1.

Race Statistics

Average Speed of Race Winner: 142.891 mph.

Time of Race: 3 hours, 29 minutes, 31 seconds.

Margin of Victory: 0.228 seconds.

Caution Flags: 8 for 40 laps.

Lead Changes: 37 among 18 drivers.

Lap Leaders: C.Elliott 1-5; J.McMurray 6-18; K.Harvick 19-22; C.Elliott 23-24; K.Harvick 25-29; B.Keselowski 30-31; K.Larson 32; K.Harvick 33-41; Ky.Busch 42; M.Truex 43; Ky.Busch 44-48; R.Blaney 49-50; Ky.Busch 51-62; A.Allmendinger 63-64; K.Larson 65-68; K.Harvick 69-72; K.Larson 73; K.Harvick 74-89; J.Johnson 90-96; D.Earnhardt 97-104; E.Sadler 105-109; K.Harvick 110-121; J.Logano 122; K.Larson 123-125; C.Elliott 126; K.Kahne 127; C.Elliott 128-135; K.Kahne 136-141; A.Dillon 142-148; J.Logano 149-151; C.Whitt 152-154; A.Almirola 155-156; K.Larson 157-162; J.Logano 163-174; C.Elliott 175-197; M.Truex 198; K.Larson 199; Ku.Busch 200

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Led, Laps Led): K.Harvick, 6 times for 44 laps; C.Elliott, 5 times for 34 laps; Ky.Busch, 3 times for 15 laps; J.Logano, 3 times for 13 laps; J.McMurray, 1 time for 12 laps; K.Larson, 6 times for 10 laps; D.Earnhardt, 1 time for 7 laps; A.Dillon, 1 time for 6 laps; J.Johnson, 1 time for 6 laps; K.Kahne, 2 times for 5 laps; E.Sadler, 1 time for 4 laps; C.Whitt, 1 time for 2 laps; A.Allmendinger, 1 time for 1 lap; A.Almirola, 1 time for 1 lap; R.Blaney, 1 time for 1 lap; B.Keselowski, 1 time for 1 lap; M.Truex, 2 times for 0 laps; Ku.Busch, 1 time for 0 laps.

Wins: J.Johnson, 5; Ky.Busch, 4; K.Harvick, 4; B.Keselowski, 4; M.Truex, 4; D.Hamlin, 3; J.Logano, 3; M.Kenseth, 2; C.Buescher, 1; Ku.Busch, 1; K.Larson, 1.

Top 16 in Points: 1. J.Johnson, 5065; 2. Ky.Busch, 5055; 3. J.Logano, 5052; 4. M.Kenseth, 2330; 5. D.Hamlin, 2320; 6. Ku.Busch, 2296; 7. K.Harvick, 2289; 8. K.Larson, 2288; 9. C.Elliott, 2285; 10. M.Truex, 2271; 11. B.Keselowski, 2267; 12. J.McMurray, 2231; 13. A.Dillon, 2223; 14. C.Buescher, 2169; 15. K.Kahne, 898; 16. R.Newman, 895.

NASCAR Driver Rating Formula

A maximum of 150 points can be attained in a race.

The formula combines the following categories: Wins, Finishes, Top-15 Finishes, Average Running Position While on Lead Lap, Average Speed Under Green, Fastest Lap, Led Most Laps, Lead-Lap Finish.