Jimmie Johnson Wins the Daytona 500
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Chris Graythen/Getty Images(DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.) — Jimmie Johnson wins the Daytona 500 fending off Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin.
After becoming the first woman to win a Sprint Cup pole, Danica Patrick finished in eighth place.
Johnson, who wins the race for the second time, passed defending series champion Brad Keselowski on the final restart and never looked back.
On the final lap, Johnson held off Hendrick Motorsports teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the final lap to win the race.
“Making sure that I got down to get in front of the 88 (Earnhardt Jr.),” Johnson told the Motor Racing Network when asked what his strategy was on the final lap. “Honestly once I had control of the race, I knew I was sitting on a lot of speed with this car…it was so fast.”
Patrick entered the final lap in third place, but couldn’t hold position. She led the race for six laps, becoming the first women to ever lead the Daytona 500.
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