Daytona 500‘s devastation strikes 5 drivers, Martin Truex Jr. among the fallen

The 2025 Daytona 500 delivered intense racing and dramatic setbacks for several drivers. A multi-car crash on Lap 71 disrupted the race, eliminating multiple contenders. The incident began when Joey Logano led the restart from the outside, with Alex Bowman on the inside. Logano had an issue that caused a stack-up in the top lane. Helio Castroneves got sideways, leading to a collision between John Hunter Nemechek and Ross Chastain.

The impact triggered a chain reaction involving Kyle Busch, Chase Briscoe, Riley Herbst, Justin Allgaier, Cody Ware, Martin Truex Jr., and Jimmie Johnson. Truex Jr., who had been running 30th with an average position of 30.6, was forced out of the race after completing just 71 laps.

This crash was one of several incidents. A caution came out on Lap 83 due to debris in Turn 1. On Lap 85, most lead-lap cars opted for fuel-only pit stops, with Austin Cindric coming as the first car off pit road. Meanwhile, Bubba Wallace, Cody Ware, Carson Hocevar, and Jimmie Johnson stayed out, cycling Cindric to the lead.

The race restarted on Lap 87, with Cindric leading from the inside and Chase Elliott on the outside. A three-wide battle quickly developed, as Michael McDowell and Todd Gilliland created a third lane. On Lap 88, McDowell reached Cindric and Elliott, sparking another intense fight for the lead. Cindric eventually pulled ahead to take control.

Earlier, on Lap 79 of the Daytona 500, Ryan Preece took the lead with a push from Chris Buescher. By Lap 81, Noah Gragson, Cindric, and Preece were battling three wide for the top spot.

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The Chevy Blazer EV Leads as Daytona 500 Pace Car

After an extended rain delay of nearly four hours, the 2025 Daytona 500 resumed, with an electric Chevrolet Blazer EV SS leading the pack as the pace car. This marked the first time an electric vehicle served as the pace car for the Great American Race.

The pace car plays a critical role in managing race restarts, controlling speeds after crashes and delays, and leading the field at the start of each stage. Chevrolet’s press release described the Blazer EV SS as,

"the quickest SS model Chevrolet has ever produced," (Source: newsjournal)

It has an acceleration of 0 to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds. Before the Daytona 500 race began, Alan Ritchson also made an appearance in the Blazer EV, riding behind former President Donald Trump, who led the pack in the afternoon.

The 2025 Daytona 500, is being broadcast live on Fox, featuring commentary from Mike Joy, Clint Bowyer, and Kevin Harvick. Fans could also stream the event on Fubo, with radio coverage available on MRN and SiriusXM Channel 90.