Denny Hamlin wins 1st Daytona 500 in thrilling photo finish

Denny Hamlin wins his first Daytona 500 by a nose
(Image credit: NASCAR/YouTube)

On Sunday, Denny Hamlin beat Martin Truex Jr. by .011 seconds to win his first Daytona 500, in the closest and one of the most exciting finishes ever at NASCAR's marquis race. "This was a team victory. My teammates did an amazing job all day working together, all the Toyotas," said Hamlin, 35, after the race. One of his teammates, Matt Kenseth, was ahead for much of the final lap, until Hamlin squeezed by him in a daring maneuver to go nose-to-nose with Truex:

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.