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NASCAR Sprint Unlimited: Denny Hamlin wins in 'overtime'

Denny Hamlin held off Joey Logano to win NASCAR's season-opening Sprint Unlimited exhibition race at Daytona

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Hamlin led home an attrition hit field under NASCAR's new 'overtime' system to win the crash-strewn race - which serves as the curtain opener to the NASCAR season, ahead of next weekend's Daytona 500.

Hamlin was just one of eight cars to make it to the chequered flag in one piece, after three separate multi-car crashes sidelined most of the 25-car field.

Brian Vickers - standing in for the injured Tony Stewart in the #14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevy - set off the first major incident on lap 23 of the planned 75, collecting Dale Earnhardt Jr, team-mates Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch, as well as Clint Bowyer, Greg Biffle and AJ Allmendinger, after a right-rear tyre failure entering Turn 1.

The second major accident occurred with just three laps left to run, as contact between long-time frontrunners Brad Keselowski and Carl Edwards also eliminated reigning Sprint Cup champion Kyle Busch.

The race resumed for a final time under NASCAR's new overtime rules, only to ultimately end under caution after Matt Kenseth triggered a six-car crash on the second of the two overtime laps, handing Hamlin his first win of 2016.

Paul Menard was third, from Kyle Larson, Casey Mears, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Six-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson started from pole, but was forced out of the race with damage after a spin into the infield.

Johnson's Hendrick Motorsports team-mate Kasey Kahne was another driver who failed to finish, retiring late on following contact with Jamie McMurray.

McMurray, who started 24th of the 25 cars, made an early charge to run at the front of the pack, only to be taken out in the final multi-car crash.

RESULTS - 79 LAPS:

Pos  Driver              Team/Car                     Time/Gap
 1.  Denny Hamlin        Joe Gibbs Toyota         1h32m16.000s
 2.  Joey Logano         Penske Ford                   +0.924s
 3.  Paul Menard         Childress Chevrolet           +1.008s
 4.  Kyle Larson         Ganassi Chevrolet             +2.568s
 5.  Casey Mears         Germain Chevrolet             +3.733s
 6.  Ricky Stenhouse Jr  Roush Fenway Ford             +3.896s
 7.  Kurt Busch          Stewart-Haas Chevrolet        +4.512s
 8.  Austin Dillon       Childress Chevrolet           +6.024s
 9.  Brad Keselowski     Penske Ford                  +17.985s
10.  Greg Biffle         Roush Fenway Ford            +26.858s
11.  Danica Patrick      Stewart-Haas Chevrolet       +29.094s
12.  Matt Kenseth        Joe Gibbs Toyota             +57.130s
13.  Martin Truex Jr     Furniture Row Toyota           -1 lap
14.  Jamie McMurray      Ganassi Chevrolet              -1 lap
15.  Dale Earnhardt Jr   Hendrick Chevrolet            -4 laps

Retirements:

     Carl Edwards        Joe Gibbs Toyota              -7 laps
     Kyle Busch          Joe Gibbs Toyota              -7 laps
     Aric Almirola       Petty Ford                    -7 laps
     Ryan Newman         Childress Chevrolet          -10 laps
     Kasey Kahne         Hendrick Chevrolet           -15 laps
     AJ Allmendinger     JTG Daugherty Chevrolet      -23 laps
     Jimmie Johnson      Hendrick Chevrolet           -36 laps
     Clint Bowyer        HScott Chevrolet             -56 laps
     Brian Vickers       Stewart-Haas Chevrolet       -57 laps
     Kevin Harvick       Stewart-Haas Chevrolet       -57 laps

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