The Daytona 500 'Big One' crash that halted a NASCAR fairytale
The 21-car 'Big One' pile-up that caused the 2019 Daytona 500's first red flag turned the "most amazing" day for star NASCAR underdog Matt DiBenedetto into the "most heartbreaking"

In his first race for the Leavine Family Racing Toyota team, DiBenedetto was a victory contender throughout and led nearly a quarter of the distance.
It was a breakthrough performance for a driver and team who have never finished above seventh in a Cup race, but it ended when Paul Menard tapped DiBenedetto into a spin with 10 laps to go as he ran fourth.
The ensuing multi-car crash collected another 20 drivers.
"It was the most amazing and most heartbreaking day all in the same day," DiBenedetto said.
"It was unbelievable how fast my car was. It's heartbreaking, but it was really neat to lead that many laps."
Menard quickly apologised to DiBenedetto after the crash - a gesture that was instantly accepted.
"It was just a racing deal. Nothing intentional," DiBenedetto said.
"I have a great relationship with Paul. I think he was trying to sneak into my outside but wasn't quite there.
"When he bumped me, he clipped my right-rear and turned me into the wall. It was just racing."
Menard described the crash as "my bad" and confirmed that he had just been attempting to get an outside-line run.
"It was 'go time' and I was pushing the #95," said Menard.
"It looked like he was trying to get to the middle so I tried to get to the outside and just barely hooked him and wrecked a lot of cars."

DiBenedetto is going into his fifth Cup season, having started with BK Racing before spending 2017 and '18 with Go FAS Racing.
He announced late last season that he would be moving in a different direction for 2019 and was then revealed as Kasey Kahne's full-time replacement at Leavine.
The small Leavine team - whose earlier drivers included ex-Formula 1 racer Scott Speed - had hoped for a breakthrough 2018 after signing 18-time Cup race-winner Kahne when he lost his Hendrick Motorsports seat.
But Kahne had a tough start to the year and then announced his retirement, before ending up curtailing his NASCAR career following health issues related to extreme heat exhaustion.
Amid that disappointment, Leavine achieved a transformational off-track deal when it secured additional support from Toyota and a technical alliance with the brand's leading NASCAR team Joe Gibbs Racing.
-
Daytona 500 report: Gibbs 1-2-3 in destructive race
-
Logano and McDowell in row over lack of help
-
Why NASCAR can't win its war on cheating overnight
Gibbs - which finished 1-2-3 at Daytona with Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Erik Jones - had capacity for a new partner team after the closure of Furniture Row Racing, which had taken Martin Truex Jr to the 2017 title with JGR support.
Rather than moving from one underdog team to another, DiBenedetto therefore found himself heading into 2019 with the backing of one of NASCAR's most powerful and successful organisations.

"I'm used to different situations where we've been with small, underfunded teams, and we made the most of what we had," DiBenedetto said.
"But this... I had one hell of a piece of equipment under me."
Though only credited with a 28th place in a race he was a genuine contender for victory in, DiBenedetto left Daytona upbeat.
"There's still a lot of positives to take," he said. "I'm heartbroken, but there are a lot of positives.
"We put these cars together quick, we had a lot of changes with this team and we came out and led the most laps and were flying.
"We have a lot of momentum going into the season."

NASCAR row - Joey Logano and Michael McDowell in dispute
Daytona 500 NASCAR crash reminded Almirola of back-breaking shunt

Latest news
Raikkonen: NASCAR Cup test "has been good” ahead of Watkins Glen debut
Kimi Raikkonen says he feels better prepared for his NASCAR Cup Series debut with Trackhouse Racing at Watkins Glen next weekend following his maiden Next Gen test run on Thursday.
Raikkonen "will haul ass" on NASCAR debut at Watkins Glen - Marks
Trackhouse Racing co-owner Justin Marks says he has “high expectations” for 2007 Formula 1 champion Kimi Raikkonen’s debut in the NASCAR Cup Series next weekend.
Raikkonen tests Trackhouse NASCAR Next Gen car at VIR ahead of Cup debut
Kimi Raikkonen got his first taste of a NASCAR Next Gen car at VIRginia International Raceway today, ahead of his Cup Series debut at Watkins Glen next weekend.
Rockenfeller to make NASCAR debut at Watkins Glen
2010 Le Mans 24 Hours winner Mike Rockenfeller will make his NASCAR Cup Series debut this season at Watkins Glen.
The ex-F1 driver taking on NASCAR with a new team
Saddled with uncompetitive Minardi machinery, Tarso Marques didn't manage to score points in his three partial seasons of Formula 1. But now the Brazilian has the chance to show what he can do in NASCAR, and explains the story of his comeback with new Cup Series entrant Team Stange
The early benefits and challenges of NASCAR's Next Gen car
NASCAR’s new stock car generation is encouraging an influx of fresh blood into its top tier. But there are concerns that parts are in short supply as the entire paddock tries to build up stocks at the same time
How Penske's rookie sensation opened NASCAR's new era in style
After holding his nerve and hip-checking his team-mate on the run to the line, Austin Cindric made a perfect start to life as a full-timer in the NASCAR Cup Series by winning the Daytona 500. Here's how the Penske Ford man emerged first across the line in the first points-scoring race for the much-anticipated Next Generation cars
Six key themes to follow in the 2022 NASCAR Cup season
There are plenty of uncertainties ahead of the 2022 NASCAR Cup season as an all-new fleet of cars take to the track for the first time. Ahead of this weekend's Daytona 500, our experts explain what you need to know
How NASCAR had to learn a harsh lesson ahead of its Next Gen arrival
The NASCAR Cup kicks off with the Daytona 500 this weekend, but a major overhaul and a subsequent mountain of work has been required to be ready for the arrival of the Next Gen cars
How Larson took the long way round to NASCAR Cup glory
From villain to hero, Kyle Larson’s journey to the 2021 NASCAR Cup title comes straight from the Hollywood blockbuster scripts. While Larson had to reach his lifelong goal the hard way and go through a very public shaming after a ban for using a racial slur, his talents shone long before his name grabbed the headlines for both the right and the wrong reasons
How NASCAR is gearing up for its "biggest change" in 2022
It’s not just Formula 1 that’s set for upheaval in 2022, as the NASCAR Cup Series adopts its Next Gen cars that will cast any in-built advantages aside and require teams to adopt a totally new way of operating. Far more than just a change of machinery, the new cars amount to a shift in NASCAR's core philosophy
Why Bubba Wallace’s Talladega win is such a big moment for NASCAR
Bubba Wallace claimed his maiden NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega on Monday to become the first Black victor in the category since Wendell Scott in 1963. Both Wallace and Scott had faced obstacles and racism in their paths to their breakthrough wins, and NASCAR is trying to put it right with its range of diversity programmes