Cindric wins Daytona 500 to celebrate Penske’s 85th birthday

Published February 20, 2022 5:09 PM

By JENNA FRYER
AP Auto Racing Writer

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Austin Cindric drove his brand new NASCAR ride to victory in the Daytona 500 on team owner Roger Penske’s 85th birthday. Cindric drove a masterful race at Daytona International Speedway as the Ford drivers synched on strategy all week and executed their plan to perfection Sunday night. The blue oval drivers pushed each other over 500 miles and were bunched together for the final restart in overtime. Cindric got aid from Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney and held off Bubba Wallace for the win. Ford had seven drivers finish in the top 10.