DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — There was a 16-car pileup near the start of the afternoon race and another fiery one right before it ended shortly after midnight. In between, Sunday’s Daytona 500 had a bit of everything.
Hail the size of golf balls. A nearly six-hour rain delay. Fiery crashes, smoky crashes and muddy crashes. Drivers sprinting for shelter, fans running for safety and at least three contenders who left the track in search of dinner, including one who went through a takeout window still wearing his racing suit.
A car partly owned by the singer Pitbull crashed out early.