DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- When he was in second grade, Denny Hamlin wrote a letter to himself wishing for a Daytona 500 victory.
His childlike cursive stated he wanted to win the race in 1998. Hamlin had to wait considerably longer, just not as long as team owner Joe Gibbs.
With a Hail Mary move Sunday, Hamlin ended Gibbs' 23-year drought at the Daytona 500. It gave Hamlin his first Daytona 500 victory in 10 tries, and Toyota its first in "The Great American Race."
"You couldn't have written a better ending," Hamlin said.