Daytona 500 was action-packed opener

Daytona Beach, Fla.

Jim France told 'em to race and NASCAR's next generation didn't disappoint.

The Daytona 500 packed an unforeseen punch that, if nothing else, entertained Sunday's sun-drenched, sold-out crowd at the famed "World Center of Racing." There were a ton of wrecks, especially during the final 20 laps of regulation, which Kyle Busch described as the portion of the race in which "brains come unglued."

The crashes led to nearly 40 minutes of stoppage for cleanup — breaks so long race-winner Denny Hamlin claimed he twice fell asleep in his Toyota. Hamlin led a clean sweep for Joe Gibbs Racing, which went 1-2-3 in an overtime finish that honored team co-founder J.D.