DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Austin Cindric drove his brand new NASCAR ride to victory in the Daytona 500 to celebrate team owner Roger Penske's 85th birthday.Cindric drove a masterful race at Daytona International Speedway and the Ford drivers synched their strategy all week, then 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 was the leader on the restart from the top lane and pulled out to a sizeable gap.
He then ducked down to the bottom line in front of his Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney so that Blaney and Cindric could work together over the final two-lap sprint to the finish.RELATED: WATCH: Deaf dog saved from euthanasia drives around Daytona SpeedwayDAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 20: Austin Cindric, driver of the #2 Discount Tire Ford, celebrates in the Ruoff Mortgage victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series 64th Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 20, 202 Blaney on the final lap made his move for the lead, and Bubba Wallace ducked low for his own look at the front.
Cindric slid up to block Blaney, but still had to hold Wallace off in a drag race.A crash behind them brought out the caution and Cindric was ruled the leader and the winner.