5:30 p.m.

Justin Haley has won the rain-shortened Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway, his first in NASCAR’s top level.

Haley took the lead under warning – Kurt Busch surrendered the top spot when he pitted for tires – and was announced the winner after heavy rain followed two lightning flaws. You will find 33 laps remaining when the 160-lap race has been halted.

Haley was 27th when leader Austin Dillon triggered a 17-car crash which took out nearly half the area and the majority of the best contenders. He passed a range of wrecked cars and then several more that left pit stops.

The 20-year-old Haley won’t lock at a spot in the playoffs, though. He’s a fulltime driver at the second-tier Xfinity Series and has been making his third Cup Series beginning – all for newcomer Spire Motorsports. The team’s No. 77 Chevrolet can secure a postseason bid, but only as long as it ends up in the top 30 in points.

However, it was a fitting end for the closing July race at NASCAR’s most famous track.

The event, which was postponed a day due to rain, has been plagued by inclement weather and filled with unpredictable winners in recent decades. It’s moving to late August in 2020 – the regular-season finale – included in NASCAR’s major schedule shake-up.

William Byron finished second, followed closely by seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and Ty Dillon. Manufacturer Chevrolet won for the second consecutive week and took the top four places.

Ryan Newman was fifth in a Ford.

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4:30 p.m.

Drivers Bubba Wallace and Daniel Hemric amused lovers during two lightning delays by throwing a football throughout the track and in the stands.

Wallace and Hemric each had a few errant throws and even got booed a bit.

But it surely gave fans a reason to stick around for more than an hour with no racing.

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3:18 p.m.

Lighting has stopped the NASCAR race at Daytona International Speedway with Justin Haley at the lead.

The 20-year-old Haley is a part time driver for newcomer Spire Motorsports. He finished second in Friday night’s second-tier Xfinity Series race whilst driving for Kaulig Racing. That is his third Cup Series start.

Kurt Busch was leading the 400-mile race after a 17-car wreck. However, Busch ducked onto pit road for fuel under warning. That left Haley out front, and as soon as the red flag was brought out because of a nearby lightning strike, it left Busch in 18th. As cars were parked and coated on pit road.

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3 p.m.

With dark clouds looming and also the close of the race in sight, pioneer Austin Dillon wrecked almost half the field at Daytona International Speedway.

“The Big One” happened on Lap 119 in Turn 1 and included 17 cars – most of these in the front of the area.

Clint Bowyer was pushing Dillon to front on the outside and made a tough move left to attempt to pass the pioneer. Dillon turned left in No. 3 Chevrolet, branded Bowyer and then began spinning and taking out competitors.

“I guess that he didn’t want me to pass him,” Bowyer said.

All four Joe Gibbs Racing cars – Deny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr. and defending race winner Erik Jones – were included. So were Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott.

“I was being aggressive and trying to keep the guide,” Dillon said.” That’s what you get.”

Kurt Busch managed to get through this melee unscathed.

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