denny hamlin and martin truex jr race to the finish

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Closest finishes in Daytona 500 history

By Staff Report | Published: 17 Feb, 2023 26

Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

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The Daytona 500 is known for historic, sprint-to-the-finish endings. Here's a look at the closest finishes in The Great American Race. Scroll through to see them all.

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Feb. 23, 1969: 1 car length
LeeRoy Yarbrough, Charlie Glotzbach

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Feb. 18, 1979: 1 car length
Richard Petty, Darrell Waltrip

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Eric Schweikardt | Getty Images

Feb. 25, 1968: 1 second
Cale Yarborough, LeeRoy Yarbrough

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Feb. 17, 1985: .940 seconds
Bill Elliott, Lake Speed

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George Tiedemann | Getty Images

Feb. 19, 1995: .610 seconds
Sterling Marlin, Dale Earnhardt

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Bill Frakes | Getty Images

Feb. 15, 2004: .273 seconds
Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart

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Sean Gardner | Getty Images

Feb. 18, 2018: .260 seconds
Austin Dillon, Bubba Wallace

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Jonathan Ferry | Getty Images

Feb. 26, 2017: .228 seconds
Kurt Busch, Ryan Blaney

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Fred Vuich | Getty Images

Feb. 27, 2012: .210 seconds
Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

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Photo by Kevin Kane | WireImage

Feb. 17, 2002: .193 seconds
Ward Burton, Elliott Sadler

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Feb. 20, 1994: .190 seconds
Sterling Marlin, Ernie Irvan

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Bill Frakes | Getty Images

Feb. 14, 1993: .160 seconds
Dale Jarrett, Dale Earnhardt

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Feb. 20, 2005: .158 seconds
Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch

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Sean Gardner | Getty Images

Feb. 17, 2019: .138 seconds

Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch

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Tom Pennington | Getty Images

Feb. 24, 2013: .129 seconds
Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

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Jim Gund | Getty Images

Feb. 14, 1999: .128 seconds
Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt

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Robert Laberge | Allsport

Feb. 18, 2001: .124 seconds
Michael Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

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Feb. 18, 1996: .12 seconds
Dale Jarrett, Dale Earnhardt

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Photo by Todd Warshaw | Getty Images

Feb. 14, 2010: .119 seconds
Jamie McMurray, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

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Fred Vuich | Getty Images

Feb. 17, 2008: .092 seconds
Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch

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Todd Warshaw | Getty Images

Feb. 20, 2011: .118 seconds
Trevor Bayne, Carl Edwards

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ISC Archives via Getty Images

Feb. 22, 1959: 2 feet
Lee Petty, Johnny Beauchamp

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Sean Gardner | Getty Images

Feb. 20, 2022: .036 seconds
Austin Cindric, Bubba Wallace

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Chris McGrath | Getty Images

Feb. 18, 2007: .020 seconds
Kevin Harvick, Mark Martin

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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

Feb. 21, 2016: .010 seconds
Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr.