Kurt Busch Wins Crash-Filled Daytona 500, Celebrates With Rob Gronkowski

Sunday afternoon’s Daytona 500 will likely go down as one of the craziest and accident-filled races in NASCAR history.

Kurt Busch Wins Daytona 500, Celebrates with Gronk

Kurt Busch eventually came out on top, and the veteran driver accurately and succinctly described what the big race was all about.

“Daytona is all about survival,” Busch, 38, said.

The win marked Busch’s 29th victory and first Daytona 500 title.

The madness began when his younger brother Kyle’s car blew a tire, thus knocking out fan favorite Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Kurt then sealed the deal, driving with blinders on after his rear-view mirror fell off with 30 laps remaining.

“I felt with the car numbers I was looking at, 24 — it wasn’t Jeff Gordon,” Busch said. “I didn’t see [Matt] Kenseth up there. I didn’t see [Kevin] Harvick up there. Young guys. All these guys. I’m like, ‘a-ha. I’m the old bull here. I just have to take my time.’ ‘’

One of those youngsters, Hendrick Motorsports rival Chase Elliott, led 39 laps and seemed poised to take it all until his Chevrolet ran out of gas with three laps left. Then, it became Kyle Larson’s turn to lose fuel.

The race had so many wrecks that only 15 cars remained on the lead lap. With 48 laps still left, 35 of 40 cars had received damage.

That included seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, whose Lowe’s Chevy went spinning following contact with Jamie McMurray’s car.

“It was crazy to say the least,” said Joey Logano, who finished sixth. “Right after the last segment it was like everyone turned up the wick a little bit and at the end it was like it burned out.”

Busch has had a good start to 2017. He married Ashley Van Metre in early January.

Among the famous faces celebrating with Busch was Rob Gronkowski. The New England Patriots tight end apparently picked Busch, his fellow Monster Energy pitchman, to win the Great American Race.

According to USA TODAY’s Heather Tucker, Gronkowski only explained his prediction by saying: “because he’s the man.”

Busch didn’t even start the 2015 Daytona 500, suspended by NASCAR while accusations of domestic violence were investigated and authorities later decided not to file any criminal charges.

DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEBRUARY 26: Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Ford, races during the 59th Annual DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 26, 2017 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images)