Daytona Beach, FL – After a 30-hour rain delay, the Daytona 500 finally got underway on Monday night at Daytona International Speedway. But it didn't take long for the first big crash to occur, which involved Danica Patrick, Jimmie Johnson and defending race winner Trevor Bayne.
Following the completion of the first lap in the 500-mile race, Elliott Sadler tapped Johnson from behind, which turned the five-time Sprint Cup Series champion sideways and into the wall. Johnson then slid down the track before David Ragan plowed into the side of him.
Patrick, making her first start in a Sprint Cup points race, clipped the side of Johnson's car while trying to avoid the incident. Kurt Busch was also involved.
As of lap 35, Johnson, Ragan and Busch were listed as out of the race. Patrick's team continued to work on her car in the garage, while Bayne's crew members completed repairs and got him back on the 2.5-mile track.
This was the third accident for Patrick in as many NASCAR races she has competed in at Daytona. She crashed on the final lap of last Thursday's Daytona 500 qualifying race and then wrecked on lap 50 in Saturday's Nationwide Series event at this track.
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