Jimmie Johnson Wins Rain Shortened Advanced Auto Parts Clash

Jimmie Johnson made a bold move that ultimately earned him the victory in the Advanced Auto Parts Clash at Daytona. Johnson was following the No. 21 of Paul Menard, who started on the pole, with 20 laps remaining. In a race that had been plagued with rain delays, Johnson saw a door opening and he took it. Menard and Johnson made contact as the field entered turn three sending Menard around in front of the field collecting nearly the entire field. Roughly four cars managed to make it through without damage including Johnson. 

A few caution laps later, mother nature intervened again. This time though brought the end of the Advanced Auto Parts Clash with NASCAR declaring Johnson as the winner. Kurt Busch finished the race in second while Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, and Alex Bowman rounded out the top five. Menard held a commanding lead a majority of the race leading 51 of the 59 completed laps.

It's the first time in the history of the Advanced Auto Parts Clash that the race has been shortened due to rain. It's Johnson's first visit to victory lane since he won at Dover in 2017 and his first victory in the Clash since 2005. With the victory, Johnson ties Neil Bonnett, Ken Schrader, Jeff Gordon, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. with two victories in the Clash.

On the day where Chevrolet earned their 700th pole, the bowtie brand earns their first victory in the Clash since 2013 snapping a two-win streak by Ford. (Koelle,2019)

Photo: Brandon Wright/Brandon Wright Photography