Denny Hamlin Wins 3rd Daytona 500; Ryan Newman Hospitalized

Ryan Newman (6) goes airborne as Corey LaJoie (32) crashes in to him on the final lap of the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, Fla., on Feb. 17, 2020. John Raoux/AP Photo

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida—Ryan Newman flipped across the finish line, his Ford planted upside down and engulfed in flames, a grim reminder of a sport steeped in danger that has stretched nearly two decades without a fatality.

At the finish line, Denny Hamlin made history with a second straight Daytona 500 victory in an an overtime photo finish over Ryan Blaney, a celebration that quickly became muted as word of Newman’s wreck spread.