But as happens oftentimes in superspeedway racing, none of the four cars involved ended up in Victory Lane and only one – Chris Buescher – finished the race.
Buescher and his teammate and owner Brad Keselowski grabbed control of the race in the final stage and ended up leading a combined 74 of the 212 laps with Keselowski the most (42).
With five laps remaining in regulation, Keselowski remained out front leading a nine-car pack.
On Lap 197, Kyle Busch, with help from some fellow Chevrolets, powered to the lead on the outside lane.
The next lap a caution was displayed when Daniel Suarez spun off Turn 4 which sent the race into its first two-lap overtime.
To start the second overtime, RCR teammates Busch and Austin Dillon started on the front row and had a plan to decide the win between themselves.
Unfortunately, entering Turn 3 after the restart, William Byron got into Dillon and spun him which triggered another multi-car wreck and sent the race into a second overtime.
Busch got shuffled back in the field and then Buescher and Keselowski both had to pit for fuel. In the second overtime, Busch and Keselowski both got caught up in a last-lap wreck while Buescher rallied to finish fourth.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who was leading at the time of the caution, was declared the winner and the RFK-RCR showdown turned out to be an afterthought.
“I was hoping to have a teammate restart where I could get down on the bottom and then when I got down on the bottom and get all locked up and (Byron) and (Dillon) and myself would all work together and push and go,” Busch said.
“Looked like it was kind of working but we got too much separation off of (Turn) 2 and I tried to back up to get to them. When they hit me, it got me really squirrely and Austin (Cindric) checked up and then it the accordion happens and everyone gets running over everybody.”
"I wish it was 1998 rules"
A Daytona 500 victory is one thing that remains missing from Busch’s star-studded NASCAR resume and will remain so at least another year.
“I think this is the first time I led Lap 200. I wish it was 1998 rules (with no overtimes). It’s just part of the course. Just used to it,” he said.
“I come down here every year just to find out when and where I’m gonna crash and what lap I come out of the care center. I don’t think you are ever confident.”
Buescher said he was disappointed with the fourth-place finish considering how well he and Keselowski had performed in the race.
“We were up front a lot of the day between both of our cars and there is a ton to be proud of. I can’t thank everyone back at RFK enough,” he said. “Just got a little behind there in the first overtime and survived the next one.
“Somehow, we made it through all of that and picked up all kinds of spots. Ultimately, even getting back to fourth, it should feel good, but I feel like we had more in us today and just weren’t able to hoist that trophy up.”
