Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Daytona 500 hopes came to a dramatic end in the concluding moments of the 2026 race at Daytona International Speedway, as he missed back-to-back triumphs by just over three-tenths of a second. In a tense last-lap showdown on Sunday, Stenhouse battled fiercely, but Tyler Reddick ultimately captured the season‘s opening victory at The Great American Race.
Stenhouse, piloting the #47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet, made a daring maneuver for the win but was forced to settle for a battered car and a second-place finish, reflecting on the moment that cost him another Daytona 500 victory.
Stenhouse Shares Frustration Over Near-Miss
Speaking in the aftermath to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. recounted how the final turn unfolded and how quickly hopes of another Daytona triumph faded as the checkered flag approached. Describing his emotions as his crew worked late to load his damaged race car, Stenhouse revealed the true sting of finishing so close to the win.
“When I shot the gap, I kind of thought, ‘Maybe we had done it again,’ but very quickly as I was getting hit in the left side door, I saw him up there. So then I was like,”
Dang, we’re going to finish second; we’re going to destroy this race car.
“So, bummed for my Ohio guys watching them load that thing up on Sunday night; it was a little bit of a bummer while the #45 guys were over there in tech knowing.”
— Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Driver
The moment was especially disappointing for Stenhouse as he watched the #47 car, still bearing the marks of the late-race collision, get packed up following his runner-up result. The contest saw him working through the pack from the eighth position on the final lap, with key rivals like Zane Smith, Riley Herbst, and Chase Elliott playing pivotal roles in the decisive moments.
Tyler Reddick’s well-timed surge—supported by Michael Jordan’s team—handed Reddick the win, while Stenhouse squeezed past a final-lap wreck involving Herbst and Elliott. His efforts brought him within reach of glory, only to fall just shy of another Daytona celebration, much like his 2023 win.
Silver Linings in a Tough Finish
Despite the heartbreak, Stenhouse found positives from his performance throughout Daytona’s Speedweeks. The #47 Chef Boyardee Chevrolet notched a seventh-place result in Duel qualifying and started the main event from 16th on the grid. Stenhouse also collected a sixth-place finish in the Daytona Truck Series race, solidifying a week of consistently strong showings for him and his team.
Reflecting on these achievements, Stenhouse said:
“At the same time still pumped. We had a great Speedweeks with our Chef Boyardee Chevrolet, with the duels, and obviously a second-place finish is a great way to start the season. Other than that, we weren’t celebrating the win, but sixth in the truck race.”
Uh, I definitely have left Daytona feeling a lot worse than I do right now, so I guess that’s a positive.” — Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Driver
Though the 38-year-old Memphis native did not repeat his previous Daytona 500 victory, his strong run provides motivation and confidence for the #47 team as the NASCAR season unfolds. With a fast car and renewed determination, Stenhouse’s performance at one of the sport’s biggest events signals that he, his team, and their supporters will remain major contenders in races to come.
The result at Daytona International Speedway makes it clear that Stenhouse and Chef Boyardee Chevrolet are positioned to pursue more wins, setting the stage for a fiercely competitive NASCAR season ahead.
🏎️ "When I shot the gap, I kinda thought maybe we had done it again […] and then I was like dang, we're gonna finish 2nd and we're gonna destroy this race car."@StenhouseJr on his crash and runner-up finish to end the #DAYTONA500.
More ➡️ https://t.co/WGRTG5gnEd pic.twitter.com/UiWXDfhuk7
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) February 18, 2026
