There is only one Daytona 500 each year. The mega event occurs each February, with Joey Logano capturing the checkered flag on February 22nd. But, according to loads of media outlets and oblivious Twitter users, there is a second Great American Race during Fourth of July weekend.
Most non-NASCAR fans rarely give a lick of their hard-earned attention to the sport unless someone wild happens, such as a terrifying crash, which was the case on Sunday night during the Coke Zero 400 AT Daytona…not THE Daytona 500, but instead AT Daytona. The heavy majority of headlines and tweets got the name right, but loads of media outlets and others thought Austin Dillon’s car went airborne on the final lap of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Daytona 500 victory:
Good to hear that @austindillon3 is OK after that scary crash last night at #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/4m4SfLjZMS
— Steve Conklin (@StevieConklin) July 6, 2015
Wildest, craziest, scariest, and latest @NASCAR race I've ever seen. Glad everyone walked away from that final lap crash. #DAYTONA500
— Jeremiah Cosner (@jeremiahcosner) July 6, 2015
The race at Daytona is finally over with Dale Jr. winning and last lap CRASH! #DAYTONA500 #inthefence
— Wayne Sisk (@WayneSisk1) July 6, 2015
The crash at the end of the Daytona500 was insane
— Brandon Reed (@FrankCrab) July 6, 2015
#NASCAR race ends in horrifying crash! http://t.co/uradJ9Oz3i #DAYTONA500 #Daytona #austindillon #Cars #Crash pic.twitter.com/5IATwcawtc — Sharetu (@SharetuRT) July 6, 2015