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Feb 21, 2016; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin (11) beats NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr. (78) to win the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
The 2016 NASCAR season featured plenty of good finishes. Here we take a look at the best finishes. Does your favorite make our top five?
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series may be a thing of the past, but the 2016 season has only been in the rearview for a few months. The 2016 season saw first-time winners, a seven-time champion and one of the greats hang up his steering wheel. It also saw plenty of good finishes.
Here are a look at five of the best, in no particular order, from the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Daytona 500
Denny Hamlin scored his first ever Daytona 500 win by edging Martin Truex Jr. in the season opening race by .010 seconds. This was the closest finish in Daytona 500 history.
One of the best finishes of the season to start the season? Why not.
After the race, Hamlin said he had no anticipations of winning the race when the white flag flew for the final lap. “I didn’t know we had won. I knew it was close. I saw the pylon change and blink at the last second with the 11,” said Hamlin after the race. “I heard people on the radio crazy and excited and assumed we won at that point.”
What a way to start the season.
Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports
Richmond spring race
Carl Edwards closed in on teammate Kyle Busch as the laps drew down for the first regularly scheduled afternoon race at Richmond International Raceway. Edwards bumped Busch out of the way in the last turn on the final lap to pick up back-to-back victories on the 2016 season.
Busch was none too happy with Edwards after the race. But after all, bumping is racing. Bumping in racing also makes for a spot in our best finishes.
June 26, 2016; Sonoma, CA, USA; Sprint Cup Series driver Tony Stewart (14) is interviewed in victory lane during the Toyota Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Sonoma
Tony Stewart scored his final Sprint Cup Series victory in thrilling fashion, by bumping race-leader Denny Hamlin out of the way on the last lap at Sonoma.
In his final season, Stewart would deliver one final highlight for his best finishes reel.
The race win would earn “Smoke” a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. More importantly though it proved that after missing the first eight races of the 2016 season, Stewart still had it.
May 15, 2016; Dover, DE, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kyle Larson (42) races alongside of driver Matt Kenseth (20) during the AAA 400 Drive For Autism at Dover International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O
Dover spring race
Would it be rookie Chase Elliott scoring his first victory, Kyle Larson breaking through for his first win or Matt Kenseth using his veteran skills to hold them off?
It was the latter of the three, but it was never certain until the checkered flag flew. After 35 laps of intense, door-to-door racing, the Monster Mile showed us all what good racing can look like.
One week later in the Sprint Showdown, Larson and Elliott would again do battle, with Larson coming out on top and earning a spot in the Sprint All-Star race.
Mar 13, 2016; Avondale, AZ, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick (4) beats Carl Edwards (19) to the finish line to win the Good Sam 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Phoenix spring race
This would be a precursor to what we would see at Richmond later in the season, but this time it was Kevin Harvick who would hold off Carl Edwards for the race win.
Edwards did everything but wreck Kevin Harvick in the last turn on the last lap during the spring race at Phoenix International Raceway.
The finish places Edwards on our best finishes list twice. Not a bad way to end the 2016 season.
Which finishes were your favorites? Be sure to comment below and let us know what you think!
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