Martin Truex Jr. earned the Daytona 500 Mid-Race Leader Award and a $200,000 bonus for holding the point on Lap 100.
Truex, who is in a contract year with Michael Waltrip Racing, started the Great American Race 26th.
While Truex said, “thanks for the push,” over the radio, his former teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. exclaimed, “Truex is the man! Get the money — get it!”
NASCAR's most prestigious race comes with a record purse of more than $19 million, and officials tweaked the payout rules this season to add more incentive to leading at the halfway point of the season opener.
Former series champion Terry Labonte was going for it before he got spun out. That set the stage for Truex, who waited for a chance to make a move on Greg Biffle on Lap 100.
— The Associated Press contributed to this report.
