Paul Menard triggers huge fiery crash involving 18 cars at NASCAR Daytona 500

Nearly half of the cars running in the 61st NASCAR Daytona 500 saw an abrupt, fiery end to their first place dreams in Florida on Sunday.

A massive crash took out 18 out of the 40 cars in the lineup, with just 10 laps to go in the 500-mile contest at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach.

Paul Menard started the pileup by attempting a ‘bump and run’ around Matt DiBenedetto, in which Menard tipped the rear passenger side wheel on DiBenedetto’s  number 95 car and set the massive collision in motion. 

‘I’ll take the blame for that one,’ Menard said, regarding the large-scale wreck in which no one was injured. 

  

A total of 18 out of the 40 cars running in the 61st NASCAR Daytona 500 saw an abrupt, fiery end to their first place dreams in Florida on Sunday with just 10 laps to go in the race

Any wreck that involves five or more cars is called ‘The Big One,’ in NASCAR vernacular, and this one more than qualified. 

Aerial video shows the moments leading up to the crash, with Menard’s number 21 Ford Mustang pressed right up against the rear bumper of DiBenedetto’s car.

He’s attempting a move called a ‘bump and run’ or a ‘bump drive,’ according to Fox NASCAR announcers, which goes terribly wrong for everyone involved.

The crash occurred when Paul Menard (pictured) driving the 21 car caused Matt DiBenedetto driving the 95 car to spin out while trying to pass him

Menard was attempting a move called a 'bump and run' or a 'bump drive,' which goes terribly wrong for not only Matt DiBenedetto (pictured) but also everyone else involved

The crash occurred when Paul Menard (left) driving the 21 car caused Matt DiBenedetto (right) driving the 95 car to spin out while trying to pass him. Menard was attempting a move called a ‘bump and run’ or a ‘bump drive,’ which goes terribly wrong for everyone involved

Aerial video shows the moments leading up to the crash, with Menard's number 21 Ford Mustang pressed right up against the rear bumper of DiBenedetto's car

Aerial video shows the moments leading up to the crash, with Menard’s number 21 Ford Mustang pressed right up against the rear bumper of DiBenedetto’s car

In a 'bump and run,' the driver tailing a leading car taps the back of the leading car in hopes of gaining the advantage and passing into the leader position, themself. It's controversial, but also common. Scene of the wreck on Sunday is pictured 

In a ‘bump and run,’ the driver tailing a leading car taps the back of the leading car in hopes of gaining the advantage and passing into the leader position, themself. It’s controversial, but also common. Scene of the wreck on Sunday is pictured 

In a ‘bump and run,’ the driver tailing a leading car taps the back of the leading car in hopes of gaining the advantage and passing into the leader position, themself.

An announcer for Fox Nascar described the action, saying ‘Paul Menard giving a pretty nice push down the back straight-away to DiBenedetto, get to his right rear. That just starts to turn him a little bit.’

‘Yep, got him in the right rear,’ another announcer said. 

A third voice added: ‘And then he collects Menard. Logano just misses it but the whole outside lane and half the inside pile up.’

As DiBenedetto lost control between the third and fourth turns with just 10 laps to go, he took out everyone in his path, including Menard and defending champion Austin Dillon

As DiBenedetto lost control between the third and fourth turns with just 10 laps to go, he took out everyone in his path, including Menard and defending champion Austin Dillon

The entire outside lane and half of the inside lane were taken out in the fiery crash 

The entire outside lane and half of the inside lane were taken out in the fiery crash 

The ‘bump and run’ is controversial but common, with an entire page on the NASCAR website devoted to ‘NASCAR’s most memorable bump-and-run moments.’

The move often results in mixed reactions from NASCAR fans, with some saying whatever it takes to win is perfectly fine.

Others say that if you can’t pass someone by being fast, you don’t deserve a trophy, and especially not if a wreck results from purposefully making contact with another driver’s car.

The first announcer explained what was likely going through Menard’s mind when he chose to make contact with the 95 car. 

An announcer said: 'At this stage in the race you can start to taste victory in the Daytona 500. You want to see that checkered flag and you'll do anything to get it, and you know you've gotta be more aggressive with those bump drives'

An announcer said: ‘At this stage in the race you can start to taste victory in the Daytona 500. You want to see that checkered flag and you’ll do anything to get it, and you know you’ve gotta be more aggressive with those bump drives’

The move often results in mixed reactions from NASCAR fans, with some saying whatever it takes to win is perfectly fine. Others say that if you can't pass someone by being fast, you don't deserve a trophy, and especially not if a wreck results from purposefully making contact with another driver's car. The melee from the midst of the collision is shown

The move often results in mixed reactions from NASCAR fans, with some saying whatever it takes to win is perfectly fine. Others say that if you can’t pass someone by being fast, you don’t deserve a trophy, and especially not if a wreck results from purposefully making contact with another driver’s car. The melee from the midst of the collision is shown

‘At this stage in the race you can start to taste victory in the Daytona 500,’ he said.

‘You want to see that checkered flag and you’ll do anything to get it, and you know you’ve gotta be more aggressive with those bump drives.’

Menard basically acknowledged that line of thinking, telling Fox, ‘It was go time, and I was pushing the 95 [car] and it looked like he was trying to get to the middle and I started trying to get to the outside and just barely hooked him. Yeah, that was my bad. I wrecked a lot of cars. I feel bad about that.’ 

Some NASCAR fans say whatever it takes to win is perfectly fine, and others say that if you can't pass someone by being fast, you don't deserve a trophy, and especially not if a wreck results from purposefully making contact with another driver's car

Some NASCAR fans say whatever it takes to win is perfectly fine, and others say that if you can’t pass someone by being fast, you don’t deserve a trophy, and especially not if a wreck results from purposefully making contact with another driver’s car

Menard (pictured) told Fox,  'It was go time, and I was pushing the 95 [car] and it looked like he was trying to get to the middle and I started trying to get to the outside and just barely hooked him. Yeah, that was my bad. I wrecked a lot of cars. I feel bad about that'

Menard (pictured) told Fox,  ‘It was go time, and I was pushing the 95 [car] and it looked like he was trying to get to the middle and I started trying to get to the outside and just barely hooked him. Yeah, that was my bad. I wrecked a lot of cars. I feel bad about that’

As DiBenedetto spiraled out of control between the third and fourth turns, he took out every vehicle in his path.

Among those who had their race ended early were defending Daytona 500 champion Austin Dillon (#3), Chase Elliott (#9), Ryan Blaney (#12), Aric Almirola (#10) and Daniel Suarez (#41). 

The race was paused while the wreckage was cleaned up. 

Denny Hamlin, driving the number 11 car, went on to win the race. 

Denny Hamlin (shown) driving the 11 car went on to win the race, after a pause for cleanup

Denny Hamlin (shown) driving the 11 car went on to win the race, after a pause for cleanup

2019 Daytona 500 starting lineup 

Drivers are listed below by position from the starting line, not car number. 

1. William Byron

2. Alex Bowman

3. Kevin Harvick

4. Joey Logano

5. Rickey Stenhouse Jr.

6. Clint Bowyer

7. Paul Menard

8. Aric Almirola 

9. Matt DiBenedetto

10. Denny Hamlin

11. Martin Truex Jr.

12. Kurt Busch

13. Bubba Wallace

14. Ryan Blaney

15. Chris Buescher

16. Jamie McMurray

17. Jimmie Johnson

18. Chase Elliott

19. Ryan Newman

20. Austin Dillon

21. Ryan Preece

22. Ty Dillon

23. Daniel Suarez

24. David Ragan

25. Parker Kligerman

26. Kyle Larson

27. Landon Cassill

28. Erik Jones

29. Daniel Hermic

30. Brendan Gaughan

31. Kyle Busch

32. Corey LaJoie

33. Matt Tifft

34. Michael McDowell

35. Brad Keselowski

36. Ross Chastain

37. Cody Ware

38. BJ McLeod

39. Tyler Reddick

40. Casey Mears

Source: CBS Sports 

 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk