Daytona 500 Results: Biggest Takeaways from Spectacular Season Opener

Entering Sunday's Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt Jr. had won just one Sprint Cup race since the 2009 season. He's won two races in that time span now.

At Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, Earnhardt powered the No. 88 Hendrick Chevrolet to Victory Lane. 

This was Earnhardt's second Daytona 500 victory, and the veteran driver was downright giddy with the win. NASCAR helps point that out: 

Have a look at the final results: 

Finish	Driver	Start
1	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	9
2	Denny Hamlin	4
3	Brad Keselowski	33
4	Jeff Gordon	6
5	Jimmie Johnson	32
6	Matt Kenseth	3
7	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	34
8	Greg Biffle	25
9	Austin Dillon	1
10	Casey Mears	28
11	Joey Logano	35
12	Landon Cassill	18
13	Kevin Harvick	38
14	Jamie McMurray	22
15	Bobby Labonte	26
16	Reed Sorenson	39
17	Carl Edwards	30
18	Marcos Ambrose	7
19	Kyle Busch	37
20	Terry Labonte	24
21	Kurt Busch	8
22	Ryan Newman	19
23	Alex Bowman	29
24	Josh Wise	11
25	Brian Scott	12
26	AJ Allmendinger	15
27	Justin Allgaier	40
28	Cole Whitt	23
29	Parker Kligerman	41
30	Brian Vickers	31
31	Kasey Kahne	5
32	Paul Menard	10
33	Trevor Bayne	14
34	David Ragan	43
35	Tony Stewart	21
36	David Gilliland	17
37	Michael Annett	161
38	Kyle Larson	160
39	Aric Almirola	146
40	Danica Patrick	145
41	Michael Waltrip	144
42	Clint Bowyer	127
43	Martin Truex Jr.	30

The biggest takeaway from the day's action was that despite a lengthy weather delay, this was a spectacular race. Guys were gunning hard for the lead all day. 

Brad Keselowski, as Fox's Kaitlyn Vincie tweeted, highlights that:  

There are many other takeaways from this excellent season opener. Here are the three biggest. 

Dale Jr. Raises Expectations 

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press/Associated Press

Earnhardt is the 11-time winner of NASCAR's most popular driver award, but he's still searching for his first Sprint Series championship. 

Early in his career, it looked like it would be a matter of time before he captured that championship. In his first seven full seasons, he finished in the top eight of the season standings four times. His highest finish in that span is third in 2003. 

He's only finished in the top eight twice in the seven years since. His highest finish in that span is fifth, which came last season. 

Last season certainly helped rekindle dreams of a championship, and this win pushes those hopes into overdrive. 

Earnhardt has matured into a driver who knows how to produce consistent results. He's adept at avoiding trouble and sticking with the leaders. He has not, however, shown that killer instinct to win. 

On Sunday, he proved he has the tenacity it takes to win when every driver is doing everything possible to take the checkered. 

This is a great sign for his chances of success this year, and it certainly raises expectations on the 88 team.

This shouldn't be a shock to the team, since they raised themselves. Sunoco Racing shared this: 

Hendrick Motorsports Ready to Continue Domination

Terry Renna/Associated Press

Earnhardt's win, like every other win by any driver that will come this season, is the result of a team effort.

Only three other drivers enjoy the same luxury of Earnhardt as having the best team in NASCAR behind them. 

Since Jeff Gordon won the championship in 1995, Hendrick Motorsports has taken 11 championships. Jimmie Johnson and his No. 48 crew have been the main cog in the success, but the team has flourished from top to bottom. 

There are no signs of that slowing down. 

Hendrick had four drivers in this race: Earnhardt won, Jeff Gordon was fourth, Jimmie Johnson fifth and Kasey Kahne was 31st. 

Johnson was in second on the restart of the green-white-checkered finish, and Kahne led for two laps before picking up some damage while avoiding one of the numerous wrecks. 

If other teams were looking for a sign of weakness from the current dynasty in their sport, they didn't get one. 

Brad Keselowski Will Have a Rebound Year

John Raoux/Associated Press

After winning his first Sprint Cup Championship in 2012, Keselowski disappointed with a 14th-place finish last season.

Keselowski was dealing with a new level of celebrity and a switch to a new car and manufacturer. 

His results suffered. He didn't pick up a win until the Chase, and he wasn't a part of the Chase field.

Keselowski looks ready to put all of that behind him now.

He powered the No. 2 Ford to a strong Sunday by leading 13 laps on the day and almost made a run at the lead after the green-white-checkered restart.

I expect him to be a big factor all season. 

Of course, there are bound to be some up-and-down results with an attitude like the one expressed in this Keselowski quote passed along by Geoffery Miller:

So, there may be an overzealous mistake or two, but he has the experience, talent and team to overcome this.

Keselowski looks focused and ready for a big year.