Tony Stewart Crashes on Lap 41 of 2015 Daytona 500

Tony Stewart's bid at a first Daytona 500 victory ended prematurely on Sunday afternoon when he went crashing into the wall on Lap 41.   

The Stewart-Haas Racing driver, who had a fast car during the week, drifted up the track and made contact with Ryan Blaney. As a result, both he and Matt Kenseth went into the wall, several other cars were damaged and the second caution flag of the day was brought out.    

NASCAR and NASCAR Stats announced Stewart's day as being over, with USA Today's Jeff Gluck also noting the result:

Talking on the radio afterward, the 43-year-old took full responsibility. NBC Sports' Nate Ryan captured the quote: 

Stewart's pit crew worked frantically to get the No. 14 back into racing shape during the caution, but it wasn't meant to be. His steering wheel was "about two inches to the right," forcing a trip to the garage. 

NASCAR's Twitter feed provided a look: 

It will obviously be a disappointing finish for Stewart, who is now 0-for-17 in his attempts for a win at the Great American Race. 

In the grander scheme of things, though, it's only the first race of the season. Stewart will now turn his attention to Atlanta Motor Speedway, as he attempts to improve on last year's 25th-place finish in the Sprint Cup Series.