Daytona 500 2015 Results: Winner, Highlights and Updated Sprint Cup Standings

The 2015 NASCAR season kicked off with another thrilling edition of the Daytona 500. A trio of Hendrick Motorsports drivers began in the front of the pack, but when the dust settled, 24-year-old Joey Logano headed to Victory Lane following a green-white-checkered finish.

Superspeedway races are always chock-full of intensity, but anxiety surrounding the 57th Great American Race had been building up all week following numerous wrecks in qualifying and practices. It seemed like a race only a veteran could win, but, instead, it marked the first for young Logano.

Here's a look at his trip to Victory Lane:

Speaking of veterans, defending Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the favorite at Daytona for many spectators and oddsmakers. He appeared to be in control for the majority of the race, holding strong near the front of the pack. However, he dropped off late and had to make a big recovery just to finish third.

Nate Ryan of NBC Sports relayed a comment from Junior regarding an errant late decision that may have cost him the race:

Take a listen to Junior expanding on that comment a little more following the race:

Finishing one spot ahead of Junior was defending Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick. He ran a great race but really began to come on strong near the end, knifing his way through traffic to settle in just behind Logano. Unfortunately, an ill-timed caution brought his run—and hopes of winning—to a screeching halt.

Still, a runner-up finish in the year's first race isn't a bad way for Harvick to begin his defense of the Sprint Cup.

That said, here's a look at the standings following the Daytona 500:

Pos.	Driver	Points	Wins	Top 5	Top 10
1	Joey Logano	47	1	1	1
2	Kevin Harvick	42	0	1	1
3	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	42	0	1	1
4	Denny Hamlin	41	0	1	1
5	Jimmie Johnson	40	0	1	1
6	Casey Mears	39	0	0	1
7	Clint Bowyer	37	0	0	1
8	Martin Truex Jr.	37	0	0	1
9	Kasey Kahne	35	0	0	1
10	Greg Biffle	35	0	0	1

In the early portion of the race, there wasn't too much activity in the way of wrecks. However, things suddenly got out of hand when Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth, among others, were bounced into the wall. It appeared as though Stewart's car became loose, sending him sideways and resulting in a fair amount of damage.

Here's a look at the wreck as it happened:

Unfortunately, that would end Stewart's hopes of emerging victorious in his first Daytona 500. He's now 0-for-17 in the illustrious race despite success at the speedway in other events. Stewart is still looking to get back into his groove following a series of turbulent events over the past two years that held him out of racing for an extended period of time.

Brad Keselowski didn't fare much better Sunday, as he blew his engine on the 161st lap of the race. He was sitting in 13th position heading up around turn two when white smoke poured from his car, ending his race far earlier than he had hoped.

Take a look at the unfortunate event here:

With three laps to go, there was a great fight between Logano and Harvick at the front of the pack. Logano was holding his lead nicely. However, Harvick was making a great push for the front and had plenty of momentum on his side.

Still, things came to a halt, as Justin Allgaier and Ty Dillon got tangled up, bringing out the yellow flag:

As is typical with superspeedway races, the leaders weren't able to duke it out until the bitter end, as a wreck during the final lap saw this one finish under caution. That wreck led to this Logano victory:

Logano's comments after taking the checkered flag were priceless, via Ryan:

It was a great way to start the season for Logano, as his name will be etched alongside the greats to have been skilled enough to hoist the Harley J. Earl Trophy. There's still a very long season remaining, and maintaining the top position in the Sprint Cup standings is no easy feat. However, the momentum is certainly there for Logano.

The young driver will have little time to relish in his great achievement, as the Fold of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 1 lies in wait.