Denny Hamlin won his third Daytona 500 on Monday in an exciting photo finish and became only the fourth driver to win it in back-to-back years, but his celebration at the historic achievement was dampened by a near-tragedy when fellow NASCAR driver Ryan Newman crashed violently near the end of the race.
"I notice things are weird. The crowd's not really saying much, there's not much roaring going on. I was supposed to do an interview at the start-finish line, and there's no one there to do that," Hamlin told Cheddar about the eerie aftermath. "I went into Victory Lane and that's when they told me he had a pretty bad accident."
While there had been some criticism at the initial celebrations that took place at the stadium, the Gibbs team apparently was unaware of the severity of the accident at the time.
He went to visit the now-recovering Newman and his family at the hospital to show his support after the race.
"It's a tough, tough finish, obviously. It looks like he'll come out of this, and that's really, really encouraging," Hamlin said. "Once we get down the line, get a few days, weeks down the road, we'll be able to enjoy it on our end."
Hamlin, who drives Joe Gibbs Racing's No. 11 Toyota, reflected on how sometimes those immersed in the sport can take their safety for granted.
Despite the frightening finish, Hamlin still stands among the greats in NASCAR with the other five racers who have won three or more Daytona 500's in the sport's Hall of Fame. While the victorious driver said he knew that the feat was significant, he still had trouble processing the entirety of it in such a short time following the competition.
"I've won now two of the closest finishes in Daytona 500 history. I don't even know what all this means," he said. "It's great to have those trophies sitting in my living room, and I get to think about it well after my racing career is over. And I get to talk to my kids about what all has happened."
Sean Zerillo, Senior Writer for Action Network and co-host of the MLB podcast "Payoff Pitch" joins Cheddar Bets to discuss why under have been a lucrative bet for him so far, and how he's adjusting his strategies moving forward.
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Michael Jenkins, host of 'The Daily Tip', joins Cheddar Bets to break down each game in the NBA Playoffs tonight and why not to take the bait on the Grizzlies-Timberwolves point total.
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NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille and tennis star Sloane Stephens joined Cheddar News to talk about their partnership with the Icy Hot Squad, a team of athletes from varying sports who embody the challenges of overcoming pain in athletics. The endeavor also supports the Comebaq Courts initiative to help young athletes return to playing after getting hurt. While both Shaq and Stephens talked about taking on the challenge of helping with pain management, one challenge the intimidating former NBA center noted that he won't be facing is space tourism. "Let me think about it — hell naw. I'm good right here where I'm at," he quickly responded when asked about taking a Blue Origin flight.
Chloe Kim, a two-time Olympic Gold Medal-winning snowboarder, and her dog Reece are teaming up with Purina for its Pro Plan Million Mile Challenge to donate to Athletes for Animals.
The olympian joined Cheddar News to talk about her about the mental health challenges athletes face, her snowboarding career, and the Purina partnership to raise money for responsible pet ownership. "It’s an exciting way to encourage pet owners to get up and get active with their companion," she said. Kim also stated that the plan is for her to compete in the 2026 Olympic Games in Milano Cortina after taking some time off.
The Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing a communications breakdown that led police to think an aircraft carrying military parachutists for a baseball stadium stunt was “a probable threat.”
As U.S. cities and airlines are weighing COVID-19 protocols like mask and vaccine mandates, Canada continues to ban travelers who are not fully vaccinated -- including professional athletes. The MLB season is now underway, and the Toronto Raptors have advanced to the NBA playoffs, so several athletes are expected to not participate in upcoming games in Canada. Gabe Lacques, MLB reporters and Baseball Editor for USA Today Sports, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to dsicuss.
Nike introduced the Vaporfly in the 2016 Olympics to Nike-sponsored athletes, three of whom took the top spots in marathon events. Since then, the shoe has been the weapon of choice of elite athletes like those competing in the 2022 Boston Marathon. Why? Because Nike designed the shoe to literally make you faster. To not wear the Vaporfly has become a disadvantage. So how exactly does this shoe increase speeds and should it even be allowed in competition?
Christine Moore, a celebrity hat designer and featured milliner for the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby, joined Cheddar News to talk about how her headwear became a staple of race day fashion and what Derby watchers can come to expect at this year's horse racing event. “It's always go big or go home," she said. "And it's also very Southern belle style for the first leg of the triple crown, which is the Kentucky Derby." The race will be held on Saturday, May 7.
Between Bells executive producer Conor White recaps some of the biggest stories of the week, and teaches Azia Celestino and Hena Doba a thing or two at the same time. It's This Week In Trivia!
