BREAKING NEWS: NASCAR Sensation! 18-Year-Old Rookie Shocks the World with Historic Daytona 500 Victory — Racing Legends Call It “The Dawn of a New Era”.. See more details..
June 27, 2025 | By Racing Pulse News Team
In a race that will be remembered for generations, 18-year-old NASCAR rookie Chase Donnelly defied every odd and expectation by winning the 2025 Daytona 500, becoming the youngest driver in history to claim the sport’s most iconic title.
Dubbed by fans as the “Kid from Carolina,” Donnelly came out of nowhere this season, signing with Velocity Motorsports, a mid-tier team with limited resources. But in one of the most thrilling final laps the Daytona International Speedway has ever seen, Donnelly surged past three veteran champions, including Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, and Denny Hamlin, to take the checkered flag.
“I don’t even know what just happened,” Donnelly said, moments after climbing out of his No. 94 Chevrolet, voice shaking and eyes wide with disbelief. “I grew up watching this race on TV with my dad. I never thought I’d even get a chance to drive here, let alone win it.”
The race began like any other, with favorites dominating the early laps. However, a series of late-stage cautions, including a dramatic crash on Lap 183 involving championship leader Ryan Blaney, shuffled the deck. During the final restart with just two laps remaining, Donnelly, who had quietly stayed in the top 10 for most of the race, made a daring move on the outside.
Using a slingshot draft from fellow underdog Josh Berry, Donnelly rocketed past the pack in Turn 3, stunning the entire grandstand. The crowd of over 100,000 erupted as the young driver crossed the finish line just 0.032 seconds ahead of Larson.
Racing legends were quick to weigh in. Jeff Gordon, now an executive at Hendrick Motorsports, called it “the most jaw-dropping Daytona finish I’ve ever witnessed,” while Dale Earnhardt Jr. took to X (formerly Twitter) saying, “We just saw history, folks. The kid’s got ice in his veins.”
Behind the scenes, Donnelly’s victory is also a massive statement for smaller teams in the NASCAR garage. Velocity Motorsports team owner, Maria Sanchez, was seen in tears. “We believed in this kid when no one else did. We had half the budget and none of the hype. But Chase? He had the heart.”
Donnelly’s background adds even more to the fairytale. Hailing from Boone, North Carolina, he raced go-karts at the age of six and worked in his uncle’s garage to fund his racing dreams. His family reportedly sold their home last year to support his move into NASCAR’s Truck Series.
Today, that gamble paid off.
As the sun set on Daytona Beach, fans and media alike agreed: the sport had just witnessed the birth of a new era. NASCAR may never be the same again — and Chase Donnelly isn’t just a name anymore. He’s a champion.