In NASCAR, few stages are as unforgiving as the regular-season finale at Daytona. The Coke Zero Sugar 400 is a high-speed chess match where playoff hopes hinge on inches at the line. For NASCAR driver Daniel Suarez, this race held added weight. His last Cup Series win came in 2024 at Atlanta. This was another photo finish where he edged Ryan Blaney by 0.003 seconds. That night sealed his place in the postseason. But fast forward to August 23, 2025, and the same opponent. The same type of finish produced a very different outcome.

This year’s Daytona closer delivered one of the tightest endings in NASCAR history. Ryan Blaney claimed victory by just 0.031 seconds. He won in a dramatic four-wide sprint to the checkered flag, with Suarez, Justin Haley, and Cole Custer all within hundredths of

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