Daytona 500 notes: Darrell Wallace Jr. makes history as runner-up

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. – Darrell "Bubba" Wallace Jr. let the weight of his milestone in the Daytona 500 wallop him once he saw mom. He sobbed as Desiree Wallace bounded onto the dais and wrapped her arms around her son for a hug neither wanted to end.

"You did that thing, baby," she said, sobbing. "I'm so proud of you. You have waited so long."

The No. 23 Chevrolet's runner-up finish to Austin Dillon suddenly felt like a checkered flag.

"You act like we just won the race," Wallace Jr. said, laughing.

"We did win that race, baby. I love you. I'm so proud of you," Desiree Wallace said.

He carved a slice of NASCAR history in only his fifth career start when he posted the best finish by a black driver in the Daytona 500. Wallace was the first black driver to start the race since Wendell Scott in 1969. Scott was 13th in the 1966 race, the previous best finish for a black driver at Daytona.

Wallace, the son of a white father and black mother, was feted by sports royalty on his big day, and not just from his team owner, Richard Petty. Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron wished him luck on a phone call and four-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton tweeted his support.

Chase Elliott tried to block Brad Keselowski but instead, it turned into a seven-car accident that engulfed Patrick.

"It was just a superspeedway accident," Patrick said. "We weren't the fastest car out there but the car was competitive and that's what's important. I'm just sad that it ended that way."

Patrick, 35, wraps up her time at Daytona with 12 career starts, with her best finish at the Daytona 500 being eighth in 2013. Her average career finish at the track was 25th.

The revamped Hendrick Motorsports lineup endured as much trouble as any team. Seven-time series champion and two-time 500 winner Jimmie Johnson wrecked for the third time in a week when he was caught in a nine-car crash right before the end of the first stage.