Ryan Blaney Edges Suárez in Thrilling Photo Finish to Win 2025 Coke Zero Sugar 400

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Aug. 24, 2025 - In a thrilling finish at Daytona International Speedway, Ryan Blaney won the Coke Zero Sugar 400. He edged out Daniel Suárez by just 0.031 seconds in a four-wide dash under the lights.

Blaney, driving the No. 12 Team Penske Ford, surged from 13th place in the closing laps to take the checker flag, marking his second win of the 2025 season and cementing his spot in next week’s NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. The win puts Suárez’s Trackhouse Racing in a great second position. Justin Haley of Spire Motorsports came in third, just 0.036 seconds behind the leader.

The 160-lap, 400-mile race - the final event of the Cup Series regular season - saw high drama throughout. A huge multi-car crash took out contenders Alex Bowman and Tyler Reddick. Then, late-race cautions led to a wild green-white-checker finish. Blaney made the most of his fresh tires and smart blocking. He squeezed between Cole Custer and Chris Buescher, clearing the field and holding off Suárez on the last lap.

This result gives Blaney a boost. The Cup Series is now off to Darlington Raceway for Round One of the Playoffs. The 31-year-old from Michigan celebrated in Victory Lane. He called Daytona “a place you’ll never forget” after one of the closest finishes in track history.

Top Five Finishers at Coke Zero Sugar 400

Ryan Blaney (No. 12 Team Penske Ford)
Daniel Suárez (No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet) +0.031 s
Justin Haley (No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet) +0.036 s
Cole Custer (No. 41 Haas Factory Team Ford) +0.049 s
Erik Jones (No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota) +0.091 s

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