DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Joe Gibbs and his team celebrated winning the Daytona 500 with what winning driver Denny Hamlin described as a “Steak ‘n Shake blowout.”
At about 10:30 on Sunday night after leaving Daytona International Speedway, Joe Gibbs and his team rolled up to the fast food restaurant just shy of two miles away from the iconic track, Harley J. Earl Trophy in hand. It’s tradition for the NASCAR team when it wins the biggest race on the Cup Series schedule.
And several unsuspecting race fans already enjoying Steak ‘n Shake got to join the party.
“It was cool because by the time we got there, Joe had already had his group there,” Hamlin told For The Win on Monday morning at the champion’s breakfast event. “And you walk in there to an applause, and then the team guys come in there later. So it was cool to have your own little spot.”
Hamlin edged out his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch in overtime for his second career Daytona 500 win. He also won it in 2016, while the team’s first victory in the Great American Race — and first win for the team only in its second season — was back in 1993 with now-NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett.
For that first win 26 years ago, Gibbs said no one knew what they were supposed to do after the race. So he — along with his wife Pat, his son and now-team COO Coy Gibbs and his late son and team co-founder J.D. Gibbs — grabbed the trophy and left the track for their condo.
“Steak ‘n Shake is there on the left, and the boys go, ‘We’re starving to death! Let’s go in there,'” Gibbs, the 78-year-old Super Bowl champion and former Washington Redskins coach, told For The Win on Monday.
“So we go, and there’s about 100 people there from the race. We spent about 30 minutes in the parking lot taking pictures and having fun with the fans, and so it became a tradition. If we win the 500, we’re going to be there.”
Photo courtesy of Joe Gibbs Racing
In all, Gibbs estimated there were about 50 people associated with his organization at the nearby Steak ‘n Shake on Sunday night, from Hamlin, his family and crew to the team’s sponsors. They took over the 24-hour restaurant until around midnight.
“You walk in there, and it’s filled with race fans,” team president Dave Alpern said. “They’re all tired, and they’ve had a long day in the sun, maybe a few beverages. And we literally walk in there unannounced, and here’s Joe Gibbs and the trophy.
“I just love watching the faces. You get these double takes, and people start whispering. And it takes a second, but 10 or 20 seconds into it, everyone stands up and starts clapping. It’s this ovation, and it was just a sea of people taking pictures.”
Although admittedly embarrassed, Gibbs said he downed two triple burgers as his team “had a ball” celebrating winning the first race of the Cup Series season. Hamlin — the 38-year-old driver who earned his 32nd career Cup Series win to open his 14th full-time season — went with a grilled cheese and a peanut butter cup milkshake.
“It was amazing; exactly what I wanted,” said Hamlin, who won the season-opener after his first winless year in 2018. “I must admit: I was going to order a cheeseburger too, but I felt that would have been a little bit of an overload.”
Gibbs picked up the check for everyone, including a few lucky customers, and he should have, Alpern joked, because “Joe can knock away some burgers.”
Although the racing team had only won the Daytona 500 twice before the 61st running of it Sunday, Gibbs said he still always tells people: “I’ll meet you at Steak ‘n Shake if we win this race.”
