(VPS Motorimages Photo)

Talk about a tough act to follow.

Friday night's Chevy Silverado HD 250, the season opening race for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, came down to a three-wide, jaw-dropping, finish at the checkered flag.

Jack Sprague nipped Johnny Benson and Travis Kvapil at the start/finish line for his 28th career victory and his first win at Daytona International Speedway.

With half a lap left Travis Kvapil looked as if he'd pull off an impressive win, which would have been his first after runner-up finishes in 2003 and 2004.

But Sprague, who started from the Budweiser Pole, had other plans. And so did Benson.

Both rushed past Kvapil's K&N Engineering Ford - which led a race-high 49 laps - for the eighth closest finish in Craftsman Truck Series history.

The lead changes were plentiful - 21 altogether - and when they came, they came in bunches.

On lap 86, Sprague passed Todd Bodine on the outside coming out of Turn 3.  The lead didn't last long.

A lap later, again on Turn 3, Kvapil passed Sprague's Con-way Freight Toyota.

Kvapil wouldn't give up the lead again…until the very last second.

With the three-wide finish, Kvapil became sandwiched at the line, with Sprague passing on the outside and Benson's Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota on the inside.

Mike Wallace in the No. 43 DirectTV Hot Pass Silverado. (VPS Motorimages Photo)

Some heavy hitters suffered early-race troubles.  On lap 3, Mike Wallace slammed the wall coming into Turn 1 after moving up the race track and clipping Joey Clanton.  The accident knocked him out the race.

Then on lap 11, Carl Edwards - who won this event in 2004 - succumbed to engine trouble that forced his truck into the garage.  Edwards did return to the race, but finished 17 laps off the pace.

Sprague won $93,375, a NASCAR Craftsman Truck record.