The crash occurred on Lap 35 when Matt Kenseth drifted low to avoid hitting Brad Keselowski and slammed into the car of Joey Logano, igniting a chain-reaction crash.
MORE: Dale and Danica | Can she win? | Petty stands firm | Engine troubles
Also involved were Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Danica Patrick. No one was injured and Stewart, who was returning from a 15-race absence, was able to climb from his car.
After Kenseth hit Logano, Stewart spun and got hit by the speeding cars of Edwards, Gordon and Busch, creating a pile of torn-up cars against the frontstretch wall. Stenhouse slammed into the pile, jacking up the cars of Gordon and Busch. When the wreck ended, the rear of Gordon’s car was sitting on the hood of Busch’s machine.
After hitting Busch and Gordon, Stenhouse slid down the track and slammed into the spinning car of Patrick, his girlfriend.
MORE: Junior’s message | Wrecking No. 3? | Daytona entries
All four Stewart-Haas Racing cars were involved in the crash.
Stewart, who didn't return to his car until the season's first practice session on Friday, said his lef felt fine after the crash.
"I don't feel bad at all. I have no pain," Stewart said. "So far, it feels good. We'll see what happens when the adrenaline wears off."
Kenseth took the blame for the crash.
GALLERY: Mike Smith’s StockCartoons 2014
“I had no idea anybody was inside of me,” he said. “I should have stayed in the top lane, but I was easing down and I had no idea Joey was that close to me.
“I feel bad it took out that many cars. That’s not the way you want to start the season.”
Most drivers said the draft was the result of typical Daytona-style racing.
"Business was picking up, and it's going to continue," Gordon said. "I hope there are enough cars to finish this race."
