William Byron Avoids Late Wrecks to Win 2nd Straight Daytona 500 for Hendrick Motorsports
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla — William Byron fortuitously missed the ferocious wrecks down the stretch at the Daytona 500 that knocked out contenders racing for the checkered flag and left him with a repeat victory in sight.
A Repeat Victory
Still, sitting ninth with one lap left in an overtime finish, the odds seemed against the driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet to escape the rest of the race unscathed, or even have enough time to pull off the comeback win.
Thanks to one more crash, Byron used a clean ride on his final lap to escape the chaos and race to his second straight Daytona 500 victory. He dodged a string of late-race wreckage that knocked out a chunk of contenders and sent the Hendrick Motorsports driver into victory lane Sunday night at Daytona International Speedway.
A Clean Ride
“It’s not all luck to win twice in a row,” Byron said.
Maybe not. But Byron certainly was in the right place by racing near the outside wall in overtime to become the first back-to-back winner since Denny Hamlin in 2019-20.
Byron took advantage of another major mess on the final lap — NASCAR did not drop the caution and let the field race to the finish — and took another, familiar burnout in Daytona International Speedway.
A Special Moment
“It’s obviously really special,” Byron said. “It’s an amazing race, and obviously a lot of crazy racing out there tonight and just a lot of pushing and shoving.”
Hendrick Motorsports’ Record-Breaking Win
The 27-year-old Byron held on to win after two weather delays totaling more than 3 1/2 hours, and with President Donald Trump set to watch the rest of the race in Florida, after he earlier led drivers on two laps around the track in his heavily armored presidential limousine known in Washington as “The Beast.”
Hendrick Motorsports won its 10th Daytona 500 to break a tie with Petty Enterprises for the record.
A Record-Breaking Moment
Byron become the youngest driver to win multiple Daytona 500s, breaking the record held by Jeff Gordon, also in the No. 24. Gordon, a Hall of Famer and four-time NASCAR champion, is now Byron’s boss as vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports.
Gordon flashed a thumbs up when told Byron broke his record for youngest two-time winner by four months.
“I hope he breaks them all,” Gordon said. “I’m in full support of that.”
Austin Cindric’s Disappointment
Austin Cindric held the lead headed to the white flag when he was wiped out in a crash that took out a slew of drivers that included Chase Briscoe, Denny Hamlin, and Alex Bowman. It was the sixth time in the last eight Daytona 500s the race spilled into overtime, setting up Byron to become the fifth driver to win it in consecutive years.
A Look Ahead
Byron won for the 14th time in his Cup career, and already set his sights on the championship race in Phoenix after finishing third in the standings in each of the last two years.
“We plan on trying to win a lot of races this year, so we’re not going to stop here,” Byron said. “We’re going to continue to push forward and try to get to Phoenix.”
Conclusion
William Byron’s victory at the Daytona 500 marks his second consecutive win in the prestigious event, a feat not achieved since Denny Hamlin in 2019-20. Byron’s win is a testament to his skill and determination, and he will look to build on this momentum as the season progresses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who won the Daytona 500?
A: William Byron won the Daytona 500, his second consecutive victory in the event.
Q: Who is the youngest driver to win multiple Daytona 500s?
A: William Byron is the youngest driver to win multiple Daytona 500s, breaking the record held by Jeff Gordon.
Q: Who is the new owner of the Legacy Motor Club?
A: Jimmie Johnson, a seven-time NASCAR champion, is the new owner of the Legacy Motor Club.
Q: Who is the defending winner of the Atlanta Motor Speedway race?
A: Daniel Suarez is the defending winner of the Atlanta Motor Speedway race.
