LUCK, INSTINCTS GIVE BYRON REPEAT DAYTONA 500 WIN
William Byron, driver of the #24 Axalta Chevrolet takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2025 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (NASCAR Photos)
By Reid Spencer; NASCAR Wire Service
DAYTONA BEACH, FL. (February 16, 2025) - Like Houdini making an unlikely escape from a straitjacket, William Byron trusted his instincts and emerged from a smoky, last-lap wreck on the backstretch at Daytona International Speedway to win the DAYTONA 500 for the second straight time.
On Sunday night, after a long rain delay and a Presidential visit, Byron took full advantage when contact from Cole Custer turned three-time DAYTONA 500 winner Denny Hamlin at the front the field and started a wreck that gave Byron the opportunity he needed.
When Byron crossed the finish line 0.113 seconds ahead of runner-up Tyler Reddick in overtime, he became the first driver since Hamlin in 2019 and 2020 to win the Great American Race in consecutive years.
“Yeah, obviously some good fortune, but just trusted my instincts on the last lap there,” Byron said after climbing from his car. “I felt like they were getting squirrelly on the bottom, and I was honestly going to go third (top) lane regardless, because I was probably sixth coming down the back.”
Last season, Byron claimed all three of his NASCAR Cup Series victories in the first 11 races. This year, after another Daytona win, he plans to sustain the momentum throughout the season.
“It’s an amazing race, and obviously a lot of crazy racing out there tonight and just a lot of pushing and shoving,” said Byron, who picked up his third victory at the 2.5- mile superspeedway and the 14th of his career.
The wreck on the second lap of overtime frustrated both Hamlin, who was late to the lead and 2022 DAYTONA 500 winner Austin Cindric, who led a race, with high 59 laps and combined with Team Penske teammates Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney to lead 125 of 202.
Hamlin had just pulled ahead of Cindric on the backstretch when Custer made a move to the outside and then steered down the track toward Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota, triggering the crash.
Legacy Motor Club owner and part-time driver Jimmie Johnson finished third in his best result since 2020 at Dover. Pole winner Chase Briscoe was fourth and John Hunter Nemechek fifth, giving Legacy two drivers in the top five.
The race was just over four laps from completion in regulation when a bump from Custer turned Christopher Bell hard into the outside wall on Lap 196. Bell’s Toyota bounced off the SAFER barrier and collected the Ford of Ryan Preece, whose car got airborne and landed on its roof before finishing upright.
That sort of wreck wasn’t unfamiliar to Preece, who endured a spectacular series of barrel rolls in the 2023 spring race at Talladega.
“When the car took off like that, it got really quiet, and all I thought about was my daughter,” Preece said. “So, I’m lucky to walk away.”
The 67th running of the Great America Race started in short bursts. With President Donald Trump in attendance and the grandstands packed with fans—reflective of a 10th straight sellout—drivers ran just nine green-flag laps from the start before rain interrupted the proceedings.
After a red flag period that lasted 3 hours, 9 minutes, 59 seconds, drivers took to the track for a second time and ran another 12 laps under caution before a brief rainstorm halted the race for another 20 minutes, 29 seconds.
Logano won the first stage under caution, but because of a problem with debris in the throttle body of his No. 22 Ford on the subsequent restart on Lap 71, Logano stacked up the top lane and ignited a seven car melee in Turn 1. The accident eliminated the cars of Martin Truex Jr., Helio Castroneves and Ross Chastain.
Intense three wide action throughout the race produced 56 lead changes among 15 drivers. Byron led five times for a total of 10 laps. There were eight cautions for 47 laps.
William Byron, driver of the #24 Axalta Chevrolet celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500. (NASCAR Photos)
TRI CITY’S TOLAR TELLS THEIR TALE
TCR Photo
Laci Tolar, third from left, and the marketing director for Tri City Raceway at Red Mountain Event Center, is seen during a panel discussion in Daytona during Speedweek.
Tolar was invited to speak about social media marketing and the impact it has had in the revival of the racetrack that reopened in 2022 after 20 years in mothballs.
“What an amazing experience this has been so far,” Tolar wrote in a Facebook post. “I feel so honored that NASCAR Regional invited me out to speak on their panel about social media & marketing.”
Her efforts have allowed Tri-City Raceway RMEC to have a presence on a national level, she wrote.
