DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Sometimes, Daytona 500 winners come out of nowhere. And sometimes, they emerge from the smoke.
William Byron sat seventh and was making an outside move when a crash broke out on the last lap Sunday at Daytona International Speedway. The wreck started near the front and captured a bunch of drivers.
But there was Byron, last year’s Great American Race victor, sneaking through on the high side and into the unquestioned lead ahead of Tyler Reddick. NASCAR waited to throw the caution flag until just after Byron crossed the line.
He became the first back-to-back winner since Denny Hamlin in 2019 and 2020.
Here are five takeaways from another crazy one.
Hendrick Motorsports grabs all-time Daytona 500 wins lead
Byron’s repeat isn’t just significant as a stand-alone achievement.
It’s record-setting.
He put Hendrick Motorsports in Victory Lane for the 10th time in event history, breaking a one-year tie with Petty Enterprises. Petty had long possessed the top spot before Hendrick rose to nine wins with Byron’s 2024 triumph.
The Wood Brothers, Sunday’s honorary starters, are No. 3 with five wins in the Great American Race.
Ryan Preece meets his demise in Turn 3, again
Some 18 months earlier, Ryan Preece’s nasty backstretch wreck in Daytona’s summer race was one for the highlight reels. His multiple-flip tumble through the grass eventually led to the removal of that grass around the road-course chicane near the entrance to Turn 3.
Sunday night, in the closing laps, there was no grass to blame, just aerodynamics. Instead of a violent tumble, this one included a “wheelie” of sorts, for about 100 yards before a flip to the roof and slide into the Turn 3 wall that ended his night but thankfully did no personal damage.
Jimmie Johnson, Legacy Motor Club have solid night
It was a second straight solid finish for Jimmie Johnson’s race team, but this time a great finish for Jimmie himself. The seven-time Cup champ finished third Sunday.
A year ago, his new Legacy Motor Club finished seventh and eighth with John Hunter Nemechek and Erik Jones, while Jimmie limped home in 28th.
Sunday, the team finished third (Jimmie), fifth (Nemechek) and 12th (Jones).
“I had emotions I didn’t expect to have,” Johnson said of his late-race chances. “So happy right now. Happy to have two cars in the top 5. It’s just been an incredible couple of years.”
Sunday’s Daytona 500 weather should’ve surprised no one
It used to be, you didn’t even look at the Daytona 500 forecast. You knew it’d be fine.
But since 2003, we’ve had to pay attention. Here’s the rundown:
2003: Barely made it past halfway to make it an official race. Michael Waltrip turned 109 of the 200 laps and was leading when the weather went south.
2009: We were a little past the three-quarter mark (152 laps) when rain stopped things and eventually halted proceedings entirely. Matt Kenseth won that one.
2012: It was the James Taylor 500 – we saw fire and we saw rain. The race was postponed from Sunday to Monday due to persistent rain. Then was delayed on Monday due to the jet dryer accident that led to the track catching fire. We ended after midnight, making it the only Tuesday finish of the Daytona 500.
2020: Rain came shortly after the start and never left. The race was resumed and completed Monday.
2021: Sunday rain delayed things and the finish came after midnight.
2024: For the second time, a steady Sunday rain led to an early call to move everything to Monday.
2025: Rain shut down the race twice in Stage 1.
Helio Castroneves uses NASCAR free pass, crashes out early
Helio Castroneves made it only to Stage 2 in his Cup Series debut.
During Lap 71, he got caught up in a 10-car wreck that also involved Martin Truex Jr. and Ross Chastain. It ended all three of their evenings early.
Castroneves entered via NASCAR’s new Open Exemption Provisional, allowing “world-class drivers” an automatic spot into the starting grid. Castroneves took advantage after failing to make the field in qualifying or the Duels, so he started in the rear in the 41st position.
He placed 39th.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Daytona 500: William Byron wins, Ryan Preece flips, Jimmie Johnson 3rd
