Daytona’s Usual Suspects – Fuel Saving and Chaos. And another William Byron Win
The 67th running of the Daytona 500 began with a dramatic show of power and patriotism as Air Force One circled the speedway before landing, signaling the arrival of President Donald Trump. Trump took two pace laps in the presidential limousine, “The Beast,” joined by his family and flanked by a full motorcade. The spectacle continued as he addressed the drivers over the radio, offering words of encouragement and admiration before the Great American Race officially got underway.
Weather played a disruptive role, with two rain delays—one lasting more than three hours and a second around 20 minutes—pushing the race into the night. When green-flag racing resumed on lap 23, Joey Logano surged to the front, trailed by William Byron and Austin Cindric. Despite the lengthy delays, the intensity on the track never wavered.
Stage 1 wrapped up with Logano taking the stage win, having led 38 laps. The stage ended under caution after Denny Hamlin checked up, leading to contact with Zane Smith. The collision sent Hamlin down onto the apron and Smith into Josh Berry. While Hamlin managed to continue, Smith and Berry were forced to pit for repairs.
Ford showed strength throughout Stage 2, with Ryan Blaney getting a late push from Chase Elliott to slip past teammate Austin Cindric, securing the stage victory. By the end of the 130th lap, Ford drivers occupied five of the top eight positions, with Elliott in third and Alex Bowman in fourth, keeping the competition tight heading into the final stretch.
Chase Elliott remained a strong contender for most of the night, consistently running within the top 10 and often pushing into the top 5. However, Stage 3 proved to be his undoing. Elliott chose to follow Bubba Wallace in the outside lane, with Ryan Blaney falling in line behind him. The strategy backfired as Wallace’s car lacked the speed needed to carry the line forward. The group steadily lost ground, sliding back through the field until Elliott’s hopes of reclaiming a front-running spot evaporated. The decision ultimately placed both him and Blaney in vulnerable positions, culminating in their involvement in a late-race crash that took them out of contention.
The drama escalated with just five laps to go when Ryan Preece’s car was sent airborne in a terrifying wreck. Flipping at high speed and skidding on its roof, Preece’s crash brought the race to a two-lap overtime finish. Miraculously, he emerged uninjured and was able to walk to the ambulance under his own power.
As the checkered flag loomed, the final lap became a chaotic scramble. William Byron, running ninth at the start of the last lap, kept his car high along the wall as a chain reaction of crashes unfolded below him. With Tyler Reddick pushing from behind, Byron seized the moment, staying clear of the mayhem to capture his second consecutive Daytona 500 victory. The win marked a milestone for Hendrick Motorsports, giving the team its record-breaking 10th triumph at the sport’s most iconic race.
It’s just a shame that, in a race touted as the Great American Race featuring the best drivers in the sport, the current car and rules package ultimately create chaos toward stage endings and even more so as the race winds down to the final laps. The Daytona 500 has become a race of attrition, where the last cars standing often finish best—not necessarily the strongest drivers or fastest cars. These massive wrecks frequently take out the most dominant competitors, leaving an unexpected winner to emerge. That isn’t to say Byron didn’t put himself in the right position to win at the end, but there’s no denying that luck plays a huge role in how these drafting races conclude.
In a notable highlight, four-time Indianapolis 500 champion Hélio Castroneves made his NASCAR debut, aiming to join the elite group of drivers who have won both the Indy 500 and the Daytona 500. Despite his open-wheel success, Castroneves’ transition to stock car racing was cut short due to a multi-car incident early in the race, highlighting the unpredictable nature of this particular style of racing.
Austin Cindric showcased exceptional performance throughout the night, leading a race-high 59 laps and demonstrating the strength of Team Penske. However, his bid for victory was thwarted in the final moments when a collision involving Cole Custer and Denny Hamlin triggered a massive wreck that took out Cindric as well.
Additionally, seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson, piloting a car designed in collaboration with basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal, defied expectations by securing a third-place finish. This marked Johnson’s strongest performance since entering semi-retirement.
