The 2025 Daytona 500 was a rollercoaster of emotions for Jimmie Johnson. Returning to the track where he built his legendary NASCAR career, the seven-time Cup Series champion pulled off an incredible performance, finishing third in a race filled with chaos and unpredictability. But it wasn’t his own success that moved him to unexpected emotions—it was watching William Byron, a driver who once idolized him as a child, make history.
“I have emotions that I didn’t expect to have,” Johnson admitted post-race, his voice laced with pride and nostalgia. The victory wasn’t his, but in a way, it felt like it was.
From Trick-or-Treating at Johnson’s House to Daytona 500 Glory
The bond between Jimmie Johnson and William Byron isn’t just that of two NASCAR competitors. It’s a story that dates back decades, to when Byron was just a five-year-old kid trick-or-treating in Johnson’s neighborhood in North Carolina.
Byron grew up idolizing Johnson, studying his clean, calculated driving style. In a poetic twist, Johnson now finds himself competing against the very driver who once asked for his autograph—and on Sunday, he watched that same driver etch his name into the record books.
“I’ve known William for a long time. He would trick-or-treat at my house when he was maybe five or six years old, coming through with his little pillow sack,” Johnson recalled.
“I remember telling my teammates, ‘Sure, kid,’ when he’d say he wanted to race one day. And now, to see his success and these big trophies he’s winning—it’s amazing.”
Byron’s NASCAR rise wasn’t just about raw talent—it was a story of resilience, adaptability, and seizing the right moments. His breakthrough came in 2020 at Daytona, when he earned his first Cup Series win under crew chief Chad Knaus, the same mastermind who guided Johnson to seven championships.
How Byron Capitalized on Daytona 500 Chaos
While Johnson fought his way to a third-place finish, Byron found himself in a prime position as the race reached its climax.
With overtime looming and tensions rising, Byron held his ground and waited for his moment—and that moment came when Cole Custer made a race-altering move.
As the pack stormed down the front stretch, Custer’s aggressive push sent three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin spinning at the front of the field. The wreck triggered chaos, sending the field scrambling for position. In the blink of an eye, Byron dodged disaster and surged forward.
When the white flag waved, Byron was out front, fighting tooth and nail to hold off Tyler Reddick. The battle came down to the wire, but when the checkered flag flew, Byron edged out Reddick by just 0.113 seconds, securing his second consecutive Daytona 500 victory.
With this historic win, Byron became the first driver since Hamlin in 2019 and 2020 to go back-to-back at Daytona—a feat that further cemented his rise as a new NASCAR powerhouse.
Johnson’s Reflections: Watching His Protégé Rise
For Jimmie Johnson, the moment was bigger than a race—it was a full-circle realization of how far Byron had come.
Byron, the kid who once stood at Johnson’s doorstep with a pillowcase full of Halloween candy, had now claimed back-to-back Daytona 500s, a victory Johnson himself never achieved in his own legendary career.
“Excited to see it,” Johnson said, his pride unmistakable.
“William ran a great race. It’s surreal to think back to how young he was when I first met him, and now, here he is, winning the biggest race in NASCAR twice in a row.”
For NASCAR fans, it was a moment to savor—the passing of the torch from a seven-time champion to a driver who could one day build a dynasty of his own.
Jimmie Johnson may have finished third at Daytona—but in many ways, he won the day in an entirely different way.