AutoGear
  • Latest News
  • AutoGear TV
  • Sustainable Mobility
  • Motorsports
    • Formula 1
      • STANDINGS
    • Formula E
    • Circuits
    • WRC
    • Rally
    • Rally raid
    • WEC
  • English
    • Português
    • Italiano
    • Français
    • Español
    • English
    • Deutsch
    • 日本語
No Result
View All Result
AutoGear
  • Latest News
  • AutoGear TV
  • Sustainable Mobility
  • Motorsports
    • Formula 1
      • STANDINGS
    • Formula E
    • Circuits
    • WRC
    • Rally
    • Rally raid
    • WEC
  • English
    • Português
    • Italiano
    • Français
    • Español
    • English
    • Deutsch
    • 日本語
No Result
View All Result
AutoGear

William Byron Goes Back-to-Back in Daytona 500 After Last-Lap Chaos

Miguel Cunha by Miguel Cunha
February 17, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 7 mins read
0
William Byron Goes Back-to-Back in Daytona 500 After Last-Lap Chaos

William Byron jumps into the arms of his crew after winning the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025.

In a finish that only Daytona International Speedway could deliver, William Byron pulled off a dramatic escape from a last-lap wreck to win the 2025 Daytona 500—his second straight victory in The Great American Race.

Byron’s triumph made him the first driver since Denny Hamlin (2019-2020) to win back-to-back Daytona 500s, securing his name in NASCAR history once again.

“Yeah, obviously some good fortune, but I just trusted my instincts on the last lap there,” Byron said. “I felt like they were getting squirrelly on the bottom, and I was honestly going to go third lane regardless, because I was probably sixth coming down the back.”

Byron’s Houdini-like escape through the chaos was set in motion when Cole Custer turned three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin in overtime, igniting a multi-car wreck that opened the door for Byron to take the lead.


How Byron Stole the Daytona 500

The final restart in overtime saw Hamlin and Austin Cindric battling for control when Custer made a move to the outside, then steered back down toward Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota, triggering the massive crash.

Byron navigated through the smoke and wreckage, sneaking past Tyler Reddick to take the checkered flag by 0.113 seconds.

  • Byron’s back-to-back Daytona 500 win marks his third career victory at the 2.5-mile superspeedway.
  • The win is his 14th in the NASCAR Cup Series.
  • Hendrick Motorsports continues its dominance, proving once again that they are the team to beat at Daytona.

“It’s an amazing race, and obviously a lot of crazy racing out there tonight,” Byron said. “We plan on trying to win a lot of races this year, so we’re not going to stop here. We’re going to continue to push forward and try to get to Phoenix (for the Championship 4).”


Penske’s Dominance Ends in Heartbreak

For much of the race, Team Penske looked untouchable.

  • Joey Logano led 43 laps, won Stage 1, and controlled the race early.
  • Ryan Blaney led 22 laps, won Stage 2, and combined with his teammates to lead 125 of 202 total laps.
  • Austin Cindric, the 2022 Daytona 500 winner, led a race-high 59 laps.

But in classic Daytona fashion, none of it mattered when the final laps turned into a wreck-filled free-for-all.

“Frustration—you’re taking the white as the leader,” said a disappointed Austin Cindric. “I felt like I executed all the restarts the right way and really that whole third stage. It’s just a shame we couldn’t get this Discount Tire Ford Mustang in Victory Lane.”

Logano, Blaney, and Cindric were all caught up in various wrecks that shuffled the field, leaving Penske empty-handed despite their dominance.


Denny Hamlin Falls Short in the Closing Laps

Denny Hamlin, the three-time Daytona 500 winner, had one hand on the Harley J. Earl Trophy before Custer’s move sent him spinning.

“I measured up the No. 2 (Cindric) and got a run on him,” Hamlin explained. “The No. 41 (Custer) had a run, and I chose not to block him because these races, you have to live to make it off of Turn 4, and we just didn’t.”

Hamlin’s bid for a fourth Daytona 500 win ended in overtime heartbreak—a brutal reminder that at superspeedways, nothing is certain until the checkered flag drops.


The Massive Late-Race Wrecks That Shaped the Finish

The Daytona 500 chaos hit full force in the closing laps, with two massive crashes:

1. Lap 196 – The Wreck That Sent Preece Flying (Again)

With just over four laps remaining, Christopher Bell was turned into the outside wall by Custer, collecting:

  • Ryan Preece, whose car flipped nose-first into the air before landing on its roof and tumbling back over.
  • A total of 10 cars were swept up in the wreck, forcing the race to overtime.

“When the car took off like that, it got really quiet, and all I thought about was my daughter,” Preece said. “I’m lucky to walk away.”

2. Lap 186 – The Crash That Wiped Out Logano, Blaney, Busch, Elliott, and More

Earlier, Joey Logano and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. tangled, triggering a pile-up that took out multiple contenders, including:

  • Kyle Busch
  • Chase Elliott
  • Brad Keselowski
  • Noah Gragson

This wreck reshuffled the running order, leaving only a handful of drivers with a shot at victory.


Legacy Motor Club Shines as Jimmie Johnson Claims Third

In one of the biggest surprises of the night, Jimmie Johnson wheeled his Legacy Motor Club Toyota to a third-place finish, marking his best Cup result since Dover 2020.

Legacy placed two drivers in the top five, with John Hunter Nemechek finishing fifth.

Other notable finishes:

  • Chase Briscoe (P4) – A strong showing for Stewart-Haas Racing.
  • Alex Bowman (P6) – Another Hendrick Motorsports driver in the mix.
  • Chris Buescher (P10) – A solid finish for RFK Racing.

Meanwhile, Justin Allgaier’s P9 finish was historic—marking JR Motorsports’ first-ever Cup Series race.

“A top 10 in our Cup debut? We’ll take it,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. posted on social media.


A Daytona 500 for the Ages

The 67th running of The Great American Race had everything:
✔️ Back-to-back Daytona 500 winner in William Byron
✔️ Stunning last-lap crashes
✔️ Heartbreaking losses for Penske and Hamlin
✔️ Jimmie Johnson rolling back the years
✔️ Donald Trump in attendance, adding to the spectacle

After a rain delay lasting over three hours, the 2025 Daytona 500 delivered all the chaos, unpredictability, and excitement that makes this race a must-watch event every year.

William Byron has now etched his name among NASCAR’s elite, and with momentum on his side, he’s poised for another big season.

The question now? Can anyone stop Byron’s early-season dominance?

One thing is for sure—Daytona never disappoints.

Share217Tweet136Send

Related Posts

Lewis Hamilton’s Bold Ferrari Leap: Toto Wolff Vows to Cheer Him On—But Only If Mercedes Can’t Win
Motorsports

Toto Wolff Absent: Mercedes Faces Imola GP Alone Amid Family Imperative

Mercedes F1 Boss Toto Wolff Skips Imola GP for Family Commitment Mercedes fans will be left wondering as team principal...

by David Castro
May 12, 2025
Max Verstappen Fires Back at Zak Brown: ‘Coming From Someone Who Failed in Racing’
Motorsports

Zak Brown’s Daring Prediction: Why Max Verstappen Should Reject Mercedes for Red Bull

F1 Insider Reveals Shocking Predictions for Max Verstappen's Future Max Verstappen, the rising star of Formula 1, is facing a...

by David Castro
May 12, 2025
McLaren Triumphs and Tragedy: Norris’ Glory, Piastri’s Agony in Miami Sprint Drama
Motorsports

Lando Norris’ Path to Redemption: Villeneuve’s Bold World Champion Prediction

Former Formula 1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has made a bold statement predicting that if Lando Norris can recover psychologically,...

by Simon Monroy
May 12, 2025
Piastri’s Heartbreak: Missed Pole Position Leads to Dramatic Race Start
Motorsports

Max Verstappen’s Intense Duel with Oscar Piastri Revealed: A Street Fighter on Track!

Max Verstappen's Intense Racing Rivalry: A Closer Look at His Duel with Oscar Piastri In the high-octane world of Formula...

by David Castro
May 12, 2025

Recent News

Polestar inclui as chaves do automóvel no Apple Wallet

Polestar announces new recall in the U.S. due to issues with the rearview camera.

May 12, 2025
Explorer 100% elétrico é o primeiro modelo a sair da renovada fábrica da Ford de Colónia

Ford factories in Germany on strike on Wednesday.

May 12, 2025
Já pode encomendar o novo Mercedes CLA: conheça os preços

You can now order the new Mercedes CLA: discover the prices.

May 12, 2025
Lewis Hamilton’s Bold Ferrari Leap: Toto Wolff Vows to Cheer Him On—But Only If Mercedes Can’t Win

Toto Wolff Absent: Mercedes Faces Imola GP Alone Amid Family Imperative

May 12, 2025

Newsletter

  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TECHNICAL INFORMATION
  • EDITORIAL STATUS
  • TERMS AND CONDITIONS

© 2023 AutoGear - Todos os direitos reservados AutoGear.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • Latest News
  • AutoGear TV
  • Sustainable Mobility
  • Motorsports
    • Formula 1
      • STANDINGS
    • Formula E
    • Circuits
    • WRC
    • Rally
    • Rally raid
    • WEC
  • English
    • Português
    • Italiano
    • Français
    • Español
    • English
    • Deutsch
    • 日本語

© 2023 AutoGear - Todos os direitos reservados AutoGear.

Enable Notifications OK No thanks
x