NASCAR

NASCAR Cup Series Fans Respond To ‘Fortunate’ William Byron Capturing Back-To-Back Daytona 500 Titles

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By
Jeff Hawkins
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Jeff Hawkins Sports Editor

Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry, in both print and digital media. He joined the Sportscasting team in 2021 following a decade of freelancing. He spent his early career as a reporter for various newspapers in Illinois, New York, Florida, North Carolina, and Michigan, with a particular emphasis as a beat reporter for the Chicago Blackhawks. Jeff earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from Oakland University. Over the course of his career he earned several sports writing awards, including two national awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors for column writing and news reporting. One of the five prized columns included a commentary on NASCAR's increasing corporate influences, particularly in northern racetracks — commentary which you might find Jeff building on as part of the Motorsports writing team at Sportscasting now.  

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Published16 Feb 2025

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William Byron celebrates with the checkered flag after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on May 14, 2023.

NASCAR Cup Series driver William Bryon found himself in ninth place entering the final lap of Sunday’s rain-delayed Daytona 500. 

It was perfect positioning. 

In front, Cole Custer and Chase Briscoe created contact with front-runners Denny Hamlin and Austin Cindric. A 10-car crash ensued as Byron, driving along the back straightaway, escaped the third major incident in the final 14 laps to capture consecutive season-opening titles at Daytona International Speedway. 

Byron is the first back-to-back winner since Hamlin in 2019 and ‘20. “Good fortune,” Byron told Fox Sports, with fireworks going off in the distance. “ I trusted my instincts. They were getting squirrelly on the bottom. 

“Obviously fortunate. Crazy, yeah.” 

Tyler Reddick’s runner-up finish was a career-best at the 2.5-mile banked oval.

X (Twitter) users responded to the start of the 2025 Cup Series season … 

Cap made the call … 

Feelin’ it … 

The eventual winner, Byron created the first big move, passing Ty Dillon on the outside. Dillon, who started P10, had led for two rotations … 

On Lap 9, rain started falling. Two laps later, the fed flag came out with Byron in the lead … 

At 5:25 ET, the drivers were called back to their machines to prepare for the race’s restart, following a three-hour, nine-minute delay … 

After most teams executed their first green-flag pit stops, the rain resumed, prompting a second red-flag period. This one, however, lasted just 20:09 … 

Defending Cup champion Joey Logano cycled to the lead on Lap 22. When he attempted to block Kyle Busch, Byron reclaimed the advantage by overtaking Logano on the inside. Dillon and Corey LaJoie followed Byron to the front … 

LaJoie, in return, received a push from Logano to propel the 01 Ford into the lead on Lap 32 … 

In a race featuring 10 lead changes among eight leaders during the opening 36 laps, Logano made it back out front and cruised to the Stage 1 win under caution … 

Off a Lap 71 restart, Logano led from the outside as Alex Bowman made a charge from the inside. Logano checked up, igniting a multi-machine accident. Helio Castroneves, Ross Chastain, Busch, pole-sitter Chase Briscoe, Riley Herbst, Justin Allgaier, Cody Ware, Martin Truex Jr., and Jimmie Johnson were among the drivers involved in the collision … 

Logano exited the track for the pit crew to attend to the mechanical issue. He returned four laps later, but reported back to the team it still didn’t handle correctly … 

Emerging from a battle with Bowman, Ryan Preece claimed the lead. During the previous 32 Daytona 500s, only two leaders at the halfway point went on to enter Victory Lane. Preece’s career highlight was yet to come  … 

2023 Cup champ Ryan Blaney benefitted from Chase Elliott’s push along Turn 4 to edge Cindric for the Stage 2 points … 

Bubba Wallace executed an aggressive move on Lap 139, forcing his way in front of Elliott to get a push that allowed him to pull in front. Blaney and Wallace battled side-by-side for the next several rotations and were eventually joined by Byron … 

Race fans were waiting for a big, race-changing pile-up. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., racing for fifth, made it happen by not allowing Logano room to pass. The tight block and collision ended up taking out nine machines, including Blaney, who led 22 laps and appeared to be in position for a late charge.  … 

With the pressure building among the leaders with four laps to go, Christopher Bell couldn’t sustain the pushes from Cole Custer, starting a 10-car crash that likely will go viral. Bell’s car hit the wall and slid back and into Preece, whose car went up, started to wheelie and then tumbled over. The drivers walked away … 

Preece’s crash up close and personal … 

Byron avoided the overtime chaos … 

Back-to-back celebrations …