William Byron emerged victorious from a chaotic Daytona 500, securing his second consecutive win in a thrilling overtime finish. Sunday night's race proved to be a marathon, marked by rain delays, numerous caution flags, and a flurry of late-race incidents.
The race ultimately went into overtime, a common occurrence in recent Daytona 500 history, with six of the last eight races requiring extra laps. The final two laps were a whirlwind of action, featuring multiple crashes and spin-outs that reshuffled the field and paved the way for Byron's dramatic victory.
With one lap remaining, Denny Hamlin, a three-time Daytona 500 champion, held the lead. As Cole Custer and Chase Briscoe attempted to overtake him, contact between the cars triggered a multi-car incident. Hamlin spun out, collecting Austin Cindric in the process. Amidst the chaos, Byron managed to navigate through the wreckage unscathed, crossing the finish line under caution to claim the checkered flag.
Tyler Reddick, Jimmie Johnson, Briscoe, and John Nemechek completed the top five finishers. The race was punctuated by several caution flags, including a dramatic incident involving Ryan Preece, whose car went airborne after a collision. Fortunately, Preece walked away uninjured.
Another major incident saw Christopher Bell and Hamlin battling for the lead when contact with Custer sent Bell's car into the wall, triggering another multi-car pileup. With 14 laps to go, a crash involving Ryan Blaney, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Joey Logano, and Kyle Busch further decimated the field, eliminating several contenders from the race.
The race also experienced two weather-related delays due to rain. Adding to the spectacle, former President Donald Trump made an appearance at Daytona, leading the field for a ceremonial lap before the start of the race. He praised the courage and skill of the NASCAR drivers in a pre-race interview.
