DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Typically, come out of nowhere. And typically, they emerge from the smoke.
sat seventh and was making an outdoor transfer when broke out on the final lap Sunday at Daytona Worldwide Speedway. The wreck began close to the entrance and captured a bunch of drivers.
However there was Byron, , sneaking by means of on the excessive aspect and into the unquestioned lead forward of Tyler Reddick. NASCAR waited to throw the warning flag till simply after Byron crossed the road.
He turned the primary back-to-back winner since Denny Hamlin in 2019 and 2020.
Listed here are 5 takeaways from one other loopy one.
Hendrick Motorsports grabs all-time Daytona 500 wins lead
Byron’s repeat isn’t simply important as a stand-alone achievement.
It’s record-setting.
He put Hendrick Motorsports in Victory Lane for the tenth time in occasion historical past, breaking a one-year tie with Petty Enterprises. Petty had lengthy possessed the highest spot earlier than Hendrick rose to 9 wins with Byron’s 2024 triumph.
The Wooden Brothers, Sunday’s honorary starters, are No. 3 with 5 wins within the Nice American Race.
Ryan Preece meets his demise in Flip 3, once more
Some 18 months earlier, Ryan Preece’s nasty backstretch wreck in Daytona’s summer season race was one for the spotlight reels. His multiple-flip tumble by means of the grass ultimately led to the elimination of that grass across the road-course chicane close to the doorway to Flip 3.
Sunday evening, within the closing laps, there was no grass responsible, simply aerodynamics. As an alternative of a violent tumble, this one included a “wheelie” of types, for about 100 yards earlier than a flip to the roof and slide into the Flip 3 wall that ended his evening however fortunately did no private injury.
Jimmie Johnson, Legacy Motor Membership have strong evening
It was a second straight strong end for Jimmie Johnson’s race staff, however this time a fantastic end for Jimmie himself. The seven-time Cup champ completed third Sunday.
A 12 months in the past, his new Legacy Motor Membership completed seventh and eighth with John Hunter Nemechek and Erik Jones, whereas Jimmie limped dwelling in twenty eighth.
Sunday, the staff completed third (Jimmie), fifth (Nemechek) and twelfth (Jones).
“I had feelings I did not anticipate to have,” Johnson stated of his late-race probabilities. “So glad proper now. Completely satisfied to have two automobiles within the prime 5. It’s simply been an unbelievable couple of years.”
Sunday’s Daytona 500 climate ought to’ve stunned nobody
It was once, you did not even have a look at the Daytona 500 forecast. You knew it might be advantageous.
However since 2003, we’ve had to concentrate. Right here’s the rundown:
2003: Barely made it previous midway to make it an official race. Michael Waltrip turned 109 of the 200 laps and was main when the climate went south.
2009: We have been somewhat previous the three-quarter mark (152 laps) when rain stopped issues and ultimately halted proceedings totally. Matt Kenseth received that one.
2012: It was the James Taylor 500 – we noticed fireplace and we noticed rain. The race was postponed from Sunday to Monday attributable to persistent rain. Then was delayed on Monday because of the jet dryer accident that led to the monitor catching fireplace. We ended after midnight, making it the one Tuesday end of the Daytona 500.
2020: Rain got here shortly after the beginning and by no means left. The race was resumed and accomplished Monday.
2021: Sunday rain delayed issues and the end got here after midnight.
2024: For the second time, a gradual Sunday rain led to an early name to maneuver the whole lot to Monday.
2025: Rain shut down the race twice in Stage 1.
Helio Castroneves makes use of NASCAR free cross, crashes out early
made it solely to Stage 2 in his Cup Sequence debut.
Throughout Lap 71, he received caught up in a 10-car wreck that additionally concerned Martin Truex Jr. and Ross Chastain. It ended all three of their evenings early.
Castroneves entered by way of NASCAR’s new Open Exemption Provisional, permitting “world-class drivers” an automated spot into the beginning grid. Castroneves took benefit after failing to make the sector in qualifying or the Duels, so he began within the rear within the forty first place.
He positioned thirty ninth.
