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Helio Castroneves at the Daytona 500. (James Gilbert\/Getty Images)<\/p>\nEditor\u2019s Note: As the 2025 calendar slips away, we are looking back at some of the biggest races of the year that was. Today, it\u2019s the Daytona 500.<\/p>\n
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. \u2014 William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports won his second-straight Daytona 500 as cars crashed on the backstretch, including the leader at that time, Denny Hamlin.<\/p>\n
NASCAR officials did not throw the caution flag on the final lap until after Byron took the checkered flag in a wild finish.<\/p>\n
Byron\u2019s No. 24 Chevrolet defeated Tyler Reddick\u2019s No. 45 Toyota and Jimmie Johnson finished third in the No. 84 Toyota for Legacy Motor Club.<\/p>\n
The 67th Daytona 500 was another wild and memorable day and in the end, team owner Rick Hendrick won the Daytona 500 for the 10th time, breaking a tie with Petty Enterprises.<\/p>\n
Byron was ninth with one lap to go, drove through the chaos of the last lap crash and won his second straight Daytona 500.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously some good fortune but just trusted my instincts on the last lap there,\u201d Byron explained. \u201cI 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust fortunate that it worked out in our favor and really proud of this team. Worked super hard all week and had an amazing car. Just had a really hard time with the fuel saving and kind of staying towards the front.<\/p>\n
\u201cCrazy. I can\u2019t honestly believe that. But we\u2019re here. So proud of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Byron is the first drive to win back-to-back Daytona 500s since Denny Hamlin in 2019 and 2020.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s obviously really special,\u201d the winning driver said. \u201cIt\u2019s an amazing race, and obviously a lot of crazy racing out there tonight and just a lot of pushing and shoving.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m just really proud of our team. I can\u2019t stress that enough. I\u2019m just super thankful for this group and everything that they do in the off-season to get prepared. We plan on trying to win a lot of races this year, so we\u2019re not going to stop here.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to continue to push forward and try to get to Phoenix.\u201d<\/p>\n
Byron joins back-to-back winners Richard Petty (1973-74), Cale Yarborough (1983-84), Sterling Marlin (1994-94) and Hamlin.<\/p>\n
Reddick drove a smart race and was able to avoid the mayhem.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith that restart with 15 to go, we kind of checked up in the middle and ended up further back than we wanted to be,\u201d Reddick said. \u201cWe didn\u2019t really want to, we ducked out of it hoping for the caution. We got it. But we were still lined up 16th there on the green-white-checkered. When they started to spin on the dogleg, I kind of jumped out of line thinking that was going to be it, and we just kept going.<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew that me and the 24 had a good run and they were throwing big blocks, and when they started spinning on the inside and I had a run on the 24, I thought, man, if I can just make it through on the 11 and not scrub my speed, I would have had at least an opportunity to do something,\u201d Reddick continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll in all, I never really finished a race here unless it was 40 laps down, so I\u2019ll take second. We wanted to get a good start to the year, and we scored a lot of points today. So I\u2019m really happy with everyone\u2019s effort on this 45 Nasty Beast Toyota Camry.\u201d<\/p>\n
And seven-time Jimmie Johnson proved he\u2019s still got it with a third-place finish in the Daytona 500 in the No. 84 Carvana Toyota. He drove from 15th on the final restart to a third-place finish.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis feels incredible. I have emotions that I didn\u2019t expect to have,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cI\u2019ve never been in this position as an owner, and it\u2019s really opened up a different set of emotions. And the pride that I have in this result and the pride that I have in this company, now that we\u2019re trying to achieve and the journey we\u2019re on, I am so satisfied, so happy right now.<\/p>\n
\u201cExcited that we have two cars in the top five,\u201d Johnson continued, referring to his finish and teammate John Hunter Nemechek\u2019s fifth-place. \u201cI hope Shaq is watching. Thank you, buddy. We got your car in the top three.<\/p>\n
\u201cA big thanks to Carvana and their continued support, Mobil 1, AdventHealth, Family Dollar, Dollar Tree. It\u2019s been an interesting couple of years and to have our cars come out and be this strong, this Toyota was rocketship fast. I\u2019m just smiling inside and out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Polesitter Chase Briscoe finished fourth in the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.<\/p>\n
\u201cI lined up eighth and the seas just parted my way,\u201d Briscoe said. \u201cI was going to push Denny Hamlin to the win, but when I hit him, I was able to keep going.\u201d<\/p>\n
John Hunter Nemechek finished fifth in the No. 42 Toyota for Legacy Motor Club.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t really know what happened on the back straightaway there, all I know there was smoke, and Jimmie Johnson blew my doors off,\u201d Nemechek said. \u201cJimmie finished third and I finished fifth so a solid day for Legacy Motor Club.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was a day that began with the arrival of President Donald J. Trump and concluded with Hendrick Motorsports winning its 10th Daytona 500.<\/p>\n
In between was red flag that lasted for 3 hours, 9 minutes, 59 second for rain, another red flag for rain for 20 minutes, 29 seconds before green flag racing finally resumed under the lights at Daytona Int\u2019l Speedway.<\/p>\n
Eleven laps were completed before the first red flag and the next nine laps were run under yellow before a brief rainstorm brought out the second yellow flag.<\/p>\n
After four more laps of caution, green flag racing resumed on Lap 23.<\/p>\n
A cold front that moved into the Daytona Beach, Florida area dropped the ambient temperature more than 20 degrees, but the cooler temperatures created some hot racing on the track.<\/p>\n
The key moment of the race came when Team Penske\u2019s Joey Logano tried muscle his way to the front. 2023 winner, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., refused to give Logano any room and blocked Logano\u2019s Ford. Logano bounced around and hit the back of Stenhouse, whose car ran into Logano\u2019s teammate, Ryan Blaney.<\/p>\n
That triggered a massive crash on the backstretch with 15 laps to go.<\/p>\n
Logano\u2019s car was badly damaged and one of the best cars in the race was out.<\/p>\n
\u201cI tried to get my nose in there, he didn\u2019t want to give up the position, and that\u2019s what happened,\u201d Logano explained.<\/p>\n
Kyle Busch was also involved in the crash, and it was another trip to Daytona without a win for one of NASCAR\u2019s greatest drivers.<\/p>\n
\u201cLooks like the fastest car got in a hurry to get in a wreck,\u201d Busch said of Logano. \u201cTeam Penske had the fastest cars all race and he had time to get there, and you have to know how wide your car is to know what hole it will fit in, and he obviously doesn\u2019t know that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Corey LaJoie took the lead just before the caution ahead of Cindric. John Hunter Nemechek was third and Denny Hamlin was fourth.<\/p>\n
More importantly, Cindric did not have a Team Penske driver or a Ford driver to protect him from an onslaught of Joe Gibbs Racing drivers.<\/p>\n
LaJoie was the leader when the green flag waved with nine laps to go before he was quickly dispatched by Cindric and Hamlin and JGR teammate Christopher Bell.<\/p>\n
Hamlin passed Cindric for the lead with six laps to go with Bell\u2019s Toyota alongside Cindric\u2019s Ford.<\/p>\n
What followed was a major crashing involving Bell and Ryan Preece, who for the second time in his career went flipping down the backstretch in Turn 3.<\/p>\n
Bell\u2019s Toyota shot into the backstretch wall and ricocheted in front of Preece\u2019s RFK Ford, sending it tumbling with three laps to go. Preece\u2019s car nearly landed on Erik Jones\u2019 Toyota as Preece\u2019s Ford tumbled.<\/p>\n
Ten cars were involved in the late-race crash and the third red flag of the race ensured the contest would go into overtime.<\/p>\n
Preece\u2019s teammate Brad Keselowski\u2019s Ford also had damage and Daniel Suarez\u2019s Chevrolet was damaged.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know if it\u2019s the diffuser or what that makes these cars like a sheet of plywood on a windy day,\u201d Preece said. \u201cWhen the car went airborne, all I could think of was my daughter.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s frustrating when you end your day like this.\u201d<\/p>\n
The green flag waved to start overtime and Hamlin was ahead of Cindric. The Team Penske driver edged ahead of Hamlin, who had no help on the bottom.<\/p>\n
After the field took the white flag, the race was decided with calamity on the backstretch involving Hamlin.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought we were in a great spot with 10 laps to go,\u201d Hamlin said. \u201cI measured up the 2 (Cindric) and we got away from the pack. I chose not to block the 41 (Cole Custer) and I was pushing the 2 (Cindric) as low as I could. He steered left and tried to crowd it.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll of us were going for it, but in those situations, we have to get off Turn 4. But none of us made it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cindric loved the opportunity to dominate the race, but said it was \u201ca shame\u201d at the end.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m just thankful for fast race cars and very frustrated with the result,\u201d Cindric said.<\/p>\n
Logano won the first stage when he crossed the finish line up under caution on Lap 65. With two laps to go in the first stage, a multi-car crash in Turn 2 that was triggered when Logano\u2019s No. 22 Ford lost power, stacking up the cars behind him.<\/p>\n
The accordion effect created a traffic jam and further back in Logano\u2019s lane, Denny Hamlin, Zane Smith and Josh Berry all made contact and crashed into the wall.<\/p>\n
Logano\u2019s Ford finished ahead of Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Christopher Bell, Daniel Suarez, Alex Bowman, Tyler Reddick, Erik Jones and William Byron.<\/p>\n
Team Penske\u2019s Ryan Blaney won Stage Two when he nosed ahead of teammate Cindric at the green-and-white checkered flag. Blaney\u2019s Ford Mustang was pushed across the line by the No. 9 Chevrolet driven by Chase Elliott.<\/p>\n
It was Blaney\u2019s fourth Daytona 500 Stage win.<\/p>\n
Prior to that, however, the first lap of the stage took out some accomplished racing names in another big crash in Turn 2. Trackhouse Racing driver Ross Chastain was involved in the crash and took our four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves, his Trackhouse teammate in the PROJECT91 entry \u2013 the Wendy\u2019s Chevrolet. Both drivers were out of the race.<\/p>\n
Another driver who was involved in that crash that was out was 2017 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Martin Truex, Jr. He retired from full-time action last season.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s always disappointing when you don\u2019t finish no matter what situation especially in a race like this when it\u2019s probably our only shot this year,\u201d Truex said. \u201cThanks to Bass Pro, TRICON and everybody that helped us put this together. It was fun while it lasted, but unfortunately, we were just wrong place, wrong time there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Truex tried to explain how the crash happened.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not sure \u2013 a big stack up \u2013 and by the time they got to me, it was really aggressive \u2013 I guess you would call it. Just no time to react and knocked the nose off of the thing. Just unfortunate for all of our guys. We had a fun week down here, making the race. Thank you to Bass Pro, TRICON Garage, Toyota, TRD \u2013 everybody that helped us put this together. We were hoping to have a lot more fun than that. We were just biding our time, and just in a bad place on the restart there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chastain gave his side of the situation and said some bad decisions by himself on the track put him in a precarious position in the back of the field.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I would have made some better moves in our No. 1 Busch Light Chevy like 30 laps earlier, I wouldn\u2019t have been back there in the first place,\u201d Chastain explained. \u201cI thought the middle and the top would be a little more dominant and that I could save more fuel in that run and stay upfront.<\/p>\n
\u201cSlowly over the whole first stage, I worked my way from third all the way to basically the back of the field. I just made some bad decisions there and that put us back there with the accordion coming back.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t see the hit coming to the right-rear, and then of course, I take out my teammate (Helio Castroneves) on my way to the wall. I hate that for Helio and the No. 91 Chevy team. Our Busch Light Chevy drove good. We made some progress on handling here this weekend. I\u2019m excited for the future and we\u2019ll move onto Atlanta (Motor Speedway).\u201d<\/p>\n
As for Castroneves, the four-time Indy 500 winner\u2019s first Daytona 500 was over after 70 laps.<\/p>\n
\u201cI tried stopping it and Martin Truex Jr. came really hard and hit me, but I don\u2019t think that was the issue,\u201d Castroneves said. \u201cI think the issue was that I guess someone on the bottom hit me from the side and it broke the axle.<\/p>\n
Helio Castroneves at the Daytona 500. (James Gilbert\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
\u201cDisappointed, of course. I was learning so much. It\u2019s incredible when you have more laps in it and how you understand the air flow and what the guys are doing, like saving fuel. There were some sketchy moments, but what a shame. I wish I was still out there because there\u2019s still more to understand and more to learn. I was starting to get a little more comfortable with the whole process, but it is what it is.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just have to thank NASCAR, as well, to be able to put together this type of a show.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow let\u2019s go for the Indianapolis 500.\u201d<\/p>\n
Castroneves enjoyed the experience, although he left without experiencing success.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s such a different show,\u201d Castroneves said, comparing it to the Indianapolis 500. \u201cThis has an incredible feeling and incredible energy. Both events are incredible. That\u2019s why I decided to do this, and that\u2019s why I want to do the Indianapolis 500, as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
After dominating Stage One, Logano\u2019s fast Ford encountered a loss of power that put him one lap down. Team Penske changed the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) on the dash, but that did not correct the issue.<\/p>\n
That put Logano one lap down and he lost contact with the rest of the field.<\/p>\n
His No. 22 was about to get lapped again before another yellow flag for debris on Lap 83 saved Logano, who was driving the first car one lap down. He got his lap back with the \u201cLucky Dog\u201d rule.<\/p>\n
Back on the lead lap, he brought the car back to pit lane and Team Penske changed the throttle body.<\/p>\n
They discovered a pieced of debris had been sucked through the front grille and the vacuum stuffed it into the throttle body.<\/p>\n
Logano was able to drive up to fifth place by Lap 124.<\/p>\n
The second stage ended on Lap 130 with a side-by-side battle between Team Penske\u2019s Cindric and Blaney, with Blaney getting the edge at the flag.<\/p>\n
Elliott was third at the end of the stage followed by Elliott, Bowman, Michael McDowell, Chris Buescher, Jones, Logano, Buba Wallace and Kyle Busch.<\/p>\n
The final stage would determine the winner of the 67th Daytona 500.<\/p>\n
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