Thrills, Spills, And History: William Byron Wins Wild Daytona 500 Again

The 2025 Daytona 500 had it all—rain delays, dramatic wrecks, and a thrilling finish under the lights. But when the dust settled, William Byron emerged victorious for the second year in a row, making history in the process.

Byron took the checkered flag after a last-lap crash shook up the field, making him the first back-to-back Daytona 500 winner since Denny Hamlin in 2019-2020. The 27-year-old Hendrick Motorsports driver called the victory “super good fortune.”

“Just obviously fortunate it worked out in our favor,” Byron told Fox after the race. “Really proud of this team. We worked super hard all week. Had an amazing car… Crazy? Yeah. I can’t believe it, but we’re here.”

Final-Lap Chaos Seals Byron’s Win

Denny Hamlin, who was leading as the white flag waved, saw his hopes vanish after getting caught in a crash with Austin Cindric on the backstretch. The wreck handed Byron the win as the race ended under caution.

The final restart, a green-white-checkered attempt, was already set up by another massive wreck just four laps earlier. Ryan Preece’s No. 60 Ford went airborne and slammed into the wall, a terrifying crash that left fans holding their breath. Fortunately, Preece signaled he was okay and was later evaluated and released from the infield care center.

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

Christopher Bell, also caught up in the wreck, was evaluated and released as well.

Rain Delays and Early Race Drama

Weather played a major role in the Great American Race. Less than 10 minutes after the green flag dropped, rain forced a red flag after just 11 of the scheduled 200 laps. A delay of over three hours followed before drivers could cautiously return to the track.

However, after nine slow yellow-flag laps, more rain fell, leading to another stoppage. Finally, 23 minutes later, the skies cleared for good, and the race got underway in earnest.

The early laps saw multiple lead changes before a small crash on Lap 63 triggered a caution. When the green flag waved on Lap 71, reigning NASCAR champion Joey Logano, who was leading the outside lane, suddenly lost power. His car slowed, creating a chain reaction that caused a multi-car crash, knocking several contenders out of the race.

Logano, who had won the first stage, was forced to pit for repairs, pushing him from the front of the pack to the middle. Meanwhile, his Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney capitalized, winning the race’s second stage.

A Presidential Appearance

The race also had a special guest—former President Donald Trump, who made an appearance at the track. His motorcade led the field for a lap around the tri-oval, and he delivered a message of encouragement over the radio.

“This is your favorite president,” Trump said. “I am a really big fan of you people. How you do this, I don’t know, but I just want you to be safe. You’re talented people, great Americans. Have a great day and a lot of fun.”

Wearing his signature red “Make America Great Again” cap, Trump mingled with drivers and NASCAR legends like Richard Petty on pit road before taking part in the pre-race invocation and national anthem.

A Daytona 500 to Remember

Despite the rain, wrecks, and late-race chaos, Byron’s victory cements his place in Daytona history. With back-to-back wins, he’s now etched his name alongside some of NASCAR’s greats.

Fans came for the action, and the 2025 Daytona 500 delivered in every way possible.