Byron clinched his second consecutive Daytona 500 victory through a combination of skillful driving and fortunate timing during a chaotic last-lap wreck on the backstretch at Daytona International Speedway.

With a margin of 0.113 seconds over Tyler Reddick in overtime, Byron became the first driver since Denny Hamlin (2019-2020) to win back-to-back Daytona 500s. His victory came after a lengthy rain delay and featured 56 lead changes among 15 drivers.

The decisive moment occurred when contact between Cole Custer and three-time winner Denny Hamlin triggered a wreck at the front of the field. Byron's instinctive move to the third lane proved crucial as he navigated through the chaos.

Key race highlights:

• Byron led 10 laps across five different occasions
• Team Penske drivers dominated, leading 125 of 202 laps
• Jimmie Johnson finished third, his best result since 2020
• The race saw eight cautions for 47 laps
• Austin Cindric led a race-high 59 laps

Notable incidents included a spectacular crash involving Ryan Preece, who walked away after his car went airborne, and earlier accidents that eliminated contenders like Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, and Brad Keselowski.

The victory marks Byron's 14th career win and third at Daytona International Speedway. He emphasized his team's preparation and expressed determination to maintain momentum throughout the season, with hopes of reaching the Championship 4 race at Phoenix.

The 67th running of the Great American Race maintained its popularity, marking its 10th consecutive sellout, despite multiple weather delays totaling over three hours and the presence of President Donald Trump.

Final top-5 finishers:

1. William Byron
2. Tyler Reddick
3. Jimmie Johnson
4. Chase Briscoe
5. John Hunter Nemechek

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