Feb 16, 2025, 09:51 PM ET
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — William Byron raced to a second straight Daytona 500 victory, taking the rain-delayed NASCAR Cup opener in overtime Sunday night.
A day that began with Captain America actor Anthony Mackie and even President Donald Trump greeting fans in attendance at the “Great American Race,” ended with high drama and a repeat champion coming out of a stacked field that included seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson and 2024 NASCAR champion Joey Logano.
Byron took advantage of several late cautions to get to the front and became the first back-to-back winner since Denny Hamlin in 2019-20. Tyler Reddick finished second, and Johnson third.
During the race, Kyle Larson was one of the drivers involved in a late crash that brought a third red flag out. Larson’s Chevrolet was hit in back in the crash that saw Ryan Preece go airborne.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
