The 2025 Daytona 500 become one other wild season-opener for the NASCAR Cup Sequence, kicking off the 77th season with the type of madness the race is thought for, en path to William Byron profitable for the second 12 months in a row.
However earlier than Byron lifted the Harley J. Earl Trophy, chaos reigned. A roughly three-hour rain delay become an omen of the messiness to return: eight cautions, three pink flags, one airborne crash, and 56 lead adjustments between 15 drivers.
In any case that — plus 201 laps of precise racing — loads of drivers and groups have been in a position to stroll away with their heads held excessive. Others, not a lot.
These are the winners and losers of the 2025 Daytona 500.
WINNER: William Byron brings extra glory to Gordon’s No. 24
Watch: William Byron displays on back-to-back 500 wins, eyes a three-peat
Certain, it is apparent, however Byron is now simply the fifth driver in historical past to win back-to-back Daytona 500s — and in doing so, breaking a document for the youngest multi-time winner of the five hundred beforehand held by his boss (and former driver of the No. 24 var) Jeff Gordon. Enjoyable reality: Byron’s solely led a complete of 14 laps between his two 500 victories. He has a knack for understanding precisely the place to place his automotive at this 2.5-mile superspeedway, and positioned himself completely to capitalize when a lot of the leaders received twisted up on the ultimate lap.
WINNER: William Byron’s automotive designer
William Byron’s flaming Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Photograph by: Mike Ehrmann – Getty Photos
Whoever cooked up the brand new paint scheme on the No. 24 automotive, with its blue, pink, and yellow flames, deserves to hoist the trophy, too.
LOSERS: Trackhouse and a no good, very costly week
Helio Castronoves’ No. 91 ending its race
Trackhouse went into Daytona missing one well-known co-owner, however making historical past as the primary group to enter 4 drivers from 4 totally different international locations, together with four-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves (racing on a particular exemption) and three-time Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen. As an alternative, the group ended up with quite a lot of wrecked steel. Three vehicles have been utterly destroyed within the two pre-race Duel qualifiers, forcing the group to make use of each of their accessible backups whereas additionally burning the midnight oil to restore Castroneves’ automotive.
Then, three of their vehicles have been severely broken in a single incident on a Stage 2 restart through the 500. Ross Chastain and Castroneves by no means made it again on monitor. Van Gisbergen limped on with a wounded machine, whereas solely Daniel Suarez remained unscathed. However he suffered injury later within the race, dragging the automotive to a team-best — by far — Thirteenth-place end. The remainder of Trackhouse squad completed with SVG in thirty third, Castroneves in thirty ninth, and Chastain in fortieth.
WINNERS: Jimmie Johnson and Legacy Motor Membership
Watch: Jimmie Johnson ‘feels unimaginable’ after third-place Daytona 500 end
It isn’t typically you see a seven-time NASCAR Cup Sequence champion get emotional over a third-place end, however Johnson’s Daytona podium end result was particular for the Corridor-of-Famer. The 233rd top-five end of his illustrious profession was his first since changing into a group proprietor. After qualifying into the massive present on pace, the end result stands as the all-time efficiency by an open driver within the Constitution period of Charters (beating out a sixth by Ryan Preece). Johnson showcased his still-formidable expertise as he reduce a path by the race-deciding wreck, rising and not using a scratch. Even higher, Legacy Motor Membership notched a double top-five as John-Hunter Nemechek completed fifth.
LOSERS: Workforce Penske wonders what may have been
Watch: Joey Logano: ‘Tried to again out and could not’ after crash ends Daytona 500 bid
Penske has a knack for profitable championships within the present period of NASCAR, however that luck didn’t lengthen to The Nice American Race this 12 months. All three Penske vehicles have been in competition for the win late within the working, however the always-aggressive Joey Logano went for a niche that wasn’t fairly there, and noticed his race finish 15 laps shy of the end. Worse but, he collected Ryan Blaney — who was working second — within the course of. Penske’s Austin Cindric lead on the white flag earlier than getting caught up within the race-deciding wreck. Each Cindric and Blaney nonetheless held on for top-ten finishes, nevertheless it’s a far cry from the place Penske may have — and may have — ended up.
Watch: Race Rewind: Daytona 500
WINNERS: NASCAR officers are listening and studying
Again on Thursday, NASCAR race officers hit the warning button simply seconds away from Erik Jones crossing the road in Duel #2, robbing the viewers of an epic photograph end and denying Jones a well-deserved victory. However NASCAR heard — and heeded — the criticism from followers, media, drivers.
When Daytona’s leaders began crashing in every single place on the ultimate lap, officers confirmed restraint and let the race play out. That meant we received to observe Tyler Reddick chase William Byron throughout the road at full pace, as a substitute of one other yellow flag video assessment to see who completed the place. Hopefully Daytona represents a brand new benchmark for considered use of the yellow.
LOSER: Kyle Busch and 20 years of frustration
Watch: Kyle Busch on large crash: ‘Quickest automotive received in a rush to get to the wreck’
Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch is now 0-20 within the Daytona 500. Regardless of an early spin and a few pit highway points, he remained a agency contender all through a lot of the race. After the ultimate pit cease, he discovered himself working a robust third with teammate Austin Dillon straight behind him. It was an ideal place…save for the truth that he was proper subsequent to Logano and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. when the 2 drivers began elbowing for area down the backstretch. Busch received door-slammed and spun into the within wall, in the end ending thirty fourth. He had some alternative phrases for Logano for attempting to drive it up the center — and for NASCAR officers resulting from confusion over the brand new broken automobile coverage.
WINNER: Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s foray into Cup group possession
Justin Allgaier, JR Motorsports Chevrolet with Dale Earnhardt Jr., JR Motorsports proprietor
Photograph by: Chris Graythen – Getty Photos
Dale Jr. has been a child in a sweet retailer all week. JR Motorsports, which he co-owns, raced its approach into the five hundred with Justin Allgaier behind the wheel and introduced him to tears. Earnhardt has dreamed of proudly owning a Cup Sequence group for years whereas having fun with loads of success as an proprietor within the Xfinity Sequence. He places within the work, even displaying up earlier than dawn to observe the crew unload the automotive. Whereas making the race was its personal victory, Allgaier took that No. 40 Chevrolet to a ninth-place end within the Daytona 500. little doubt Earnhardt and his co-owner, sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller, are busy determining how one can put JR Motorsports on a path into full-time Cup possession.
LOSERS: NASCAR cannot hold Preece grounded
Watch: Preece “fortunate to stroll away” from second terrifying airborne crash at Daytona
You may’t blame Sunday’s huge crash on Ryan Preece — it is actually the fault of unhealthy pushes and draft packages. However it’s important to really feel for him. Embarking on a brand new enterprise with RFK Racing, he was in an all-too acquainted state of terror racing down the backstretch at Daytona Worldwide Speedway. Lower than two years after his stunning airborne crash that resulted in NASCAR ripping the grass out across the Le Mans chicane, right here he was going airborne as soon as once more — tossed skyward when his automotive successfully wheelied over a perpendicular-to-the-track Christian Bell, then tumbleover Erik Jones’ roof rail.
Submit-race, a “fortunate to stroll away” Preece instructed reporters that he considered his daughter because the No. 60 automotive climbed increased, going eerily quiet earlier than it slammed again down onto the asphalt, roof-first. In-car video exhibits him bracing for affect whereas closing his eyes.
Preece had been was quick all day, even main the race on the midway level, and working contained in the top-ten when his automotive took flight. Hopefully he is in a position to shake it off and are available again subsequent week even stronger than earlier than.
WINNER: Corey LaJoie stacks some extra pennies
Corey LaJoie, Rick Ware Racing Ford, Riley Herbst, 23XI Racing Toyota, Justin Allgaier, JR Motorsports Chevrolet
Photograph by: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Photos
It might appear unusual to position Lajoie within the “winners” class for a Twenty second-place end (the results of a last-lap spin), however this is why: LaJoie wasn’t even speculated to be on the grid this 12 months. He fronted his personal cash to safe a part-time trip in January, doing so with zero assure of being within the Daytona 500. Lajoie race his approach into the present, lining up twelfth within the 41-car grid, then put himself in place to doubtlessly win the race, main with fewer than ten laps remaining. With out the spin, he brings dwelling top-five end (or higher). Even nonetheless, LaJoie put up an unimaginable displaying, reminding everybody that he belongs behind the wheel of a NASCAR inventory automotive. Here is hoping his Daytona opens a couple of extra doorways.
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