William Byron will compete in the Daytona 500 on Sunday with hopes of making history, but he’ll do so in a backup car after his main No. 24 Chevrolet was damaged during qualifying. Byron is aiming for a William Byron Daytona 500 three-peat, something no driver has accomplished before.
Incident Forces Byron to Switch Cars for the Race
During Thursday’s qualifying session, Byron’s primary car sustained enough damage to be deemed unfit for Sunday’s main event, a setback for both him and the Hendrick Motorsports team. As a result, he will rely on a backup vehicle for the prestigious race, known as the Great American Race.
Despite this challenge, Byron remains optimistic as he previously secured a Daytona win in 2024 while driving a backup car. Reflecting on that experience, Byron said,
“We’ve won this race with a backup car, so I’m not super worried on that aspect,”
and continued,
“But it does suck that you put a lot of work into the primary and you don’t get to race it.”
– Byron, Driver
Chasing an Unmatched Feat in NASCAR History
The Daytona 500 three-peat has eluded some of NASCAR’s biggest legends. Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, Sterling Marlin, and Denny Hamlin all reached a second consecutive win but were unable to secure a win in the third attempt. Byron now stands on the brink of what could be a historic milestone for both himself and Hendrick Motorsports.
Starting Position and What Lies Ahead
At 28 years old, Byron will begin Sunday’s 500-mile race from the 39th spot in a 41-car field, making his quest for three straight wins even more demanding. Nevertheless, Byron and his team will look to overcome their disappointment over the damaged primary car in hopes of achieving a feat even legends of the sport could not realize.
