William Byron is aiming to achieve an unprecedented feat at Daytona International Speedway this Sunday by winning his third straight Daytona 500, a challenge made steeper after his main car was damaged, forcing him to race in a backup Chevrolet. Despite the setback, Byron is confident, drawing on his track record and focusing on the William Byron Daytona 500 three-peat as he starts 39th in the notoriously unpredictable field.
Byron’s Bid for History Despite Setbacks
Thursday’s qualifying races at Daytona Beach, Florida, saw William Byron’s primary No. 24 Chevrolet sustaining damage, relegating him to a backup car for NASCAR’s marquee season opener. For Byron and Hendrick Motorsports, this is not uncharted territory: he captured his maiden Daytona 500 win in 2024 using a backup vehicle after a similar turn of events. Byron remains optimistic about his chances despite having to abandon a meticulously prepared primary car.
“We’ve won this race with a backup car, so I’m not super worried on that aspect,”
Byron stated.
“But it does suck that you put a lot of work into the primary and you don’t get to race it.”
– William Byron, Driver
Starting towards the rear of the 41-car grid, Byron faces long odds on paper, but recent history works in his favor. He led a combined total of only 14 laps during his 2024 and 2025 wins—hardly dominant by traditional standards—yet he mastered the late-race chaos, capitalizing on others’ missteps. Byron’s approach has relied on strategic positioning and patience rather than sheer overpowering speed, positioning himself for opportunistic moves when the pivotal moments arrive.
No competitor among 67 editions of “The Great American Race” has posted three consecutive Daytona 500 victories, and several legendary figures—including Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, Sterling Marlin, and Denny Hamlin—have all fallen short after winning two in a row.
“It’s hard. You’re going to need things to fall your way,”
Denny Hamlin said when discussing Byron’s hopes this year.
“In 2021, I legit thought we were going to get (it). We led the most laps in that race, was really fast, but didn’t work out on the last pit sequence.”
– Denny Hamlin, Driver
Reflecting on last year’s dramatic finish, Byron advanced from ninth to first at the start of the final overtime lap as a massive crash opened the door for his victory, despite leading only 10 laps that entire race. In 2024, he managed just four laps at the front, dropping as low as 34th during the event. Both wins were characterized by late-race chaos, which Byron navigated with a blend of skill and luck.
“There’s an element of fortune there that has to fall your way. Last year, he was fortunate on the last lap there, but if you put yourself in the top eight you can get fortunate at times. He puts himself in the top eight, which is what matters.”
– Denny Hamlin, Driver
Turning Around a Rocky Past at Daytona
Byron’s current streak stands in sharp contrast to his earlier struggles at Daytona, where he finished only eight of his first sixteen starts, suffering frequent race-ending crashes. Nevertheless, his perseverance and improvement have been clear, especially in the past two years.
“It just feels like I’ve been, at this track in particular, able to have some things go my way and also make good decisions in those moments that I had opportunities,”
Byron said.
“It’s a mix of being in the right place and then having those chances to make good decisions.”
– William Byron, Driver
“I feel like for a while it was a joke; I couldn’t finish a race here,”
Byron admitted.
“My first six years, I couldn’t finish the race, but I was always in the mix. I think it’s kind of finally tipped the other way.”
– William Byron, Driver
Byron has claimed five career wins on drafting tracks, with two at Atlanta and three at Daytona, including a summer race win in 2020. He credits his turnaround to learning the intricacies of racing in the draft, which he first began to master at Talladega, where he’s recorded five top-five finishes.
“I feel like we’ve had some things go our way, and then we’ve been good at the speedways. Really, it started at Talladega. I think we were better at Talladega for a while,”
Byron noted.
“We weren’t finishing at Daytona, and once we figured out a way to finish the races at Daytona, it seemed like it started to go the other way.”
– William Byron, Driver
“You just try to do the best job you can, learning the little nuances of the draft. I don’t think I’m the best at drafting at the moment. I think there’s still more to learn.”
– William Byron, Driver
Expert Assessment of Byron’s Progress
Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and winner of a record 20 Daytona 500s, reinforced that Byron’s Daytona victories are a result of both preparation and maturity rather than luck alone. Byron has accumulated 16 career Cup victories and has contended for the NASCAR championship three years running.
“I don’t know if you can really luck into it. You’ve got to put yourself in position to do it,”
Hendrick said.
“William is probably underestimated as a plate racer; he’s one of the best out there. If you watch his way through traffic and the success he’s had, not just because he’s won the two Daytona’s back-to-back, because he’s been up there, he’s just getting more mature — not mature — more seasoned.”
– Rick Hendrick, Hendrick Motorsports Owner
Kyle Busch Aims to Break Long Drought
Kyle Busch, piloting the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, will start from pole position for the first time in his 21 efforts to conquer the Daytona 500. Busch, a two-time Cup Series champion with 63 wins, enters Sunday’s event shrouded by a 93-race winless streak stretching back to 2023—currently the longest among active drivers in the field. The pursuit for victory now holds extra personal meaning, especially with his son Brexton closely following his successes from the infield at Daytona.
“It’s been a rough stretch. It’s no secret, right? Seeing my son and his passion that he has, he really, really is probably my biggest cheerleader,”
Busch said.
“He wants to see me run well. He wants to see me win races. He wants to celebrate in victory lane like he sees other drivers’ kids being able to do. So there’s nothing more that drives me every single weekend than seeing him see me, be proud of me.”
– Kyle Busch, Driver
In the 25 years since Dale Earnhardt’s fatal crash at Daytona, Richard Childress Racing has rarely returned to its former championship-contending status. No driver has taken more than 20 attempts to win the Daytona 500 for the first time—matching the challenge it took Earnhardt to finally triumph in 1998.
“It’s a box we’ve got to check,”
Busch explained, recalling his runner-up finish behind Denny Hamlin in 2019.
“This is an opportunity to be able to do that. I’ve come down here a lot of years. I think I finished in about every position possible. It would be nice to (open) 2026 with a victory here in the Daytona 500.”
– Kyle Busch, Driver
Denny Hamlin Chasing Daytona Win Number Four
While Hamlin fell short in his pursuit of three back-to-back Daytona 500 victories—a rare accomplishment—he remains in the hunt for a different kind of history. Another triumph would see him earn a fourth Daytona 500 win, tying Cale Yarborough for the second-most all-time, with Richard Petty’s record of seven still out of reach.
“Every win that you get here puts you in a certain list,”
Hamlin remarked.
“The list is so small at that four number, it certainly was on my mind on the last lap last year when we were leading, that we are going to get another one. I feel as though the opportunity will be there, and hopefully we can put ourselves in position to move ourselves up that Daytona 500 winners board.”
– Denny Hamlin, Driver
Brad Keselowski Competes Despite Injury
Brad Keselowski faces significant odds, not just due to his 0-for-16 Daytona 500 record, but also because he is recovering from a broken right leg sustained during a December family ski trip. Having missed last week’s preseason exhibition, Keselowski arrived in Daytona walking with a cane as he accelerates his pace of recovery to compete in points-paying races.
“When I’m in the car, I know I’ve got an injury, don’t get me wrong, but I feel the best in the car,”
said Keselowski.
“The seat is molded to me really well and you get a little adrenaline flowing, so I felt pretty good.”
– Brad Keselowski, Driver
Keselowski has experience driving through pain: after breaking his ankle in 2011, he won at Pocono soon after, but he describes his current injury as significantly more severe.
“This is way more serious. When I broke my ankle that sucked. Don’t get me wrong, it was very painful, but in a couple weeks, I was fairly mobile,”
he added.
“This is a much more significant injury, unfortunately. It’s hard to explain to people that have never broken their femur before what it’s like.”
– Brad Keselowski, Driver
“A normal broken leg is eight to 12 weeks. This is more like six months, so it’s just totally different.”
– Brad Keselowski, Driver
Contenders and Notable Race Facts
This year’s Daytona 500 also features several prominent racers with fresh motivation and unique circumstances. Joey Logano and Chase Elliott secured victories in their qualifying races, positioning themselves as strong contenders. The front row is notable, too: pole-sitter Busch is seeking redemption, while other veterans like Jimmie Johnson and rookie Connor Zilisch are starting side by side on row 16. Johnson, age 50, is the oldest driver in the field, while Zilisch, at 19, is the youngest. Dale Jarrett remains the last driver to convert a pole start into a Daytona 500 victory, which he accomplished in 2000. Meanwhile, Logano and his Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney are among the early favorites with high odds according to betting lines.
The Road Ahead: High Stakes and Unpredictable Outcomes
The upcoming Daytona 500 promises a blend of experience, determination, and unpredictability. Byron remains focused on his William Byron Daytona 500 three-peat, aiming to achieve a milestone unmatched in NASCAR’s premier event. Rivals such as Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, and Brad Keselowski each carry their own unique ambitions, as history and personal legacy intersect in the sport’s signature race. With veteran drivers, emerging talents, and comeback stories converging at Daytona International Speedway, this year’s showdown is poised to add another memorable chapter to the storied history of NASCAR’s crown jewel.
