William Byron delivered a determined performance in the Daytona 500, pushing through multiple setbacks to secure 12th place on Sunday at Daytona International Speedway. His William Byron Daytona 500 performance saw him rebound from a damaging early crash and navigate late-race chaos, highlighting his team’s resilience as the NASCAR Cup Series kicked off its 2026 season.
Early Collision Hampers Chances from the Start
Just five laps into the 200-lap event, BJ McLeod’s spin triggered a significant multicar pileup. Byron, representing the No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, was caught in the melee, colliding with Justin Allgaier of JR Motorsports and striking the wall, which severely damaged the right side of his car. Despite this setback, Byron and his crew pushed forward to make critical repairs, battling both the clock and the race conditions.
“so our car was tracking weirdly and super loose and tight at the same time.”
— William Byron, Driver
Strong Recovery Despite Repeated Obstacles
By the end of the opening stage, Byron had surged back to 13th place, even though he’d made several pit stops in the first segment. The 24-year-old managed to steer clear of trouble until a massive 20-car wreck on Lap 122, which unfolded as Allgaier moved up into Denny Hamlin at the front, once again placing Byron in the thick of the action and causing additional damage to his vehicle.
This resilience was central to Byron’s efforts, as he rejoined the lead draft after multiple pit stops and fuel strategy played out. On Lap 188, the No. 24 car was among a handful to pit under green flag conditions. When several Toyotas crashed with nine laps remaining, Byron held position near the front.
Late-Race Shuffle and Positions Unfold
After the restart, Byron was momentarily propelled to the front of the field, thanks to a push from veteran Brad Keselowski. Despite this advantage, the official scoring never credited Byron with leading the lap as the pack surged past. Broken aerodynamics from earlier incidents hampered his ability to defend the lead, especially as competitors established dominant runs along the outside lanes.
“I thought I was in the catbird seat,”
— William Byron, Driver
Byron described how he anticipated a path to victory as Brad Keselowski, known for his pushing prowess, lined up with him.
“I felt everyone was going to continue to block and move up off the bottom. I had Brad, who is a really good pusher, with me. I’m like, ‘man, this could be perfect. We could get lined up, and I might get pushed too far out front.’ It didn’t materialize that way. The bottom was a struggle all day.”
“All of those guys blew past us, even when we were connected and pushing. Unfortunate, but I don’t feel like I could have taken the top lane and hung on to my car — it was pretty beat up.”
— William Byron, Driver
Dramatic Final Lap Caps Byron’s Gritty Effort
The race’s final moments offered more drama, with Carson Hocevar leading as a pair of incidents unfolded. As Hocevar was sent spinning at the front, Byron took evasive action below the yellow line and then rejoined the track, only to lose some momentum by clipping the apron. His quick reactions prevented further damage and allowed him to finish 12th—the highest he’s placed in three years outside of winning the Daytona 500.
Byron Reflects on the Intensity of the Daytona 500
Discussing the climax and the day’s adversity, Byron shared his amazement at still being in the hunt during the final moments.
“I couldn’t believe we had a shot at the end,”
— William Byron, Driver. He reflected on the closing restarts alongside Tyler Reddick and the tough choices he faced:
“I thought now I have a shot lining up on the front two rows. That’s all you can ask for, really. I got (Tyler Reddick) out to a decent lead on the restart, and the bottom was the place to be. There was one time I got clear and probably could have taken the middle, but I didn’t know if my car could handle the pushes up there. I had to keep my car straight, so I felt if I went to make a block, I would wreck.”
“The Lap (5) crash, I thought, was going to be the end of our competitive day, and we did a good job patching it up.”
— William Byron, Driver
Significance for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Campaign
Byron’s 12th-place result, achieved through resilience and strategic maneuvers, offers a morale boost for the No. 24 team as the 2026 campaign begins. While the race was marked by intense competition involving drivers like Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, and Tyler Reddick, Byron’s ability to stay competitive despite adversity suggests that he and his team are likely to remain strong contenders in the championship fight over the course of the 36-race NASCAR Cup Series season at tracks like Daytona Beach and beyond.
