William Byron reacted to a chaotic Daytona 500 that ended his bid for a historic three-peat. The Hendrick Motorsports driver started at the rear in a backup car, survived multiple crashes, briefly re-entered the fight for the win, and ultimately finished 12th after losing momentum in the final lap.

But that's no big deal for the driver of the Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 car, as he won his first Great American Race driving a backup car in 2024.

With NASCAR returning to a season-long Chase championship format, consistency has once again become the sport’s most valuable currency. That placed William Byron squarely at the center of debate.

Toyotas were in short supply during final NASCAR Cup Series practice for the DAYTONA 500. In fact, seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson was the only Camry driver to shake down his car during 50-minute session on Wednesday.

The twice-postponed Clash is in the rearview mirror, and NASCAR’s top drivers have headed to the Sunshine State for the 68th Daytona 500 on Sunday.

Tyler Reddick won the Daytona 500, Bubba Wallace led the most laps and William Byron's streak ended. Let's break down the 2026 NASCAR opener.

Nine cars finished within three-tenths of a second in a dramatic final lap at Daytona International Speedway, but William Byron falls short of historic three-peat.