Hendrick Motorsports returned to victory lane in the Daytona 500 on Monday night, as William Byron finished ahead of teammate Alex Bowman at the line in a chaotic ending to the race.
The race for the win changed drastically inside of the final 10 laps, when a series of pushes from Bowman to Byron caused a massive accident that affected more than half of the field.
Byron was unable to keep his car straight and veered into the side of Brad Keselowski at the front of the pack. Keselowski shot up the track into Joey Logano, creating a huge pileup as cars had nowhere to go.
There's trouble at the front of the field! #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/6wVECKKWY1
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 20, 2024
Crucially for Byron, he drove through unscathed, as did his teammate Bowman. Byron controlled the inside line coming to the white flag – but just as they were about to cross the line, a collision between Ross Chastain and Austin Cindric brought out a race-ending caution. As Byron had crossed the line to start the final lap before the caution began, he sealed his first Daytona 500 victory.
A race he'll never forget! @WilliamByron is a #DAYTONA500 Champion! pic.twitter.com/TRAPvHjZni
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 20, 2024
Here’s what fans were saying:
The race was still under green flag conditions when William Byron crossed the start-finish line to start the final lap.
Byron is the #Daytona500 winner. pic.twitter.com/B0odJ1dRr9
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) February 20, 2024
#DAYTONA500 winner William Byron talks with @JamieLittleTV. pic.twitter.com/cQ4r5huusF
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 20, 2024
And this is why you watch in-car cameras. Absolutely insane clutch from Chase pic.twitter.com/yDi2wJBHcV
— Timothy kern (@KernDog04) February 20, 2024
hendrick motorsports teammates William Byron and Alex Bowman finishing 1st and 2nd in the #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/HcbPpy3Y6D
— Emerson Lotzia, Jr. (@EmersonLotzia) February 20, 2024
From his first win as a 2020 Coke Zero Sugar 400 win at Daytona… to his latest: winning the 2024 Daytona 500. Full circle moment for William Byron #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/1aeeezRTE6
— Danielle Stein (@Danielle_Stein9) February 20, 2024
Ross Chastain on the last lap of the Daytona 500:#NASCAR #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/FMzwcCYwUq
— Josiah (@bed_jartlet98) February 20, 2024
Close watch, How did Rose Chastain not get wrecked? #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/uyXjJHK91G
— ZEEZ 🌚 (@Swaggzeez1) February 20, 2024
"I took the gap. I don't apologize for that. I can go to sleep at night knowing I took the white flag making a move to win the Daytona 500." pic.twitter.com/ls8SgMRm9D
— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) February 20, 2024
This Daytona 500 finish is the equivalent of the ending for The Sopranos.
— Schlasser (@UrinatingTree) February 20, 2024
HMS 1-2 finish in the Daytona 500 on their 40th anniversary TO THE DAY. Nascar scripted???? pic.twitter.com/7QBTBEEsCM
— RJ (@Jimmie_DennyFan) February 20, 2024
Rick Hendrick and @JeffGordonWeb talk with @JamieLittleTV. #NASCAR #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/x1ucBlqipW
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 20, 2024
