2025 Daytona 500 live updates: Byron wins after last-lap calamity
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — William Byron took home his second consecutive checkered flag in the Daytona 500 after calamity on the final lap.
The top 4 drivers wrecked, clearing the way for Byron, Tyler Reddick and Jimmie Johnson to claim the podium spots for the Daytona 500.
The last two NASCAR Cup Series champions claimed the first two stages of the 2025 Daytona 500 for Team Penske. Neither of them finished unscathed as they wrecked on the backstretch. Ryan Blaney finished seventh while Joey Logano finished 33rd.
Joey Logano won Stage 1 under caution while Ryan Blaney won Stage 2 over teammate Austin Cindric in a last-lap pass that put them in a Flying V formation coming to the green-and-white checkered flag.
Logano started the second stage in the lead but had a piece of debris get into the throttle body. He slipped on the throttle, causing a wreck that took out Ross Chastain, Helio Castroneves and Martin Truex Jr and took others, like Shane van Gisbergen, out of contention.
Logano went a lap down as his team tried to diagnose the problems. However, a caution for debris rewarded him with the free pass. He then rallied from the rear to finish eighth in the second stage.
STAGE TOP-10 (LAP 130): Ryan Blaney, Austin Cindric, Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, Todd Gilliland, Chris Buescher, Erik Jones, Logano, Kyle Busch, Bubba Wallace
Near the end of Stage 1, on lap 63, Denny Hamlin spun and saved his car in turn 2 before Zane Smith and Josh Berry wrecked in a chain reaction crash behind him.
STAGE 1 TOP-10 (LAP 65): Logano, Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Christopher Bell, Daniel Suarez, Alex Bowman, Tyler Reddick, Erik Jones, William Byron
Logano led 39 of the 65 laps in Stage 1.
The race resumed after a red flag that was out for three hours and nine minutes.
For the third time in the last six editions of the Daytona 500, rain brought the race to a halt within the first 20 laps.
Austin Cindric leads after 11 laps with Ty Dillon, Chase Briscoe, Joey Logano, Bubba Wallace, Kyle Busch, Austin Dillon, Michael McDowell, Todd Gilliland and Chase Elliott rounding out the top-10, according to NASCAR. There have been three lead changes with Briscoe, Cindric and Byron all taking a look at various points so far.
This year’s Daytona 500 is already farther along than last year. The 2024 Daytona 500 was moved to Monday right away Sunday morning.
Compared to other 500s halted by rain on Sunday, it’s still early on. The 2020 Daytona 500 stopped after 20 laps while the 2021 edition stopped after 15 laps.
A rain system is moving through the area with gusty winds forecast. There is an expected window toward the evening.
Full field running order during the red flag, according to NASCAR:
- Austin Cindric
- Ty Dillon
- Chase Briscoe
- Joey Logano
- Bubba Wallace
- Kyle Busch
- Austin Dillon
- Michael McDowell
- Todd Gilliland
- Chase Elliott
- Cole Custer
- Justin Allgaier
- Kyle Larson
- Ty Gibbs
- Shane van Gisbergen
- Josh Berry
- Ryan Blaney
- Alex Bowman
- Martin Truex Jr.
- Zane Smith
- Helio Castroneves
- Justin Haley
- Ryan Preece
- Brad Keselowski
- William Byron
- Corey LaJoie
- Ross Chastain
- Tyler Reddick
- John Hunter Nemechek
- Erik Jones
- AJ Allmendinger
- Chris Buescher
- Denny Hamlin
- Christopher Bell
- Noah Gragson
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr
- Daniel Suarez
- Cody Ware
- Riley Herbst
- Jimmie Johnson
- Carson Hocevar
Hocevar fell off of the pace, reporting fuel pressure issues.
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com