During the final NASCAR Cup Series practice session for the Daytona 500, Toyotas were notably scarce, with seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson being the sole Camry driver to test his car over the 50-minute period on Wednesday. Out of the 41 drivers scheduled to race on Sunday, only 18 recorded lap times during the session known as “Happy Hour.”
Notable Drivers’ Activity in Final Practice
Pole sitter Kyle Busch chose not to take part in the practice, while third-place starter Joey Logano, who won the Daytona 500 in 2015, completed a session-high 32 laps. Ryan Preece, victor of the Cook Out Clash, led the speed charts at 192.818 mph, followed closely by Chris Buescher of Roush Fenway Keselowski, who was using a backup No. 17 Ford after a multi-car wreck in Thursday’s Duel race.
Backup Cars Used by Several Competitors
Ross Chastain and two-time defending Daytona 500 winner William Byron were also operating backup vehicles due to incidents in the preliminary races. Byron expressed confidence in the substitute car’s performance, sharing his thoughts in a FOX Sports interview.
I told my guys it felt just like the primary car,
Byron said.
The guys back at Hendrick Motorsports in the shop worked extremely hard overnight on Thursday night into Friday morning, and it feels identical, honestly.
So big credit to them, and I couldn’t really tell any differences. We worked on a couple of things yesterday to try to get handling off of both ends of the corners, and I think it’s going to be good.
Significance of Byron’s Backup Car Victory
It is significant that William Byron secured the first of his consecutive Daytona 500 wins in 2024 while driving a backup car. The ability of Hendrick Motorsports’ team to prepare a backup that performs comparably to the primary vehicle highlights their skill and dedication. This preparation efforts and Byron’s steady confidence may influence his strategy going forward in the race, potentially offering an edge amid the unpredictable nature of the event.
