William Byron, the driver of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, is preparing to compete in the Daytona 500 on Sunday with hopes of securing a third straight win in the famed NASCAR race. Although he does not consider himself the best at drafting on superspeedways, Byron has already achieved back-to-back victories in this prestigious event, positioning himself for a historic accomplishment. The race, known as the Great American Race, will be broadcast live on FOX, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio starting at 2:30 p.m. ET.
Byron’s Track Record and Approach to Superspeedway Racing
Byron has five wins on drafting tracks in his NASCAR career, including two at Atlanta Motor Speedway and three at Daytona International Speedway, with one victory coming in the 2020 summer event. At Talladega Superspeedway, he has achieved five top-five finishes in 16 starts, showcasing consistent competitiveness on superspeedways.
Reflecting on his success, Byron admitted uncertainty about having completely mastered the art of drafting.
“I don’t know if I’ve figured it out,”
he said.
“I feel like we’ve had some things go our way, and then we’ve been good at the speedways. Really, it started at Talladega. I think we were better at Talladega for a while.”
He further explained the shift in performance at Daytona:
“We weren’t finishing at Daytona, and once we figured out a way to finish the races at Daytona, it seemed like it started to go the other way. You just try to do the best job you can, learning the little nuances of the draft. I don’t think I’m the best at drafting at the moment. I think there’s still more to learn.”
Significance of a Third Straight Daytona 500 Win
Rudy Fugle, Byron’s crew chief, emphasized the magnitude of attempting to win three consecutive Daytona 500 races.
“Everybody understands how cool it would be, how historic it would be to win three in a row,”
Fugle remarked.
“We know a lot of that’s out of our control, but you’re still putting forth that amazing effort in every corner of the shop.”
Other Key Competitors Pursuing Daytona 500 Milestones
Denny Hamlin, a veteran driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, is also targeting a significant milestone by seeking his fourth Daytona 500 victory. Achieving this would tie Hamlin with Cale Yarborough for the second-most wins in this race’s history, behind only Richard Petty, who holds seven victories.
Hamlin reflected on the importance of each win at Daytona:
“Every win that you get here puts you in a certain list,”
he said.
“The list is so small at that four number, it certainly was on my mind on the last lap last year when we were leading, that we are going to get another one.”
He added,
“I’ve just been really lucky to have the opportunities I’ve had to win these races, but also been very unfortunate in the NextGen era (starting in 2022) to not have won more. I feel as though the opportunity will be there, and hopefully we can put ourselves in position to move ourselves up that Daytona 500 winners board.”
Kyle Busch’s Challenge to Capture His First Daytona 500 Victory
Kyle Busch secured the pole position during Wednesday night’s qualifying session and heads into Sunday’s race facing notable statistical barriers. This will be Busch’s 21st Daytona 500 start, yet no driver has ever won this race for the first time after more than 20 attempts. The late Dale Earnhardt, for example, finally claimed his first Daytona 500 win in his 20th start back in 1998.
Busch acknowledged the challenge ahead:
“Yeah, it’s a box we’ve got to check,”
he said.
“Here we are. This is an opportunity to be able to do that. I’ve come down here a lot of years. I think I finished in about every position possible. It would be nice to close out 2026 with a victory here in the Daytona 500.”
Historical Context of Starting Positions and Race Outcomes
Another significant historical note for Sunday’s race is that no driver has won the Daytona 500 from a front-row starting position since Dale Jarrett captured the pole and took victory in 2000. This fact highlights the unpredictable nature of the race despite the advantage in qualifying.
What Lies Ahead for William Byron and the Field
With William Byron pursuing a third consecutive Daytona 500 win, a feat never before achieved, and other veterans like Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch chasing personal milestones, this year’s race promises intense competition and high stakes. Success in drafting and finishing the race will be critical for all contenders, given the nuances and challenges typical of superspeedway events. The outcome on Sunday could reshape the record books and further elevate the legacies of these prominent NASCAR drivers.
