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 [February 20, 2024]
The perfect script played out for Hendrick Motorsports at the
end of the 66th Daytona 500 on Monday.
Race leader William Byron finished a four-lap shootout under caution
in a Presidents' Day Daytona 500 delayed a day because of rain,
making him the winner of the Great American Race in Daytona Beach,
Fla.
As the late-afternoon start turned into night at the historic
Daytona International Speedway and with the white flag approaching,
Ross Chastain made a move into the middle lane and wrecked with
second-place Austin Cindric.
That gave Byron his first Daytona 500 win and 11th of his career in
the series.
Byron's teammate Alex Bowman finished second, giving Hendrick
Motorsports its ninth 500 win, tying the organization for first
all-time with Petty Enterprises, and a 1-2 finish in its 40th
anniversary season in NASCAR. Monday marked the 40th anniversary of
Hendrick Motorsports' first Cup Series start, which came in the
Daytona 500.
"I have so many emotions," said Byron, who got loose and started an
18-car wreck with nine laps left. "Obviously, I hate what happened
on the backstretch. I got pushed and got sideways. It's the 40th
anniversary (of Hendrick's first race), so I'm just extremely
blessed and thankful for the opportunities. ... We have a lot to
prove this year.
"I'm just a kid (who went from) racing on computers to winning the
Daytona 500. I can't believe it."
Added Bowman of the caution's timing just after the flagstand, "I
was pretty sure William had us. But you're going to let (NASCAR)
debate it, right? I think in a couple hundred more feet we had the
run."
Christopher Bell, Corey LaJoie and Bubba Wallace rounded out the top
five.
Pole winner Joey Logano led a race-high 45 laps but finished 32nd
after being collected in the race's biggest wreck.
In his 21st start in the season-opening points race, seven-time Cup
Series champion Jimmie Johnson was clipped by Carson Hocevar on Lap
5 and finished 28th in the 40-car field.
[to top of second column] |
Feb 19, 2024; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver
William Byron (24) celebrates after winning the Daytona 500 at
Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA
TODAY Sports
As Logano and Michael McDowell headed the field at
full speed on Lap 5, Brad Keselowski's No. 6 Ford bumped John Hunter
Nemechek's No. 42 Toyota at about 10th place, sparking a seven-car
wreck that involved Johnson's No. 84 Toyota.
Chase Elliott led a five-car brigade past fellow Chevrolet driver
Kyle Busch on Lap 65 to win Stage 1 as Chevy claimed the top six
spots, with Busch in the final position.
However, Busch's No. 8 car had to restart in 29th, penalized after
having an extra crew member come over the wall during the ensuing
pit stop.
Running second to Team Penske teammate Cindric, reigning 2023 Cup
champion Ryan Blaney slipped under the No. 2 Ford at the east end of
the superspeedway and won Stage 2 at Lap 130.
Busch had problems for a second time on pit road and lost positions,
as the center lug nut was not attached.
He limped his No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet around the
massive track, came back to pit road for service and restarted in
18th. Busch would go on to finish the race 12th.
After the final pit green-flag pit stops with just over 20 laps
left, the cars ran three-wide over eight rows deep until Byron,
running fourth, clipped second-place Keselowski and triggered the
Big One -- an 18-car melee in Turn 3 with nine laps left.
--Field Level Media
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