The start of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season is marked by the annual Daytona 500 — the most prestigious race in North American motorsports. With two laps to go, it looked as though Austin Cindric was on his way to victory lane, as he led the pack heading into turns three and four prior to the white flag. But with all the marbles on the line, chaos ensued on turns three and four of the final lap — paving the way for William Byron to win his second consecutive Daytona 500.

Byron escaped the skirmish unscathed despite being a part of the pack that was pushing on the outside lane. Byron's 24 pushed Corey LaJoie out of the way, and as a result, LaJoie caused Denny Hamlin to turn. Cindric lost quite a few positions during that exchange, which opened up the way for a podium finish for Tyler Reddick and the legendary Jimmie Johnson, who is the majority owner at Legacy Motor Club.

There is always the risk of getting pushed out of position leading up to the checkered flag. It's the unpredictability of the Daytona 500 that has made this annual race appointment viewing, even for those who don't follow NASCAR religiously.

With two laps to go, Byron found himself in eighth place, and he himself didn't think that it was likely for him to repeat as the winner of the iconic race. But now that he's cemented himself in history by being the latest repeat winner of NASCAR's biggest race.

“You didn't see that coming, did you?!” Byron said in victory lane, via ESPN. “I'm being honest, at one point, neither did I.”

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“I was so under the radar all week, whenever people talked about favorites, but honestly, that just seems to be how my career has been. Maybe people will figure it out one day.”

William Byron's win leads host of surprises for this year's Daytona 500

William Byron wins Daytona 500
© David TuckerNews-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 2025 Daytona 500 only had to end one way, and that's in a surprise. For most of the day, there were plenty of unforeseen circumstances, with president Donald Trump's arrival marking one of the biggest out of left field developments on the night.

And then there's Jimmie Johnson, arguably the greatest NASCAR driver in history, managing to finish in the top-three in his best Daytona 500 showing in one of the two races he'll be suiting up for this year? Who could have had that on their bingo card?