DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — William Byron’s bid for an unprecedented third straight Daytona 500 victory took a hit Saturday when a multi-car crash at Daytona International Speedway forced the NASCAR Cup Series regular into a backup car ahead of Speedweeks’ signature race.

The incident occurred during an early practice session ahead of the 68th running of the Daytona 500, where drivers prepare their cars, engines and lines for the demanding restrictor-plate style race. Byron was among a group of drivers caught up in Turn 1 when multiple cars made contact, sending vehicles spinning into the Daytona barriers. Byron’s primary car sustained damage significant enough that his team was forced to repair a backup chassis for Sunday’s Daytona 500.

Byron, the 26-year-old driver for Hendrick Motorsports, entered the week as a favorite to claim his third straight Daytona 500 win, a feat not achieved in NASCAR’s modern era. He captured back-to-back victories in the sport’s most prestigious race in both 2023 and 2024, and his strong performance in practice placed him among the contenders once again.

Despite the setback, Byron’s team indicated they expect him to compete in the Daytona 500 without alteration to their strategy. Crew members quickly shifted efforts to ready the backup car and work through setup details in the hours before Sunday’s 200-lap event around the 2.5-mile superspeedway.

A backup car is not unfamiliar territory for teams during Daytona Speedweeks, where pack racing and high speeds create a narrow margin for error. NASCAR rules allow drivers to go to a backup car, but they must start at the rear of the field. That penalty could complicate Byron’s attempt to control the race from the front and protect his spot through Daytona’s drafting sequences.

Byron’s back-to-back Daytona 500 wins have drawn significant attention, making him one of the sport’s most watched drivers during Speedweeks. A victory on Sunday would put Byron beside a select group of drivers who have three or more Daytona 500 victories, including icons such as Richard Petty and Cale Yarborough.

In his post-wreck remarks to media, Byron acknowledged the crash and its implications. “We’ll focus on getting the backup car ready and see what we can do,” Byron said. “Everybody on this team works hard. That’s what we’ll do, we’ll fight and go race.”

Byron’s crew chief, Rudy Fugle, said the team would work through remaining practice sessions to refine the backup car’s handling. “We’re going to push through and get our notes together,” Fugle said. “These things happen at Daytona. We’ll get lined out and try to put William in the best position we can.”

As teams worked to repair or replace impacted cars, other drivers took advantage of additional track time to dial in their own machines. The unpredictable nature of Daytona racing — where drafting partnerships and timing often determine outcomes — adds another layer of uncertainty for Sunday’s field.

Byron qualified inside the top 10 earlier in the week, and his crew has stressed that starting position, while beneficial, does not guarantee race success at Daytona. The combination of speed, aerodynamics and pack dynamics typically produces long green-flag runs punctuated by sudden wrecks, often referred to as “The Big One.”

With the Daytona 500 drawing entries from multiple manufacturers and teams, the sightlines are set for a crowded field jockeying for position. Byron’s shift to a backup car moves his starting spot back, which already has prompted questions among fans and analysts: Can William Byron 3-peat at Daytona 500 despite starting from the rear?

Sunday’s race will offer a definitive answer as Byron and his Hendrick Motorsports crew attempt to overcome an early crash and keep alive what would be one of NASCAR’s standout three-peat runs in recent memory.

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