Daytona 500: NASCAR star William Byron eyeing history where four greats have previously failed

Daytona 500 race week is the biggest of the season for any NASCAR driver, but this time around, it is absolutely colossal for William Byron.

The Hendrick Motorsports star heads into the 68th edition of The Great American Race on the cusp of NASCAR immortality. A victory on Sunday would be his third consecutive win in the event and would make him the first-ever driver to complete a Daytona 500 three-peat.

Up until 2024, Byron's results at the track had been pretty average, with his highest finish between 2018 and 2023 having been 21st back in 2019. However, that all changed two seasons ago, when, after leading for just four laps, Byron took the victory, beating teammate Alex Bowman to the black and white checkered flag.

Last season, he made it back-to-back wins, but did so in incredible fashion. This time, he led for a total of 10 laps in the race, but entered the final lap in ninth spot, only carving through the field after a late wreck out front cleared his path.

William Byron on Daytona three-peat

Speaking ahead of Daytona 500 qualifying on Friday night, Byron was asked what it would mean to him to win the event for a third-straight time.

“I don’t know yet. I think it’d be huge," Byron explained. "It would just be something that you’re proud of that you were able to, every year, find kind of a new way to do it.

"There’s been two of them so far, and both of them were really different, and I think the third one, if that happened, would take a different form.

"Figuring out how to reinvent yourself within that race, I think that would be the biggest thing that sticks with you, probably. Sort of what it means to everyone on the team too.

"I think the team guys take a lot of pride in bringing a really good car and all the preparation that goes into that.”

Richard Petty, Denny Hamlin and others have failed before

Byron, of course, is not the first driver to attempt winning a historic Daytona 500 three-peat.

In its 68-year history, four other drivers have also attempted to win The Great American Race back-to-back-to-back, all four of them among NASCAR's best ever drivers and with a place on the NASCAR 75 list. This includes seven-time Cup Series champion Richard Petty and current star Denny Hamlin.

Petty's attempt came in 1975 after victories in the two previous seasons, but he could only manage 7th that time around as Benny Parsons won the race.

Hamlin is actually the driver to come closest to a three-peat, finishing fifth on his attempt in 2021 when Michael McDowell took the win.