William Byron – Race Winner: “Certainly, luck played a part, but I went with my instincts on the final lap,” Byron remarked. “I noticed the cars below were getting wobbly, and I was fortunate it worked out in our favor. I’m extremely proud of my team—they worked tirelessly all week, and we had an incredible car. We faced challenges with fuel conservation while trying to stay near the front; it was certainly a wild experience. I can hardly believe this has happened, but here we are, and I’m so proud of the achievement.”

“This victory is special. The race itself was phenomenal, with plenty of intense competition out there and a lot of pushing and shoving. I cannot emphasize enough how proud I am of our team. I’m immensely grateful for their preparations during the offseason. We aim to win numerous races this year, so this isn’t the end for us. We’ll keep striving toward qualifying for the championship race in Phoenix.”

Tyler Reddick – Second Place: “During that restart with 15 laps to go, we had to check up in the center and ended up further back than ideal. We hoped for a caution, which we eventually got, but we were still positioned 16th for the green-white-checkered. When the chaos began on the dogleg, I made a move out of line thinking it was the final push, and we just charged ahead.”

“I knew I had a solid run with (Byron). Some were throwing big blocks, but when spinning started happening, I thought, ‘If I can just get through (Denny Hamlin) without losing momentum, I might have a shot.’ Looking back, I usually never finish a race here unless I’m 40 laps down, so I’m pleased with second place. Our goal was a strong start to the season, and we earned plenty of points today, so I’m satisfied with everyone’s efforts on this 45 Toyota Camry.”

Jimmie Johnson – Third Place: “This feels absolutely amazing. I’m experiencing emotions I didn’t anticipate. As an owner, it’s opened up a whole new set of feelings. The pride I feel for this result and for our company, as we’re on this journey, fills me with satisfaction and happiness. I’m thrilled we finished with two cars in the top five. I hope Shaq is watching. Thank you, buddy! We got your ride into the top three. The past couple of years have been quite the ride, and I’m ecstatic to see our cars perform so strongly; this Toyota was incredibly fast. I’m smiling both inside and out.”

Chase Briscoe – Fourth Place: “What a wild experience! We restarted in eighth, and everything seemed to align perfectly for me. Until the very end, when things got chaotic down the back straight. The 11 (Denny Hamlin) was right there, and I thought, ‘I’m going to push Denny to victory. JGR is going to claim this with my debut here.’ When I pushed him, we all collided – I haven’t seen the replay yet – yet somehow I managed to keep it steady and advance. It’s a fantastic way to kick off the year. Winning would’ve been great, but placing in the top five during our first race is exciting. Here’s to hoping we can keep this up throughout the season.”

John Hunter Nemechek – Fifth Place: “It’s a green-white-checkered at Daytona, so I expected nothing less. I couldn’t precisely say what went down on the back straight, but I know everyone was pushing hard when chaos ensued. I took hits from both sides but managed to keep it straight. Jimmie absolutely zipped by. Overall, solid performance from Legacy Motor Club. Erik (Jones) showcased strength in the Duels and led most of the day, while Jimmie clinched third and I crossed fifth. A strong day and week for the Legacy Motor Club, and I’m eager to see what this season has in store for us.”

Alex Bowman – Sixth Place: “I regret leaving the line when the crash occurred beneath me on the final lap. I probably cost myself some spots. Congratulations to the No. 24 team for their performance. We had a solid day with a good car, executed well, and scored stage points in both segments. It seems to be the recurring narrative over the past two years; we keep finding ourselves in good positions. Hopefully, we can capitalize on it going forward.”

William Byron becomes the youngest driver with multiple wins in the NASCAR season opener.

Ryan Blaney – Seventh Place: “We successfully repaired the car after getting turned on the backstretch off Turn 2. We avoided the initial major wreck and then got back into the race after the next one. I went low and slipped to the apron, successfully dodging much of the chaos to secure seventh place. It was a great recovery. Our strategy worked well initially, but the middle lanes gained some momentum. Austin and I were in control for a while, but near the end, things got hectic, and we found ourselves embroiled in a wreck. Thankfully, we avoided significant damage.”

Austin Cindric – Eighth Place: “I’m definitely disappointed. We had the lead when we took the white flag and wanted to finish strong for Team Penske and Ford Performance. Despite an impressive effort throughout Speedweeks, being so close without a better outcome is frustrating. It reflects the state of our program over the past couple of years. We had playoff potential tonight for all three of us. While it’s early in the season, this race is pivotal. I felt I executed the restarts well, and although it’s disappointing, earning points this weekend was beneficial.”

Justin Allgaier – Ninth Place: “I’m proud of JR Motorsports; we covered all our bases. We executed both pit stops well, adjusted to the unexpected challenges, and managed to avoid the final crash. I assumed the caution was out, unaware we were racing back, and I’m pleased with our top-ten finish. Sincere thanks to Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kelley Earnhardt Miller, and everyone involved for allowing me to be part of this exciting moment for JR Motorsports.”

Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing’s driver emerged unharmed after a late crash during the Daytona 500.

Christopher Bell – 31st Place: “This is just superspeedway racing. It needs pushes to advance. I can’t say much else other than I held my ground for as long as possible. It’s Daytona; you have to be aggressive to make headway.”

Ryan Preece – 32nd Place: “We had a solid car. Honestly, I’m unsure what transpired ahead of me. I did not view the replay, but we were pushing hard as is customary toward the end of races. It’s just how it is; we had a formidable Ford Mustang, and it’s frustrating when things don’t pan out.”

Shane van Gisbergen – 33rd Place: “I had a good start in the first stage, even spending time at the front and leading a lane. However, I sustained some damage to my 88 Chevrolet early in the second stage. We had speed, but I wish we could have finished better.”

Kyle Busch – 34th Place: “It seemed like the fastest car rushed into trouble. Logano led numerous laps and clearly had a fast car. With 20 laps to go, he attempted to cut through a gap that didn’t exist, resulting in chaos. It’s disappointing for our team; we had a competitive car and were staying patient.”

Joey Logano – 35th Place: “From my view, I needed to advance to the second row to win. I saw an opening to drop in below the (No.) 47 and wanted to have (No.) 4, another Ford, behind me. Stenhouse then made a last-minute block. I hesitated when he began to move up again, trying to close the gap, but he continued coming down. My checking up caused congestion behind me, leading to contact. It’s unfortunate because we had a good Mustang today, but it didn’t work out.”

Martin Truex Jr. – 37th Place: “It’s gut-wrenching not to finish, especially in a race like this which might be our best shot this year. I appreciate TRICON and everyone involved. I had a good time while it lasted, but we frustratingly found ourselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was a big pile-up, and by the time I reacted, it was too late.”

Helio Castroneves – 39th Place: “I attempted to brake, but Martin Truex Jr. charged hard and hit me. However, I think the issue stemmed from being clipped on the bottom, which ultimately broke the axle. I’m disappointed, certainly. I was learning and adapting; every lap taught me more about airflow and fuel management. It’s a shame—I wish I could’ve continued exploring all of this. I’m grateful for NASCAR for organizing this event, and now it’s time to focus on the Indianapolis 500!”

Ross Chastain – 40th Place: “If I had made smarter moves earlier in the race, I wouldn’t have fallen to the back. I misjudged the middle and top lanes’ strength and ended up dropping to the back. I didn’t see the hit coming at the rear, and regrettably, I impacted my teammate, Helio. I feel bad for his team. Despite this setback, our Chevy ran well, and I’m excited for what lies ahead as we transition to Atlanta (Motor Speedway).”