Wildest Wrecks in Recent Daytona 500 History

The Daytona 500 is famous for a variety of reasons. For one, it is the “Great American Race,” a kickoff to the season in mid-February. Stock cars reach top speed at full throttle for the entire 500 miles. It is one of the few NASCAR tracks that goes full throttle the whole way around, making it an elite superspeedway.

Most notoriously, Daytona is known for the “Big One,” a multi-car wreck that inevitably happens every year.

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At a superspeedway, cars will get three or four-wide at various points during the race. When you pack cars tightly together, move around dirty air, and do it while traveling at nearly 200 miles per hour, wrecks will happen.

The “Big One” has affected many race results in the past, making the Daytona 500 an event with an element of luck in addition to skill.

Here are the most memorable wrecks of recent history.

2025: Ryan Preece Flips Into the Wall

Ryan Preece frightened many when his car flipped a year ago. This happened after Cole Custer hit the back bumper of Christopher Bell, and Preece was subsequently shot up, caught by air, and flipped into the infield.

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In an interview with Fox Sports, Preece urged NASCAR to make the car safer, especially on windy days. “When the car took off like that, it got real quiet, and all I thought about was my daughter. I’m lucky to walk away, but we’re really close to somebody not being able to,” he said.

This was the second time in three years that Preece wrecked badly at the Daytona 500.

2024: Ross Chastain Crashes Out on Last Lap

As the cars approached the white flag, Ross Chastain took his draft and tried to beat William Bryon down on the bottom approaching turn four. At the same time, Austin Cindric came up above the yellow double-line and thus, collided with Chastain.

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This stripped fans of a great final lap as they had passed the line, and Byron won the Daytona 500.

2023: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Wins After Caution Flag

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won the Daytona 500 under the yellow. On the final lap, Stenhouse Jr. and Kyle Busch battled for the victory. Unfortunately for race fans, Austin Dillon would create a wreck, creating the “Big One” and flashing the yellow flag to end the race.

Fans have questioned the yellow-flag endings to races, but they are considered the fairest for all involved.

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Related: Daytona 500 Weather Forecast: Will There Be Rain?

2021: Teammates Collide on Final Lap

Teammates, Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski, would catch each other on the final lap. As Logano led, Keselowski took the draft too far up into Logano’s lane.

Though the teammates wrecked, blood did not spoil. Instead, they congratulated Michael McDowell on his long-shot victory as the beneficiary.

2020: Ryan Newman’s Car Flips, Slides on Its Head

One of the scariest wrecks that Daytona has seen victimized Ryan Newman. His car would flip onto its head and slide down the front turn. This resulted in a bruised brain for Newman.

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Though he spent time away from racing, he came back later in the year. Now, Newman has the wrecked car in his garage as a “trophy,” taking it as a symbol of his racing passion and the risks that drivers take.

2015: Austin Dillon Lucky to Be Alive After Violent Checkered Flag Crash