NASCAR DFS: Daytona 500 Wrecks Cause Frustration & Confusion Among Fantasy Players

Ian Ritchie | Feb 17, 2025

William Byron celebrates winning the Daytona 500 / Nigel Cook/News-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 2025 Daytona 500 ended in absolute chaos, leaving NASCAR Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) players feeling frustrated and confused. As the race neared its conclusion, a major wreck occurred on the final lap, yet NASCAR didn’t call for a caution. Instead, William Byron navigated through the chaos to secure his second consecutive Daytona 500 victory.

Two sides to the story, with both drivers leaving the #DAYTONA500 disappointed. pic.twitter.com/d79uHGBUOf
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 17, 2025

NASCAR's decisions have always been inconsistent, and this race was no exception. Just days earlier, Erik Jones lost his Duel race due to a premature caution flag. However, during the Daytona 500, despite numerous cars wrecking and others maneuvering to avoid the mess, NASCAR kept the race green. This puzzled many fans, particularly those involved in fantasy sports.

Bob Pockrass from FOX Sports inquired about the decision. NASCAR explained, “We managed to get safety personnel to the backstretch quickly to check on the wrecked cars. The caution came out after the leaders crossed the finish line.”

While this explanation seems reasonable, it doesn’t align with NASCAR's earlier decisions that week. Fans were left frustrated, and Denny Hamlin, who was part of the last-lap wreck, didn’t hold back. “NASCAR overreacts,” he stated. “When they get criticized on social media, they overcompensate the next time.” However, Hamlin wasn’t too bothered since he wasn’t in contention to win.

The final-lap wrecks resulted from a chain reaction. Cole Custer pushed Christopher Bell into Ryan Preece, causing him to spin. Preece flipped his car once again, creating more confusion. It was a complete mess.

A look at the incident on Lap 196 of the #DAYTONA500. pic.twitter.com/6OJa154GZC
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 17, 2025

Meanwhile, there was some exciting racing between Austin Cindric and Denny Hamlin for the lead, but the wreck's smoke made it unclear whether the race was still green or if there was a caution. Amidst the confusion, William Byron managed to navigate through the wreckage and win once again.

But here’s the kicker: NASCAR DFS players were severely impacted by the chaos. The final laps turned everything upside down, causing significant frustration. Money changed hands multiple times due to the wrecks, leaving those with the involved drivers at a loss. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Joey Logano, and Cole Custer were responsible for the wrecks, and if you had them in your fantasy lineup, you were likely cursing their names by race's end.

DFS players were particularly upset because the race had been going smoothly until the wrecks happened, causing everything to fall apart. Drivers who were performing well were taken out, and seemingly solid picks turned disastrous. It felt like watching a week's worth of effort vanish in seconds.

To make matters worse, no one felt good about the finish. Both fans and drivers were upset, and DFS players felt completely cheated. It was one of those races where everything seemed perfect, but in the end, you had nothing to show for it. So, if you were playing NASCAR DFS that day, you were likely left shaking your head, wishing for a do-over.

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