The 2026 Daytona 500 was full of chaos and drama. From a 20-car wreck to a daring move on the final lap and a crash at the finish line, this iteration of The Great American Race had everything.
It’s one thing to see it play out on the screen; it’s another to relive the action with a behind-the-scenes look from the drivers’ and teams’ perspectives with the audio detailing what they’re experiencing in real time.
Here are the best in-car radio moments from the 2026 Daytona 500, won by Tyler Reddick and 23XI Racing.
Stage 1
B.J. McLeod lost control and spun out, taking out William Byron and other drivers during the first wreck of the race. Here was what Byron said in real time: “Wrecking, wrecking right in our lane. Right in our lane.”
Justin Allgaier’s team told him to: “Back it out. Back it out. Back it out,” as he tried to avoid damage. “Sorry, I should have bailed. I saw the smoke,” Allgaier said.
Tyler Reddick took damage to his right rear and let his spotter, Nick Pryne know. “I don’t know what the heck happened there,” Reddick said. “Something broke.”
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Stage 2
The wreck in Stage 2 resulted in even more carnage. That was caught on audio, too. Ross Chastain bumped Chase Briscoe into the infield, and as Briscoe spun, Austin Dillon T-boned his car.
“I knew it,” Dillion said, lamenting. “I know [expletive] better. I shouldn’t have chose the bottom lane.”
Bubba Wallace ultimately came out of that wreck wide open to lead the race. “Wooooh,” his spotter Freddie Kraft said in exhalation as Wallace avoided the wreck.
Connor Zilisch, who was also involved in that crash, was confused: “Where are we going?” he asked as his No. 88 car was towed to the garage. “I have no idea! I don’t even know where the [expletive] they’re taking us!”
Zilisch went four laps down and asked, “Are we done?”
“No, we’re not done,” Randall Burnett, his crew chief, replied. “They [expletive] us on that deal. There’s only a little small hole in the nose.”
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The Big One
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Later in Stage 2, Justin Allgaier held the lead, and Denny Hamlin tried to pass him on the outside. There wasn’t enough room and a domino effect caused a 20-car wreck.
Riley Herbst in the No. 35 car saw the chaos ahead of him: “Holy, hell!” he exclaimed.
“We hit everything,” Alex Bowman said.
“My wheel is so far to the right,” Austin Cindric said.
Allgaier got towed off the track in his car, and did not have a smooth ride. “They’re going to shake this thing to death if they tow me like this. I don’t know what’s going on, but this is awful.”
Stage 3
Brad Keselowski in the No. 6 car wanted to make a move with the Fords grouped together, but Noah Gragson wasn’t having it.
“Tell Brad to [expletive] off,” Gragson told his team “We’re not going to go anywhere. There’s three Toyotas roadblocking us.”
Final Lap
(Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Any pent-up excitement was saved for the final lap.
Michael McDowell led at the white flag, but went out at a wreck early into that lap. Chase Elliott took the lead, but Tyler Reddick had the final say.
“[No.] 45’s got a small run on the bottom,” Elliott’s spotter, Trey Poole, said as Reddick made his move.
Reddick eventually got ahead of Elliott and won the Daytona 500.
“YESSSSS!!!” Reddick exclaimed.
“Sorry, guys,” Elliott apologized.
“Hey, guys? Did we win this? I’m sure we did, I just want to make sure,” Reddick said. “Anyone? Haha.”
“Yessir, you got them buddy,” his spotter, Nick Payne, said. “I love you, great job.”
“Oh my god!” Reddick said. “Great job guys!”
