William Byron (racing driver)
William Byron | |||||||
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Byron at the 2015 Carneros 200 | |||||||
Born |
William McComas Byron II November 29, 1997 Charlotte, North Carolina | ||||||
Achievements |
2015 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Champion Most wins by a rookie in the Camping World Truck Series (7) 2017 NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion | ||||||
Awards |
2015 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Rookie of the Year 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year 2017 NASCAR Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year | ||||||
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
31 races run over 1 year | |||||||
Car no., team | No. 24 (Hendrick Motorsports) | ||||||
First race | 2018 Daytona 500 (Daytona) | ||||||
Last race | 2018 Hollywood Casino 400 (Kansas) | ||||||
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NASCAR Xfinity Series career | |||||||
33 races run over 1 year | |||||||
2017 position | 1st | ||||||
Best finish | 1st (2017) | ||||||
First race | 2017 PowerShares QQQ 300 (Daytona) | ||||||
Last race | 2017 Ford EcoBoost 300 (Homestead) | ||||||
First win | 2017 American Ethanol E15 250 (Iowa) | ||||||
Last win | 2017 Ticket Galaxy 200 (Phoenix) | ||||||
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NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career | |||||||
24 races run over 2 years | |||||||
2016 position | 5th | ||||||
Best finish | 5th (2016) | ||||||
First race | 2015 Lucas Oil 150 (Phoenix) | ||||||
Last race | 2016 Ford EcoBoost 200 (Homestead) | ||||||
First win | 2016 Toyota Tundra 250 (Kansas) | ||||||
Last win | 2016 Ford EcoBoost 200 (Homestead) | ||||||
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Statistics current as of October 14, 2018. |
William McComas Byron II (born November 29, 1997) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports. He won the 2015 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship and the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award in the 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. The following season he won both the 2017 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship and 2017 Sunoco Rookie of the Year.
Racing career
Byron became interested in racing when he was six years old after seeing a stock car race on television, later attending a race at Martinsville Speedway in 2006. He began racing on the iRacing simulator as a teenager with over 100 wins and 298 top fives in online competition. .
In 2012, he and his father explored how Byron could start racing offline – in real cars. He started racing Legends that year at the age of 15, relatively late for modern drivers. That year he won 33 races and became the Legend Car Young Lions Division champion.[1][2][3][4]
For 2014, Byron signed with JR Motorsports late model program, in addition to continuing Legends competition. Byron competed in the No. 9 Liberty University Chevrolet at Hickory Motor Speedway in North Carolina for JRM.[1][2][5] Byron scored a single victory and 11 top-five finishes, finishing second in points to teammate Josh Berry at Hickory.[5]
K&N Pro Series
Byron was signed to drive in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East for 2015 by HScott Motorsports with Justin Marks, with sponsorship from Liberty University.[6] Byron also continued racing late models for JR Motorsports.[1] In his debut K&N East in February at New Smyrna Speedway, Byron finished 7th.[7] Byron won the second race of the season at Greenville-Pickens Speedway after starting second and leading all 152 laps (two laps past the scheduled distance).[1] Byron made his ARCA Racing Series debut at Lucas Oil Raceway in July, driving the No. 55 Liberty University Toyota Camry for Venturini Motorsports. Byron finished second after leading 120 laps. He scored four K&N East wins en route to winning the series championship.[8] Byron and his team also competed in the 2015 K&N Pro Series West races at Sonoma and Phoenix, finishing fifth and second respectively.[9]
Camping World Truck Series
On October 29, 2015, Kyle Busch Motorsports announced that Byron would run a full-time schedule in the team's No. 9 Toyota Tundra in the Camping World Truck Series during the 2016 season.[10] To prepare him for the run, KBM fielded the No. 9 for him in the 2015 Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix International Raceway.[11][12] Byron started the 2016 season on a low note crashing on the final lap at Daytona to finish 13th, and finishing 32nd at Atlanta after blowing an engine. Later, Byron would get his first top 3 and 10 in the Truck Series after finishing a strong 3rd at Martinsville. Byron won his first Truck Series race at Kansas in May, after avoiding Ben Rhodes and Johnny Sauter's crash on the last lap of the race, and took his second race win in Texas in June. He won the next race at Iowa, finished 17th at Gateway due to a crash, and won yet again at Kentucky, propelling him to first in points. He followed that up with his fifth win of the season at Pocono Raceway, breaking the Camping World Truck Series record for most wins by a rookie. The previous mark was held by Kurt Busch during the 2000 season with four wins.[13]
During the playoffs, Byron won the first race of the Round of 8 at New Hampshire but suffered an engine failure at the last race of the Round of 6 at Phoenix, which cost him the chance to join the Championship 4. With a win at the final race at Homestead, he placed fifth in the overall standings, with a total seven wins, eleven top 5s, and 16 top 10s in 23 races. In addition to clinching the owners' championship for the No. 9 team, Byron was named Rookie of the Year.[14]
Xfinity Series
On August 18, 2016, Byron and Hendrick Motorsports announced they have signed a multi-year driver agreement, with Byron running full-time in the Xfinity Series driving the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports in 2017.[15] Byron finished 2nd at Michigan, just losing out to Denny Hamlin.[16] One week later, Byron won his first career race at Iowa[17] after Christopher Bell wrecked late in the race, battling for a win with Ryan Sieg, who eventually placed second.[18] He ended up winning again the week later in an overtime finish at Daytona.[19] Byron also won at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the third Xfinity victory of his career;[20] he would add a fourth win when the series visited Phoenix for the penultimate race of the season.[21] The Phoenix win also placed Byron among the four drivers eligible to race for the series championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway.[22] At the final race in Miami, Byron held on as he finished 3rd, ahead of his Championship 4 teammate, Elliott Sadler. He won the 2017 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship
Monster Energy Cup Series
On August 9, 2017, Hendrick Motorsports announced Byron would be the new replacement for Kasey Kahne in the No. 5 car in 2018,[23] while continuing current sponsorship with Axalta Coating Systems and Liberty University.[24] Twenty days later, however, HMS announced Byron would instead drive the No. 24, while Chase Elliott moved to the rebranded No. 9 car. Byron inherited Kahne's No. 5 team, including crew chief Darian Grubb.[25]
Personal life
Byron was born the younger of two children in Charlotte, North Carolina.[7] He attended Charlotte Country Day School while taking online classes through sponsor Liberty University, graduating in May 2016. Byron is also currently a student at Liberty University earning his college degree.[26] His parents, Bill and Dana, and his older sister, Kathryn, are his main sources of inspiration. Byron is an Eagle Scout.[27]
Motorsports career results
NASCAR
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
Monster Energy Cup Series
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | MENCC | Pts | |||
2018 | Hendrick Motorsports | 24 | Chevy | DAY 23 |
ATL 18 |
LVS 27 |
PHO 12 |
CAL 15 |
MAR 20 |
TEX 10 |
BRI 18 |
RCH 12 |
TAL 29 |
DOV 14 |
KAN 33 |
CLT 39 |
POC 18 |
MCH 13 |
SON 25 |
CHI 20 |
DAY 32 |
KEN 20 |
NHA 14 |
POC 6 |
GLN 8 |
MCH 36 |
BRI 23 |
DAR 35 |
IND 19 |
LVS 37 |
RCH 20 |
CLT 34 |
DOV 19 |
TAL 20 |
KAN | MAR | TEX | PHO | HOM | -* | -* |
Daytona 500
Year | Team | Manufacturer | Start | Finish |
---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 33 | 23 |
Xfinity Series
NASCAR Xfinity Series results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | NXSC | Pts | Ref | ||
2017 | JR Motorsports | 9 | Chevy | DAY 9 |
ATL 7 |
LVS 14 |
PHO 4 |
CAL 5 |
TEX 7 |
BRI 12 |
RCH 30 |
TAL 36 |
CLT 14 |
DOV 6 |
POC 12 |
MCH 2 |
IOW 1 |
DAY 1* |
KEN 7 |
NHA 3 |
IND 1 |
IOW 9 |
GLN 10 |
MOH 25 |
BRI 22 |
ROA 6 |
DAR 5 |
RCH 7 |
CHI 33 |
KEN 18 |
DOV 3 |
CLT 16 |
KAN 4 |
TEX 9 |
PHO 1 |
HOM 3 |
1st | 4034 | [28] |
Camping World Truck Series
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | NCWTC | Pts | Ref | |||||||||||||||
2015 | Kyle Busch Motorsports | 9 | Toyota | DAY | ATL | MAR | KAN | CLT | DOV | TEX | GTW | IOW | KEN | ELD | POC | MCH | BRI | MSP | CHI | NHA | LVS | TAL | MAR | TEX | PHO 31 |
HOM | 78th | 13 | [29] | |||||||||||||||
2016 | DAY 13 |
ATL 32 |
MAR 3 |
KAN 1 |
DOV 11* |
CLT 10 |
TEX 1 |
IOW 1* |
GTW 17* |
KEN 1* |
ELD 14 |
POC 1* |
BRI 4 |
MCH 4 |
MSP 10 |
CHI 30 |
NHA 1* |
LVS 5 |
TAL 10 |
MAR 8 |
TEX 6 |
PHO 27* |
HOM 1 |
5th | 2199 | [30] |
K&N Pro Series East
NASCAR K&N Pro Series East results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | NKNPSEC | Pts | Ref | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015 | HScott Motorsports with Justin Marks | 9 | Chevy | NSM 7 |
GRE 1* |
BRI 2 |
IOW 1* |
BGS 15 |
LGY 1* |
COL 14 |
NHA 1 |
IOW 13 |
GLN 7 |
MOT 8* |
VIR 10 |
RCH 6 |
DOV 9 |
1st | 546 | [31] |
K&N Pro Series West
NASCAR K&N Pro Series West results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | NKNPSWC | Pts | Ref | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015 | HScott Motorsports with Justin Marks | 91 | Chevy | KCR | IRW | TUS | IOW | SHA | SON 5 |
SLS | IOW | EVG | CNS | MER | AAS | PHO 2 |
35th | 70 | [9] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
2018 | Jefferson Pitts Racing | 27 | Chevy | KCR | TUS | TUS | OSS | CNS | SON 3 |
DCS | IOW | EVG | GTW | LVS | MER | AAS | KCR | -* | -* | [32] |
ARCA Racing Series
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
ARCA Racing Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | ARSC | Pts | Ref | ||||||||||||||||||
2015 | Venturini Motorsports | 55 | Toyota | DAY | MOB | NSH | SLM | TAL | TOL | NJE | POC | MCH | CHI | WIN | IOW | IRP 2* |
POC | BLN | ISF | DSF | SLM | KEN 32 |
KAN | 76th | 305 | [33] | ||||||||||||||||||
2016 | DAY 2 |
NSH | SLM | TAL | TOL | NJE | 58th | 415 | [34] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | POC 8 |
MCH | MAD | WIN | IOW | IRP | POC | BLN | ISF | DSF | SLM | CHI | KEN | KAN |
* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points
References
- 1 2 3 4 Williams, Deb. "From online to on-track competition, Byron quickly finds success". ThatsRacin. The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
- 1 2 Press Release (January 17, 2014). "JRM Adds William Byron to Late Model Program for 2014". jrmracing.com. Mooresville, North Carolina: JR Motorsports. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
- ↑ "From Virtual to Victory Lane, William Byron Takes the Jack in the Box Summer Shootout Series by Storm". charlottemotorspeedway.com. Charlotte Motor Speedway. June 19, 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
- ↑ Levine, Steven (April 14, 2015). "Get To Know William Byron". nascar.com. NASCAR Illustrated. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
- 1 2 "Driver: William Byron". jrmracing.com. JR Motorsports. 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
- ↑ Associated Press (December 11, 2014). "Ganassi and Harry Scott to field 1 Xfinity entry". USA Today. Charlotte, North Carolina. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
- 1 2 "William Byron". NASCAR Home Tracks. NASCAR. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
- ↑ Utter, Jim (October 3, 2015). "William Byron is heading to Trucks after winning K&N East championship: For all practical purposes, William Byron's racing career is just getting started". motorsport.com. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
- 1 2 "William Byron – 2015 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ↑ Utter, Jim (October 29, 2015). "Kyle Busch Motorsports' 2016 lineup to feature several newcomers". Motorsport.com. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
- ↑ "ABREU, BYRON TO MAKE TRUCK DEBUTS AT PHOENIX". NASCAR. November 6, 2015. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
- ↑ "Byron Makes Truck Series Debut for KBM at Phoenix". Kyle Busch Motorsports. November 10, 2015. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
- ↑ Utter, Jim (July 30, 2016). "Rookie William Byron takes record-breaking fifth win". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
- ↑ "WILLIAM BYRON WINS AT MIAMI; SAUTER CLAIMS 2016 TITLE". NASCAR. November 18, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
- ↑ Utter, Jim (August 18, 2016). "Hendrick Motorsports signs Truck star Byron to multi-year deal". Motorsport.com. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
- ↑ Albert, Zack (June 17, 2017). "Byron learns lessons from oh-so-close near win at Michigan". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- ↑ "William Byron wins in Iowa for first Xfinity victory". USA Today. Gannett Company. Associated Press. June 25, 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- ↑ Kraft, RJ (June 25, 2017). "Ryan Sieg logs career-best finish in Iowa". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
- ↑ Spencer, Lee (July 1, 2017). "William Byron escapes carnage and wins Daytona Xfinity race". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- ↑ Utter, Jim (July 22, 2017). "William Byron claims "humbling" NASCAR Xfinity win at Indianapolis". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- ↑ Utter, Jim (November 11, 2017). "William Byron finds Phoenix redemption with Xfinity win". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- ↑ DeGroot, Nick (November 11, 2017). "Championship 4 grid set for the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Phoenix". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- ↑ Utter, Jim (August 8, 2017). "William Byron to replace Kahne at Hendrick Motorsports in 2018". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- ↑ "Byron to compete in Cup Series beginning in 2018". Hendrick Motorsports. Charlotte, North Carolina. August 9, 2017. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
- ↑ Jayski's Silly Season Site (August 29, 2017). "Chase Elliott to drive the #9 in 2018; William Byron in the #24". ESPN. Retrieved August 29, 2017.
- ↑ "LU student and NASCAR driver William Byron claims his first Xfinity Series victory | Liberty University".
- ↑ Spencer, Lee (August 9, 2017). "William Byron knows move to Cup will be "challenging"". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
But I think what impressed me [Hendrick] probably more than anything about William, his last year as a senior at Country Day, he won the K&N Series, he was an honor student and was taking college courses and he became an Eagle Scout.
- ↑ "William Byron – 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 28, 2017.
- ↑ "William Byron – 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 28, 2017.
- ↑ "William Byron – 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 28, 2017.
- ↑ "William Byron – 2015 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 28, 2017.
- ↑ "Driver William Byron 2018 NASCR K&N Pro Series East results". Racing Reference. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
- ↑ "William Byron – 2015 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 28, 2017.
- ↑ "William Byron – 2016 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 28, 2017.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to William Byron. |
- William Byron driver statistics at Racing-Reference
Sporting positions | ||
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Preceded by Daniel Suárez |
NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion 2017 |
Succeeded by Incumbent |