William Byron is genuinely all smiles for 2022. (Photo: Sean Folsom | The Podium Finish)
After a sensational season last year, William Byron is having a breakthrough start with his No. 24 Axalta/RaptorTough.com/Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro team.
Heading into this season, Byron tallied two wins, 21 top fives and 51 top 10 results in his first four seasons. Entering his fifth season, Byron has been fast, tenacious and competitive.
Following his exciting win at Atlanta, Byron tallied a dominant win at Martinsville Speedway last Saturday night. The 24-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina native sits third in the driver’s standings but first overall in the Playoffs with 12 Playoff points.
Byron seems to be hitting his stride thanks to a reunion with crew chief, Rudy Fugle. Fugle, who was atop his pit box during his seven win Truck Series season in 2016, has incredible chemistry and rapport with the smooth, calculative racer.
More so, Byron gets along with teammates, Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman. Together, the quartet won 17 of the 36 races last year, one of the most staggering seasons in recent memory for a multicar, NASCAR Cup Series organization.
It’s well documented how Byron’s translated his success from iRacing into late model and stock car competition. Now, Byron is showcasing his raw, meticulous potential as a genuine, frontrunner in the Cup ranks, ready to win races and contend for titles.
Recently, I caught up with Byron during the Circuit of the Americas race weekend in Austin, Texas. For a driver adapting to the new Cup car, the intense competition and a relentless schedule this year, Byron seemed as cool and relaxed as can be. So, let’s all get “In the Hot Seat with William Byron” here on The Podium Finish!
Rob Tiongson : William, welcome to Austin again.
William Byron : Thank you.
Tiongson : Now you’ve just come off a really riveting victory at Atlanta, which was one of the most unpredictable races I’ve ever covered in my life. But with a race that’s so unique and so intense, how do you feel about coming off of that win and going to COTA, which is relatively unknown in dry conditions, knowing that you’ve got a win, but also got a really fun track here?
Byron and his team have the makings to be a championship contender this year. (Photo: Molly Gastineau | The Podium Finish)
Byron : Yeah. I’m excited because I feel like, every time we go to a road course, there’s always a little bit of pressure to perform. So I think for us, this time, we can really approach the weekend as it comes to us and try to learn.
Throughout practice today, try to learn as much as we can. Obviously, we want to do really well in qualifying, but it’ll be interesting to see how we fire off here with the car. And yeah, like you said lots of unknowns, but I feel like our guys probably have worked really hard on the car to have something good.
Tiongson : Absolutely. I mean, Hendrick Motorsports in general, you guys are just on a tear since last year. You won 17 races all of last year, and it looks like another strong start ahead in 2022. So this organization hasn’t missed a beat. But what is it like to be a part of a run like this and be one of those catalysts responsible for the success of the team?
Byron : Yeah, it’s special. I mean, we’ve obviously accumulated a lot of wins and just really good results. So I feel like the more that we put ourselves up towards the front, one of us is bound to win. So we’ve just got to continue to keep that pace up, and put ourselves up towards the front to have chances to win.
Tiongson : And one of the chances to win comes from, of course, your great relationship with crew chief Rudy Fugle, who, of course, you worked with in the Truck series. And with you two underway with your second full-time Cup season with him, how has he helped elevate the game of the #24 team?
“I felt like there were some places that we started off, we weren’t so good, and by the end of the year, we really improved a lot.” (Photo: Ryan Daley | The Podium Finish)
Byron : I think he’s just learning as we go. Last year, a lot of things were new for him. I felt like there were some places that we started off, we weren’t so good, and by the end of the year, we really improved a lot. So I saw a lot of improvement throughout the year, and I think this year he’s a lot more comfortable with the Cup series.
And he’s able to compartmentalize what’s important, and work his way through the weekend, and take my feedback, but make the right decisions on the car. So I just see a lot of maturity which happens with everyone that gets into the Cup series after a year. The first year is usually a lot of learning. So it’s been good.
Tiongson : And plus, you’ve got a good new spotter in Branden Lines with your team. I’m sure you guys were trying to figure each other out, though, too. But what’s it been like to work with him and build upon that chemistry as well?
Byron : Yeah. I think with Branden, he’s been in the Cup series, so it’s not really him learning anything new, but it’s just a matter of using the resources we have at Hendrick and being able to use those to your advantage. I feel like he’s done a good job with that. It’s just getting going with the resources and doing a good job of studying during the week, and so far, so good. So yeah, it’s been nice to work together. I feel like we’re onto a good start.
Tiongson : And speaking of good starts too, you guys have been really good at taking on the unknown. Now we’re back to practice and qualifying, albeit in a shorter form. Plus, we’ve got the change with the Next Gen car, and going to a market like Austin. How do you embrace change knowing you’re still relatively a young driver, but also getting a lot of different elements thrown at you?
“The car’s going to drive better than the old car did.” (Photo: Sean Folsom | The Podium Finish)
Byron : Yeah. I mean, I think COTA’s probably… the change is the fact that we haven’t ran in the dry much. But at least we’ve been here to the track, and we kind of know what to do, and where the garage is, all those little things. So it’s nice that everything’s somewhat similar.
But yeah, we’re trying to figure out this Next Gen car on a road course, and trying to figure out the setup and how it drives. So I’m really curious. I think there’s a lot of questions. But I feel like, if anything, the car’s going to drive better than the old car did, so it might be a little bit easier to start.
Tiongson : Let’s talk a little bit quickly about the Next Gen car, because I think one of the things that hasn’t been a real connection with fans in NASCAR is the new cars and having a car culture within NASCAR. How much do you think this new iteration of the Cup car is going to have the newer fans say, “You know what? Not only do I like drivers and the teams, but I like these cars and I want to see these cars on the streets”?
Byron : Yeah. I think they’re really similar to the street cars, so I think for the casual fan, it’s really pleasing to look at. For me as a racer, I feel like it looks about the same. Maybe a little different But yeah, I think I’ve gotten a lot of comments like that, that the car looks good.
Tiongson : And you have a really nice-looking car this weekend with the Raptor paint scheme. Talk about that with me a little bit, just because… it was around last year, but this one looks pretty fierce.
And you’re gonna hear me roar. (Photo: Sean Folsom | The Podium Finish)
Byron : Yeah, really excited to have Raptor on the car. They’ve been working with Axalta for a long time. So we had them last year for a couple races, and I think it went so well that they want to come back and work with Axalta on that. So, nice to have their brand on the car, and I think it’s going to be cool. Something new to look at, and it’s a good paint scheme.
Tiongson : Absolutely. Couple more questions before we get to practice and qualifying. Now I understand you are quite the Lego enthusiast. How did you take up that interest, and do you find it frustrating or relatively meditative to do?
Byron : Yeah, it’s a little bit of both. I think sometimes it’s a little frustrating. But I enjoy honestly just the finished product and all the work it takes to get there, and I enjoy kind of seeing it all come together. So, it’s fun. Definitely takes a lot of time, so I don’t do it as much during the season. But I’m sure, as the summer gets around, we’ll have a little more time.
Tiongson : Certainly. My last question for you is, let me put you in the shoes of me, the reporter, or even Bob Pockrass from FOX. If you had to use three different words to describe yourself as a racecar driver, what three words would you choose and why?
Byron : I guess witty, calculated and aggressive, I guess. I don’t know. Yeah.
Tiongson : I like the witty part, though. Can you elaborate further on that?
Byron perceives himself in rather unique fashion. (Photo: Molly Gastineau | The Podium Finish)
Byron : Yeah, I don’t know! Just trying to outsmart everybody else.
Tiongson : I like that. I never would have imagined you being witty, but I like that. It’s a nice little word, for sure.
Byron : Thank you!
Editor’s Notes
Special thanks to William for taking the time during the NASCAR at Circuit of the Americas race weekend for his latest interview here on TPF! Also, special thanks to Ashly Ennis of Hendrick Motorsports for her assistance and support with this interview. Look for more content about William on TPF and follow his social media channels on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and his official website!
