William Byron, the 25-year-old driver of the Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and a Liberty student, made a record six trips to victory lane in the NASCAR Cup Series this season. He won five races in the regular season and one playoff race.
Byron was in first place in the NASCAR Cup Series points standings heading into his first Championship 4 appearance at the Nov. 5 final at Phoenix Raceway, where he finished fourth. He ended in third place in the final points standings.
“Proud of this team,” Byron said after the race. “We have had a great season, with a lot to be proud of. We’re going to keep digging hard.”
Liberty has sponsored Byron since 2014; the university was the primary sponsor for the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for 13 of the 36 Cup Series races this season.
Overall, this was Byron’s best season of his Cup Series career after previously recording four total wins over his first five seasons. His six wins this season came at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 6; Phoenix Raceway, March 13; Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, May 14; Atlanta Motor Speedway, July 9; Watkins Glen International (N.Y.), Aug. 20; and in the playoffs’ Round of 12 opener at Texas Motor Speedway on Sept. 24.
After the Texas race, Byron posted runner-up finishes at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on Oct. 1 and Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway ROVAL on Oct. 8, followed by a seventh-place showing at Las Vegas on Oct. 15 and a fourth-place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Oct. 22. He clinched his Championship 4 bid with a 13th-place finish at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway on Oct. 29.
Byron succeeded seven-time Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon in the No. 24 car for HMS and was named Cup Series Rookie of the Year in 2018. He has qualified for the postseason every year since and qualified for his first Round of 8 last season.
Byron is pursuing his B.S. in Strategic Communication through Liberty’s online programs.
“I’m proud to represent an institution like Liberty University,” Byron said after signing a contract extension with Liberty in October 2021. “They inspire a lot of people my age to pursue their passions, and I look forward to continuing to represent them on and off the racetrack.”
PIT STOP AT LU
Although William Byron was in the midst of playoffs and the best season of his Cup Series career, he took time to visit the campus he has called his own to cheer on Flames Football against Middle Tennessee State on Oct. 17. The Flames edged the Blue Raiders 42-35.
Byron was recognized on the field at the end of the first quarter. He presented a signed painting of the No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to President Dondi Costin and greeted students and took photos with them before the game. He also met with Flames Football players and Head Coach Jamey Chadwell and did a takeover of Liberty’s social media accounts throughout the day.
