Byron earns first NASCAR Truck Series victory at Kansas Speedway

(Photo Courtesy of Nigel Kinrade.)

William Byron, the 18-year-old NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver sponsored by Liberty University, won Friday night’s Toyota Tundra 250 at Kansas Speedway to reach Victory Lane for the first time in five series starts.

Driving the No. 9 Liberty University Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM), Byron became the ninth NASCAR Next driver to win a national series race, taking advantage of a crash on Turn 3 of the final lap of overtime that took out frontrunners Johnny Sauter and Ben Rhodes. The 11th caution left Byron in the lead with two-time series champion Matt Crafton right behind him in second.

“I just can’t thank Liberty University enough,” Byron told NASCAR Wire Service. “This is a dream come true.”

Byron will enroll as a residential student at Liberty this fall.

• Read the complete report from Friday night’s race on the NASCAR website.

(Photo Courtesy of Nigel Kinrade.)