Valentine’s day is indeed a special occasion for people in love. It has been so for William Byron and his girlfriend Erin Blaney. The Hendrick Motorsports driver has been dating rival Ryan Blaney’s sister for more than three years now. The couple has been quite open about their relationship and it seems to be going on well.

Interestingly, Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney was not aware of this relationship until a friend of his brought it to his notice. That being said, despite everything on and off the tracks, Ryan and William seem to have to bonded well. Erin surely must have played a key role in that. She has been quite supportive of William and she recently did a cute act to celebrate Valentine’s day this year.

How did Erin Blaney surprise William Byron?

William Byron has been prepping up for the upcoming season opener and in view of that, he decided to participate in New Smyrna’s World Series of Asphalt. The 25-year-old was yet to register a win in the past six months. This only made it imperative that he got a positive result at New Smyrna.

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William provided a fabulous performance both in the Pro Late Model 35 laps and the Clyde Hart Memorial Super Late Model 100 laps. This is the second consecutive year that the NASCAR Cup Series driver has opened his season by winning at New Smyrna.

What made it even better was finding his girlfriend Erin Blaney beside him after registering his victory at the Clyde Hart Memorial. With his tight schedule, William Byron did not expect Erin to be there but his reaction spoke louder than words. It is this type of gesture that just goes to show how deeply fond the couple is of each other.

Byron picks up momentum before Daytona

It is certainly a confidence booster for Byron having triumphed in his scheduled races. The young NASCAR racer did have the option to do nothing before Sunday’s Daytona 500 yet he chose to come back to his roots.

Speaking after his victory at the Clyde Hart Memorial, he explained the reasons for racing there. Byron said, “Honestly, I do it for my own reasons. To get better, I think that’s the biggest thing. Just trying to improve and be the best I can be for my team on Sundays. There are a lot of other reasons, too. The fans, the support, and giving back to grassroots racing to keep it healthy.”

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Irrespective of the level of the race, it is good news for Hendrick Motorsports to have Byron in this kind of form. He’s entering his sixth season with the team and will be looking to make a difference at Daytona. Can he make the best out of his current form on Sunday? We shall soon find out.