William Byron Breaks Down His Unique Success Story With the Legend Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Published 04/10/2024, 2:27 PM EDT

When William Byron received the “Rookie of the Year” award in 2018, many regarded it as the emergence of a future star in NASCAR. Even though he started his career in the racing simulation video game, iRacing, it seems like he’s been driving stock cars since childhood. That is more evident from his recent performances.

Having won three out of eight Cup Series races so far this season, Byron stands at 4th in standings. What is the secret behind his success? What different is the HMS No. 24 doing that is setting him apart from others? Let’s hear it from the man who is receiving widespread attention at the moment.

William Byron lists his reason for succeeding in NASCAR

Recently, after his win at Martinsville Speedway, William Byron was invited to an episode of “The Dale Jr Download”. Byron was caught candid discussing important aspects of his career and the Cup Series racing. Dale Jr. mentioned that the pace in which he is moving, he is going to catch legends like Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin who are consistent even in their 40s. Moving forward, Dale Jr. also asked the secret behind his success, notably how he prepares and trains himself before races.

Byron said, “I just know that I still have such a passion and interest for racing and it’s just continuing to grow. And so, I love what I do, and I feel like that’s going to continue. And as long as that continues, I feel like I can have success. Because I know when I get up in the morning, I love what I do and you know. My life is really balanced right now. I think I’ve had more balance in life and that’s allowed me to kind of enjoy the time away from the track a little more, and not be so anxious and uptight.”

“When I got in the Cup Series, I could barely handle the anxiety and the nerves that came with trying to compete. Because I just didn’t feel good enough. And so I think that, that confidence is kind of grown and I’m still getting out of my shit. It’s still hard for me to talk publicly. Because like I am a bit, I just feel a bit uncomfortable with it all. Like it’s all kind of a dream. So yeah, I’m getting more comfortable,” he added.

Byron shared his love for racing and desire to work with his team to win more races. Surely, because that’s what he does best. Especially in the era of next-gen cars. No driver has won more races than the Hendrick Motorsports star.

The biggest name in the era of next-gen cars!

William Byron states it as a mere coincidence. He stated that the era of the next-gen cars started when he was getting comfortable with cars. He further stated that coming from a whole different background than most people out here, he initially felt a little out-of-the-box. Then, the confidence just came to him automatically, just by surviving in the stock car world.

“I think the next gen era kind of coincided with me just starting to get comfortable in my racing career. And not you know, for the longest time, I felt like an outsider. Because I started so different than everyone else. And in a lot of ways that was true. I was really green, my race craft and just some of my understanding was really fresh and green. So my confidence has come from just being around, and being able to kind of grow into the sport.”

If Dale Jr’s predictions come true, we are indeed witnessing the rise of a big star. He has a big chance to bag the NASCAR Cup Series title this year, given his current performance. A lot of people would be placing their bets on him.

William Byron Backs NASCAR Sticking to Its “Traditions” Amidst Diminishing Road Course Appeal

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Mamata Mukherjee is a NASCAR Writer at EssentiallySports. Combining her love for writing and motorsports she has created some interesting and in-depth stories on drivers like Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Joining ES with 3 years of experience in the field of writing, Mamata feels right at home in her role as a NASCAR Journalist.

Edited by:

Himanshu Sridhar