William Byron’s 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season has been a masterclass in consistency and control. From the drop of the green flag back in February, the Hendrick Motorsports driver has kept himself firmly in the championship conversation. He’s stacked up wins, top-fives, and more laps led than most of his rivals combined. Whether on short tracks, superspeedways, or road courses, Byron’s adaptability has been one of his biggest weapons.

Even when things haven’t gone perfectly, he’s managed to turn average days into solid points hauls, a skill that separates contenders from pretenders. At Watkins Glen, Byron once again showed that it’s not always about having the fastest car. Rather, it’s about making the right calls, at the right time, and executing them to perfection.

William Byron’s smooth run boosts playoff lead

William Byron brought precision and poise to Watkins Glen, proving once again why he’s at the front of the championship hunt. Qualifying 10th, he executed a tactically brilliant race. Byron stayed out of trouble, banking on smart pit timing, and ultimately rolling his No. 24 Raptor Chevrolet to a clean 4th-place finish. The result allowed him to extend his lead in the regular-season standings to a solid 42 points over teammate Chase Elliott.

“I thought we had a good car today,” Byron reflected. His team’s two-stop strategy helped him gain track position and secure some much-needed clean air, even when the handling started to slide late in the race. “I honestly just like could barely load the rear tires… but overall best road course car we’ve had this year,” he said in a post-race interview.

Byron’s dominance isn’t limited to Watkins Glen. He’s shown serious road-course skills all season (Chicago being the only exception in terms of results). If you remember, Byron finished 2nd at COTA. Then, he qualified 3rd at Sonoma, eventually finishing 8th. And in Mexico City, Byron finished 9th, demonstrating real consistency across varying road course layouts.

Now his focus shifts to the Roval, a playoff landmark in the making. “Got to keep progressing and hopefully be a little better at the Roval,” Byron said. Byron knows he’s got improvements to make. While he has managed to finish 2nd and 3rd in 2023 and 2024, respectively, a win still eludes him. Thus, he would want to make sure that he finishes on top this year. This will not only continue his road course momentum but also help him advance to the next playoff stage.

As the playoffs near, one thing’s clear. Executing strategy, maximizing handling, and learning from each track are setting Byron up for another deep run. With two wins, nine top-fives, and 13 top-10s to his name in 2025, he’s building the blueprint for what could be a championship season.

Has Byron already captured the regular season championship?

After a strong and consistent performance at Watkins Glen, William Byron leads the NASCAR Cup Series regular season standings by a solid margin. He extended his lead over Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott to 42 points with just two races remaining. Now, as the regular season championship battle reaches it peak with just Richmond and Daytona to go, the question that fans and insiders are asking is: Is Byron the regular season champion already? And rightly so.

William Byron’s strong history at both Richmond and Daytona provides compelling reasons to expect fruitful outings. At Richmond, Byron’s performance has been notably impressive. Over recent starts at the 0.75-mile short track, he has consistently qualified and finished well. For instance, in the 2024 season, Byron finishing seventh, earning 32 points. Overall, his average finish at Richmond (since 2022) hovers around 13th place. It is backed by one top-5 and two top-10 finishes.

Meanwhile, Byron’s Daytona record is equally formidable. He is a two-time consecutive Daytona 500 winner (2024 and 2025). This is a feat achieved by only a select few in NASCAR’s history. He has demonstrated exceptional skill on superspeedways, often excelling in the draft-heavy, high-speed races at Daytona International Speedway. His victories there not only contribute vital playoff points but underscore his clutch racing ability in marquee events.

Combining these strengths, Byron’s consistent performances at Richmond and Daytona present realistic opportunities to extend his regular season points lead. Given his current 42-point advantage over teammate Chase Elliott, Byron is in an enviable position heading into the final stretch. While mathematically the title isn’t locked just yet, the margin he’s built means Elliott would need near-perfect finishes. And Byron would have to stumble (badly) for the standings to flip.

So, while fans will have to wait until the checkered flag waves at Daytona to make it official, Byron’s combination of current form, venue history, and points buffer makes him the clear favorite. In other words, barring disaster, this could very well be his crown to lose.