Byron 'blocking out the noise' ahead of NASCAR title showdown
Yesterday at 06:02 PM
William Byron and his Hendrick Motorsports team endured the emotional roller coaster of surviving and advancing in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs and emerged no worse for wear.
Byron admitted he had a hard time feeling happy Sunday night at Martinsville Speedway when he was the last guy locked into the Championship 4. Mainly because it didn't happen instantaneously – NASCAR reviewed the finish for 27 minutes as Byron, his team, and many onlookers stood on pit road.
He began championship week media obligations two days later. That same night, NASCAR handed down penalties to three teams – Trackhouse Racing, Richard Childress Racing, and 23XI Racing – for what they determined to be race manipulation at Martinsville. And Byron's name was right in the middle of the conversation for being helped by Chevrolet teammates who never attempted to pass him.
Byron finally shifted to Phoenix Raceway on Thursday for more pre-race obligations before getting on track on Friday. This will be his second chance at a Cup Series championship.
It wouldn't be surprising to find Byron or his team with some type of emotional hangover ahead of the biggest weekend of the year. But the Hendrick Motorsports driver said there is no such feeling within his camp.
"I haven't ever felt as bonded to my team as I am now," Byron said. "We had a meeting Sunday night about it, and I feel like we've turned the page really, really quickly. So, personally, I've blocked out a ton of the noise. I haven't looked at social media. I don't really care.
"I'm just focused on trying to get the 24 car as fast as I can. I think past experiences have probably helped fuel that, where I've been through enough in my Cup career that I know what to focus on and what to block out."
It was a peaceful ride home, according to Byron, from Martinsville to Charlotte. The time was spent on the phone talking to his sister about things going on with her in New York. The race preparation, meanwhile, moved forward as normal.
"I think we did everything we could on Monday and Tuesday and then tried to get ready for some of the procedural things on Wednesday," Byron said. "It was a pretty normal week, honestly, in terms of prep. Maybe a little bit later night on Monday and a bit earlier morning Tuesday. But for me, it was all the same prep I always do."
Statistically the best driver in the Cup Series last season, Byron entered Phoenix as a six-time winner and started the championship race from the pole. But he faded through the second half of the race and finished third in the championship standings.
Byron "learned a ton" in the experience last year. His return to Phoenix comes on the heels of a tense Martinsville race – just as he experienced in 2023 when he had to gut out the finish while not feeling well – that he believes has given his team more momentum than a year ago.
"I feel confident in my team and I feel like we've been doing a good job," Byron said. "(There's) not really much to worry about."
