‘I’ve Always Wanted It Really Bad’

William Byron is one of the most intriguing drivers in NASCAR.

The 27-year-old, North Carolina native is obviously one of the top names in the motor sport, racing as one of the four drivers for the prestigious Hendrick Motorsports organization.

Following last weekend’s race at Sonoma, Byron is the No. 1 driver in the NASCAR Cup Series standings. In fact, three of the top racers in the standings entering this weekend’s race at Dover Motor Speedway are Hendrick Motorsports racers, with Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson rounding out the top three.

“It just says that I feel like we just do a really good job as teams,” says Byron in a one-on-one interview. “I’d say there’s been other teams that have been really fast this year. We’ve had our fair share of races when we’ve been really fast, but I think that just all three, four teams have done a good job executing and just working together. That’s the strength, is in our people and just the way that we interact and work as a team.”

While Larson (32 years old) and Elliott (29 years old) are a bit more established as not only older and more experienced drivers, they’ve both finished No. 1 in the cup standings, with Larson winning it all in 2021 and Elliott winning it in 2020. Both have established legacies, with Larson already having been named one of the 75 greatest NASCAR drivers of all time and Elliott coming from a motorsport family, with his dad being Bill Elliott.

Byron may not come from a racing family, but he’s arguably the top young driver in the sport. He’s finished No. 3 in the standings in back-to-back years and he’s on the doorstep of being that guy that finishes on top when it’s all said and done. His story is even more interesting considering he didn’t grow up racing on the track – he learned how to drive and race through a simulator.

“I feel like I’ve always wanted it really bad,” says Byron. “Now it’s just trying to do it in a smart way. Just trying to be smart about my approach and channeling that motivation towards the right thing. It’s always a little bit that you learn throughout the years and it’s never been from a lack of effort. Just trying to dial in what I need to do on the track and with my team.”

William Byron On 2025 Season So Far: ‘Every Team Goes Through Their Ups And Downs’

Byron will obviously have to start showing a little more consistency as the season progresses if he hopes to achieve his goal. The back-to-back Daytona 500 winner — he’s just the fifth driver to accomplish that feat — has had bright spots this season, but he’s also had some rough patches.

The Charlotte, North Carolina native finished 28th or lower in four of five races prior to Sonoma, including posting his worst weekend of the season in Chicago with a DNF (40th-place) finish after his car encountered a clutch issue.

He bounced back with a strong finish in Sonoma, posting an eighth-place finish. He was actually second for most of the day and maintains a slim 14-point lead over his teammate Elliott entering the stretch run of the season. There are only six races to go before the playoffs start.

“Every team kind of goes through their ups and downs,” said Byron just prior to the race in Sonoma. “For us, it’s a long season and really just trying to get back on track this weekend. We’ve done a really good job, just getting qualified well and just bringing a good car, good preparation throughout the week with the simulator and all the different conversations.

Byron says he feels he’s driving “better” than he’s ever had, which is something that is key if the 27-year-old is to finish with his first NASCAR Cup Series win this season.

“What I’m really confident about this year with our team is we have a lot of speed, so we’ve just been fast, and just that’s all across the board,” says Byron. “The car preparation, the engineers doing a good job, the setup, and then me driving the car to the potential and the limits. I feel like I’m driving better than I ever have, and feel like our team is just working really well. It’s a long season, so you just have to keep that up.”

William Byron On Importance Of Valvoline To His And Hendrick Motorsports: ‘It’s Such An Iconic Brand’

The Hendrick Motorsports star is sponsored by a number of prominent names, but arguably the most prominent brand you’ll see on his car during the 2025 season is Valvoline. Byron sported the trademark blue paint scheme of Valvoline for this past weekend’s race in Sonoma and features the look six races a year.

Valvoline is known as the original motor oil and has been around since 1866. The brand is obviously known for its “Restore and Protect” product– it’s also it’s most advanced engine oil — but it plays a pivotal role in the success Byron has on the track. Valvoline was a partner of Hendrick Motorsports from 1993 until 1995 before its current partnership with the dominant motorsports brand, starting in 2014.

“Valvoline’s history and NASCAR goes way back,” says Byron of Valvoline. “Just growing up, watching Mark Martin race and all the various paint schemes. When I got started with Hendrick, probably two-to-three years into my career, I got connected with Valvoline and started to race their cars. It’s a lot of pride in racing their car, because it’s such an iconic brand, in motorsports and just in general.”

Byron won the race at Watkins Glen while sporting the Valvoline paint scheme — in was in the white color scheme look — back in 2023. He hopes to repeat that same success with the car moving forward.

“I feel like a lot of friends and family and people watching, they always recognize the Valvoline car,” says Byron. “It’s been fun to carry those colors and hopefully get a win soon. I won the road course with them at Watkins Glen. Just trying to hopefully get another one soon.”

As Byron says, the “history” between Valvoline and Hendrick Motorsports is something that is key as both iconic brands continue its relationship. Hendrick Motorsports has seen three of its drivers win the NASCAR Cup Series title over the past decade while sponsored by Valvoline.

“Just the history, like I talked about, and the consumer relationship,” says Byron of why Valvoline is pivotal towards his and Hendrick Motorsports’ success.

His teammate, Larson, also sports the Valvoline paint scheme and it alternates throughout the season. Larson’s car leans heavily on the red paint scheme in contrast to Byron’s blue paint scheme.

“The blue is really nice this year,” says Byron. “We’ve never really had a bad scheme, but I think it definitely looks sharp and fits me really well. Blue is my favorite color as you can tell, so it’s just kind of a good scheme.”