For Byron, NASCAR Cup Series success is all in the numbers

At 25 years old, William Byron is one of the youngest drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series. Byron’s age is becoming irrelevant, however, as his experience and maturation have brought him to the top of the sport.

Six years into driving for Hendrick Motorsports, Byron and the No. 24 team have found the sweet spot. Sunday afternoon at Darlington Raceway, Byron won for a series-leading third time. It is the first season in which he will have at least three wins.

Fifth in the championship point standings, Byron also leads the series in laps led (596). He is one top-10 finishes behind Christopher Bell for the most in the series (seven to Bell’s eight).

As a self-proclaimed stats guy, Byron knows his numbers better than anyone. And he knows those of the competition, too. So, when looking at the landscape of the Cup Series, does Byron feel he and his team get the respect they deserve for how they stack up in the pecking order?

“I’ve heard a lot of different opinions, but I think as a team, and statistically, I feel like we’re right where we need to be,” Byron says. “There are a couple of other guys who are really close or even a little bit better in some categories. Kyle [Larson] has been really strong; I feel like he’s really fast on some of the bigger tracks. Ross [Chastain] has some good stats.

“I look at all that stuff: laps led, average running position. All those things. I feel like, in most of the things I’ve looked at, we’re pretty good. I do have a couple of areas I feel like we could improve, and we’ll keep working on them.”

Byron is well on his way to leading the most laps he ever has in a single season. In looking ahead to later this year, Byron and the No. 24 team are positioning themselves for a deep playoff run with the help of playoff points. In that category, he also leads the series with 16.

In the last three and a quarter seasons, Byron has seven wins. And not only has he improved his finish in the standings each season, but Byron is improving his consistency each weekend to become a familiar presence for expected finishes if not wins.

Byron has been fast out of the blocks this year, but the mission now is to carry that momentum through the balance of the season. John Harrelson/Motorsport Images