24 WILLIAM BYRON
Age: 23 (Nov. 29, 1997)
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle
Standings: 13th
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No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
HOMESTEAD DOMINATION: Starting Sunday’s race at Homestead-Miami Speedway from the 31st position, William Byron went to work and powered his No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE toward the front of the field before the end of Stage 1. Continuing to run up front for the majority of the race, Byron won stage two before leading the final 57 laps of the 267-lap event, scoring his second NASCAR Cup Series win. With his win Sunday, Byron became the youngest winner at Homestead-Miami Speedway and gave crew chief Rudy Fugle his first Cup win after just three races in the series.
WILLY B BROUGHT THE HEAT: Not only did Sunday mark Byron’s second Cup win, but it was statistically his best overall race to date in the series. Despite starting 31st, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native rocketed to the front of the field and spent 80 percent of the race in the top five; his highest percentage ever. Of the event’s 267 laps completed, Byron spent 115 running in the top-two positions, also his most ever in a race. Byron ended the night with an average running position of 3.9, another personal best.
LOCKED IT IN: With his win Sunday, Byron has all but secured a position in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Currently he has six playoff points to his credit – the most of any driver so far this season.
EYES OUT FRONT: Just three races into 2021, Byron has already led 102 laps – the second-most by any driver in the field. Denny Hamlin leads the category with 103 laps out front, just one more than Byron. The 23-year-old led the final 57 laps at Homestead, and his 102 laps led during the event was more than double his total prior laps led in any Cup race.
LOOKING FOR LUCK: When the No. 24 Liberty University Chevy Camaro ZL1 1LE unloads for Sunday’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, it will mark Byron’s seventh Cup Series start at the 1.5-mile track. In his six previous starts, Byron has a track-best finish of seventh (September 2019). However, the driver’s stats at Las Vegas don’t accurately represent the strength the No. 24 team has displayed there. Last February, Byron ran solidly inside the top five before a flat tire late in the race resulted in a 22nd-place finish. In September, he rallied through the field to find himself within the top-10 running order, but an incident with six laps to go relegated him to a 25th-place result.
VIVA LAS RUDY: Hot off his first win in the NASCAR Cup Series, Fugle is confident heading to a track where he has had success in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Calling the shots for 10 truck races, Fugle has one win (March 1, 2019) with driver Kyle Busch, four top-five finishes, six top-10s, three pole awards and 238 laps led at Las Vegas. In 2016, Byron and Fugle qualified 10th and raced to a fifth-place finish at the 1.5-mile venue.
WELCOME BACK LIBERTY U: For the first time in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, Byron will sport his new Liberty University paint scheme. Now featuring a white base with navy flames and red accents, the Liberty University No. 24 will be sure to stand out on track. Liberty University’s has a history of sponsoring Byron dates back to 2014 in the late model ranks. Liberty University has been Training Champions for Christ since it was founded in 1971. Located in the mountains of Central Virginia, Liberty is a liberal arts institution with 17 colleges and schools that offers more than 600 degree programs from the certificate to the doctoral level, on campus and online. Working on an undergraduate degree in communications, Byron is in his junior year at Liberty University through its online program. For a better look at Byron’s new Liberty University paint scheme, click here.
William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on being virtually locked into the playoffs so early in the season: “We can be more aggressive now. At the same time, we know what it takes to win and be successful, so we don’t have to do anything much different, either. We can be a little more aggressive with the calls on pit road and the strategy calls to get track position and hold it. I feel like at Las Vegas we can be strong. We just need to go there and execute similarly to how we did last weekend in Homestead.”
Byron on racing at Las Vegas: “Vegas has become really fun to race and a really good track for us on the No. 24 team. It’s a challenge, though. You need to have a car that can be dynamic and change lanes around the track. The top of turns three and four is a really good place to run, especially if your car is a little loose. I think Vegas puts on a really good race with this aero package and it brings out the best. You can draft up on guys but still get clean air in the corners to make a pass on someone. Plus, the restarts are crazy. I really enjoy it.”
Byron on the bumps at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: “The bumps there are a bit challenging. You have to hit them facing the right way and not pointing up the track. It can really kill momentum if you’re carrying too much speed over them because the front of the car or the back of the car, even both, gets out of the track. It’s really important to time those well. There’s so much speed made in having a smooth turn one and turn two that it’s really important to get through there fast and carry good momentum. It’s a challenge, for sure, but it’s fun to maneuver as a driver.”
Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on the team’s confidence heading into Vegas: “I’ve said it before but the No. 24 team has all the pieces it needs to be successful and win races. There are areas we need to work on, but we’ll keep getting better and better as time goes on. We know we’re capable of winning races. Now it’s working on becoming a championship team, and that will happen if we all keep putting the work in like we have. We’re all very driven to reach our goals, and nothing pushes someone harder than success. We have win number one under our belts. Now it’s time to focus and execute on this weekend’s race.”
Fugle on what it takes to run well at Vegas: “Racing in Vegas during March will bring cooler temperatures than when we race there during the playoffs. Partner that with the 550 (horsepower) package we run and it’ll make for an interesting race. You’ll see some drafting throughout the day. The important thing is that you have a car that has enough speed but also handles really well. It’s a fine line of balance. Vegas is also a track where the restarts are more intense than ever, so track position is also a key factor.”
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
