Byron Eager To Duplicate His Daytona 500 Glory

William Byron is the defending champion of the Daytona 500. (John Harrelson/Nigel Kinrade Photography)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – There was no wiping the smile off of William Byron’s face a year ago after winning his first Daytona 500, and there was no hiding his smile Wednesday as he returned to Daytona Int’l Speedway to begin his defense of that victory.

Byron, Hendrick Motorsports’ 27-year-old standout from Charlotte, N.C., said he feels “more joy, more passion, and more excitement” coming back to the World Center of Racing as a Daytona 500 champion than he did before hoisting his first Harley J. Earl Trophy last February.

It’s an understandable statement. Though he’s yet to win a NASCAR Cup Series points title, Byron is already part of an elite fraternity within the sport with his Daytona 500 win, among the likes of Hall of Famers Richard Petty, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, Bobby Labonte, and more.

He tipped ahead of the race that he views the ‘500’ differently now. It’s not just a race, according to Byron, it’s a landmark.

“I feel like having experienced it the way it was last year really changed my perspective on the race as a whole, in a good way,” Byron said Wednesday during Daytona 500 Media Day. “I feel that’s created some more motivation to get another one. This race, it’s a lifetime achievement (to win it). It’s something people reference everywhere you go. It’s the first time in my career I’ve had something like that (to celebrate).

“It makes it cool, it makes it more special, because you can tell people care about the race.”

Something that has stuck with Byron – for good reason – is the miniature of the iconic Harley J. Earl Trophy that he was able to take home with him afterward. He noted it’s the most memorable thing that he took away from the festivities of last year’s win.

“I think just the trophy itself is probably the coolest thing,” Byron said. “The side effect I always thought about was all the media you had to do and what that would feel like, but it’s honestly been great. It’s not bad, but just the trophy itself is such a historic trophy and it’s unlike any other one I’ve had.”

With one Daytona 500 win comes the desire to win a second, and becoming a back-to-back champion of the Great American Race is something that has been rarely accomplished in NASCAR history.

The most recent driver to win consecutive Daytona 500s was Denny Hamlin in 2019-’20, and just four drivers – Hamlin, Sterling Marlin (1994-’95), Yarborough (1983-’84), and Petty (1973-’74) – have ever done so, period.

With that said, Byron admitted it’s not even something that has crossed his mind this early in the week, or really at all since winning last year’s event.

“I don’t really think about the history. There are so many things, so many boxes to check as this week goes,” he said. “Obviously, that’d be a great footnote after the race is over, but right now, there are so many things to get to that point. It’s just (about) thinking through all of my processes to get to the end on Sunday right now.”

William Byron in action at Daytona Int'l Speedway. (Scotte Sprinkle/Race Face Digital photo)

How does he accomplish the end goal, then? Byron said it comes down to positioning, a strong race car, and a decent amount of luck, given the unpredictability of the draft.

“The racing has gotten really tight and competitive (at Daytona), and everybody is sort of in a really tight gridlock nowadays, so it’s really hard to make moves,” said Byron. “Three-wide is tough to make. I feel like you’ve got to be up towards the front. Track position is really important, and you have to be toward the front side coming down to the end.

“I think in the past, you could see a guy win from 10th on the last lap, but I just don’t think that’ll happen with this package anymore. It’s just a process and you really can’t think too far ahead.”

Should Byron or one of his Hendrick teammates – Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, and Alex Bowman – win Sunday’s 67th running of the Great American Race, it will be the record 10th Daytona 500 victory for car winner Rick Hendrick, breaking a tie with Petty Enterprises for the most all-time.

It’s an accolade Byron hopes he can be the one to deliver Sunday night with a second straight victory celebration in Daytona Beach.

“Hendrick Motorsports has so much history as it is, and I feel like to add in another win would just be more to that. I’m excited for the week,” said Byron. “I’m really ready to get going. I feel like all of our teams are really prepared and we’re just ready to go.”

Byron will take to the track in the No. 24 Axalta Flames Chevrolet – echoing the 2005 Sam Bass-designed ‘Firestorm’ scheme carried by three-time Daytona 500 winner and Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman Jeff Gordon – Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET for the season-opening Daytona 500.

Broadcast coverage will air live on FOX, the Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.