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Hendrick Motorsports driver and COTA winner William Byron celebrated his second win of the season with Breaking Bad actor Giancarlo Esposito.
After undergoing a run of lackluster performances following his Daytona 500 win, William Byron found his stride at the Circuit of the Americas. The driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet first secured a pole position before successfully converting his Busch Light Pole to a race win at the road course surface.
With the win, Byron became the first driver to register more than one victory in the 2024 Cup Series campaign, solidifying his place into the playoffs. The 26-year-old driver now has 12 Cup Series career wins, with eight of those coming in the 2023 and the ongoing campaigns.
As he basked in the victory lane, William Byron was seen celebrating alongside American actor and the star of the famous TV series "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul," Giancarlo Esposito. Esposito, who is worth $8 million (according to Celebrity Net Worth), is known for his role as "Gusatvo Fring" or "Gus" in both shows.
Esposito was announced as the Grand Marshal for the race in Austin, Texas, weeks prior to the weekend. He gave out the "Start Your Engines" command ahead of the release of his brand-new AMC/AMC+ series "Parish."
William Byron reflects on his second win of the season
Speaking to RACER after the race, Byron emphasized the importance of trusting the process and maintaining confidence in his abilities. He said:
"I just feel like it reaffirms that the process that I’m doing during the week is correct. So, if I do those things that I know are right and the people around me are there to help me do those things and keep the ship kind of going, I know that stuff works."
Byron also expressed gratitude for his team's support and highlighted the significance of staying true to his routine amidst the challenges of the sport. He said:
"I have a great team. I think when I’m able to plug into what we’re doing as a whole, Rudy and I are able to have conversations during the week, and I get to a place where I feel confident, all that stuff clicks."
After six races, William Byron is ranked sixth in the NASCAR Cup Series standings. Meanwhile, Joe Gibbs Racing veteran Martin Truex Jr. leads the standings with 220 points.
