“We’ve got a lot of high side”: William Byron’s crew chief exudes ‘huge’ confidence after regular season title triumph

William Byron officially clinched the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Regular Season Championship after his 12th-place finish at Richmond Raceway. And the No. 24 team crew chief is 'proud' of the feat, especially considering the summer slump.

The Hendrick Motorsports driver sealed the title with one race left. The win also gives him an additional 15 playoff points, providing him with valuable momentum heading into the postseason. Speaking to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio after the weekend, Byron's crew chief, Rudy Fugle, said:

"It's really, really cool for the team. Just a really proud moment, to kind of recognize the entire group. Everybody here at Hendrick and Chevrolet... We'd built up a huge lead early summer and then kind of went through that rough patch, lost the lead and being able to come back from that and grab it and then finish it a week early is huge. I think it's huge for the confidence of the team."

William Byron's run at Richmond was anything but straightforward. Trouble in Stage 2 struck teammate Chase Elliott, who was eliminated in a massive 11-car crash triggered by contact between Kyle Busch and Chase Briscoe. Byron was nearly clear of the incident before he clipped Elliott's spinning car, leaving damage to his splitter and door.

William Byron (24) during the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out 400 at Richmond. Source: Getty

But, he clawed back through strategy and grit before fading late on old tires. The 12th-place result was enough to seal the deal. For Byron, the grind of Richmond felt like a win in itself.

"It's really the best 12th-place finish I've ever had... We just kind of came in here, had a solid plan and executed it. This team has worked extremely hard. All the guys have worked hard through the summer months," Byron told NASCAR post-race.

That summer stretch was a test. After leading the standings for much of the first half, William Byron endured a string of poor results that included fuel issues at Michigan and a crash at Pocono, part of a five-race slump with finishes outside the top 25. Victory at Iowa and steady August results helped the team stabilize, setting the stage for Richmond's clincher.

Fugle admitted the rollercoaster nature of the year may have been a blessing in disguise (via SiriusXM NASCAR Radio):

"I kind of told the guys today, I felt like we peaked, around Charlotte to Michigan and then we kind of got to a valley and now we're working back up that peak again and we've got a lot of high side, upside coming up in the playoffs." (0:34 onwards)

With the regular season crown in hand, William Byron and the No. 24 team now turn their focus to the bigger prize - the Bill France Cup.

---

William Byron's championship outlook heading into the playoffs

William Byron before the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway. Source: Getty

William Byron has been with Hendrick Motorsports his entire Cup career, making the jump in 2018. He has qualified for the playoffs every season except his rookie year and even reached the Championship 4 in the last two years. However, the title has somehow slipped away each time, and it has been the case for other regular-season title holders as well.

Only once in the last five seasons has the regular-season champion gone on to win the Cup Series title. It serves as both a warning and a motivator. The No. 24 team knows momentum is vital, but execution in the playoffs is what separates the champions.

The final regular-season race is set for Daytona International Speedway, a track where the 27-year-old has been especially strong. Byron has won the last two Daytona 500s, the 2020 summer race, and has three additional top-fives on the superspeedway in the Next Gen car. With his knack for plate racing, Byron could end the regular season on an even higher note and strengthen his case as a true favorite for his first career championship.