William Byron stays measured, opts for methodical refinement as NASCAR playoffs reach critical stretch

William Byron enters the Round of 12 looking steady but far from spectacular. The regular season champion has gone five straight races without a top-10 finish and comes to New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the only track on the calendar where he’s never cracked a top 10.

Still, Byron sits 24 points above the elimination line, enough cushion to breathe, but aware that the margin can disappear quickly across the next three weeks at Loudon, Kansas, and Charlotte’s road course.

The first round of the playoffs showed both his strengths and his limits. Byron was 21st at Darlington, 11th at Gateway, and 12th at Bristol. Those results weren’t disastrous, compared to the struggles of his Hendrick Motorsports teammates, but they lacked the polish of a championship push. Byron himself has acknowledged that the fight is long-term, not decided by one rough stretch.

"It’s kind of a marathon, within itself. Like there’s so many steps to this deal. So, the way this format is you just have to keep advancing and just hopefully you’re at your best when it counts," he said via Bob Pockrass.

That mindset carried into Loudon, where William Byron showed signs of rhythm. His No. 24 Chevrolet topped Saturday’s practice board at 127.834 mph, setting the tone for Hendrick in a place that has traditionally been a tough stop. In qualifying, he backed that up with a 29.373-second lap to secure P5, only behind Penske’s front-row duo of Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney, while playoff drivers had been struggling to get close to Josh Berry’s early benchmark.

William Byron (24) during the Enjoy Illinois 300 at WWT Raceway. Source: Imagn

When asked if the team made big changes, Byron downplayed it:

"No, I don’t think we’ve changed anything. I think we’ve just kind of just refined everything and just said, okay, maybe the things we need to focus on, we just got to get a little bit closer and better on those things. So, yeah, nothing’s changed. I mean, we’ve done this for so long and we’ve had a great season that it’s just kind of tried to refine and work on the things that are maybe missing... We knew this track will be tough. So coming here and having the day we’ve had is a good sign."

For William Byron, Loudon remains unfinished business. In 11 career starts, he has led just nine laps and no top-10 results, the only playoff track where he carries that blank space. Hendrick Motorsports hasn’t won here since Kasey Kahne in 2012, and the “Magic Mile” has remained a thorn in their side. Sunday offers them another chance to turn that record.

---

William Byron leads Hendrick trio to the playoffs at NHMS

William Byron (24) leads Kyle Larson (5) and Chase Elliott (9) during Duel 1 at Daytona. Source: Imagn

William Byron’s qualifying run placed him in the third row, clear of Hendrick Motorsports teammates Kyle Larson (16th) and Chase Elliott (27th). Alex Bowman, eliminated in the Round of 16, lined up seventh, showing pace but without playoff stakes.

For the three title-contending cars, the numbers show why Byron’s consistency is carrying weight. Elliott has never won at New Hampshire and has finished outside the top 10 in eight of 11 races there. Larson’s track record is better, but his recent form is not, with just two top-10s in the last seven races despite solid pace. That leaves Byron, whose ability to avoid disaster has him tied with Larson in second place in the playoff standings, +24 above the cut line, while Elliott hangs at just +5.

The field will also tackle a familiar tire setup this weekend. Goodyear’s Racing Eagle compound, the same used earlier this year at Martinsville, Richmond, North Wilkesboro, and Bowman Gray Stadium, will dictate pit calls and wear over the 301 laps.

For William Byron, the task is simple but demanding: turn refinements into results. A strong run at Loudon won’t clinch his semifinal spot, but it could be the turning point in restoring championship momentum.