Byron Secures NASCAR Cup Series Regular Season Title at Richmond
William Byron clinched the NASCAR Cup Series regular season championship on Saturday night, finishing 12th in the Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway. His closest rival, teammate Chase Elliott, was involved in a multi-car crash before the halfway mark, finishing in the last position (38th).
Byron’s title earns him an additional 15 playoff points, marking his first regular-season championship. “It feels really good. The best 12th-place finish we’ve ever had,” Byron stated post-race. He acknowledged some challenge during the race, particularly after sustaining damage in the crash that eliminated Elliott.
“The night was a balance of trying to manage tires, and it got crazy on those couple of restarts,” he reflected. Byron led the point standings for 20 of 25 races this season and currently leads the series in stage points.
The significant collision occurred on lap 198 when Kyle Busch’s spin initiated a chain reaction, taking out Elliott and impacting Byron. “I was kind of losing my mind there for a minute,” Byron noted, referencing the chaos.
With one regular-season race remaining at Daytona International Speedway, where Byron won the Daytona 500 earlier this year, he aims to replicate this success. “I’m going to try to be up front and do all the things that it takes to win the race,” he asserted, emphasizing the need for an aggressive approach despite the inherent risks.
Byron will enter the postseason with at least 32 playoff points, positioning him strongly as the series transitions to its playoff phase.
