So, what does winning two consecutive Daytona 500s get you? Well, apparently, it gets you a long-term deal with one of the sport’s top teams. Hendrick Motorsports announced Friday that William Byron, their No. 24 Chevrolet driver, has earned himself a four-year contract extension running until 2029.
Byron’s been making waves in the NASCAR Cup Series since his debut in 2018. The 27-year-old has racked up 14 wins since 2020, 13 of them with crew chief Rudy Fugle. Together, they’ve been a formidable duo, boasting the second-highest victory count in the Cup Series over the past few years.
“We’ve built something special with the No. 24 team,” Byron said in the press release. “I’m thankful for the chance to keep working with the incredible people at Hendrick Motorsports who believe in me, especially Mr. and Mrs. Hendrick. We’ve achieved a lot that we’re proud of, but we have even bigger goals ahead. I’m excited to chase them down with this team and organization.”
In February, Byron cemented his place in history by winning his second straight Daytona 500, joining an elite group of just 13 drivers who’ve won the “Great American Race” more than once. Byron’s back-to-back victories in the season-opening event are the first since Denny Hamlin’s run in 2019-2020.
Since 2019, Byron has consistently made the Cup Series Playoffs and reached the Championship 4 in the last two seasons. His recent Daytona 500 win has provisionally locked him into the 2025 postseason, and he currently sits second in the Cup Series standings, trailing only his Hendrick teammate Kyle Larson.
Before stepping up to the Cup Series in 2018, Byron was a powerhouse in the Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series, winning a total of 11 races and clinching the Xfinity championship in 2017.
The contract extension comes just in time for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, conveniently located near the Hendrick Motorsports massive headquarters.
“William is the real deal,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports, in the press release. “He’s got natural talent and an incredible work ethic. The greats could rely on their talent alone, but they choose to outwork everyone else – that’s William. On top of that, he’s a high-character guy and embraces his role as a leader. We’re proud to have him and look forward to many more wins together.”
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.