William Byron knows move to Cup will be "challenging"

Sunday night after the race at Watkins Glen, the team owner offered Byron the No. 5 ride at Hendrick Motorsports.

The 19-year-old Liberty University student didn’t hesitate with his reply.

“I’m ready,” Hendrick recounted of his driver during a teleconference on Wednesday.

That’s all Hendrick needed to hear before sealing the deal.

“It was a special moment,” Hendrick said. “Just to see his face and the excitement there, those are real special moments when you can break the news.”

Byron's meteoric rise

Although he’s relied on veterans to carry the HMS banner for most of the organization’s 34 seasons in NASCAR, Byron’s character, along with his meteoric rise through the Camping World Truck and Xfinity Series, sold Hendrick on the teen.

“I’ve known William since he was 14,15-years-old — and I’ve watched him,” Hendrick said. “I think the thing that impressed me so much with William was his ability to win so many races in the truck series — becoming the youngest guy to win. Then you look at the job he’s done in Xfinity this year, the youngest winner at Indy, how he goes to the front so quick, how he picks up on things. He’s fast and that speaks volumes for his talent in the car.

“But I think what impressed me probably more than anything about William, his last year as a senior at Country Day, he won the K&N Series, he was an honor student and was taking college courses and he became an Eagle Scout. When you do all that and fit it into here and excel in every area, that takes tremendous commitment, drive and determination. We’ve seen he’s got the talent, but his character is unbelievable. He’s very, very bright. He’s spends all his time studying or iRacing or in a simulator or in a race car. His rapid rate of success has blown us all away.”

In 2015, Byron scored four wins en route to the K&N Pro Series East title. The following season he posted seven wins, three poles, 11 top fives and 16 top 10s in his truck debut before an engine failure eliminated Byron from championship contention. As a rookie in the Xfinity Series with JR Motorsports, Byron ranks second in the standings with three wins, seven top fives and 14 top 10s in the first 20 races.

Stepping up to the challenge 

Although NASCAR’s Monster Energy Cup Series will certainly be a jump from the development tours, Byron isn’t intimidated by the challenge.

“For me, definitely it’s going to be a test and you’re going to have to match that intensity,” Byron said. “I have a great people around me. I’ve got a real a golden opportunity here at Hendrick Motorsports. As a kid, I grew up aspiring to do this. For me, it’s going to be a lot of fun. It’s going to be challenging at times. But I know that and I’m prepared for that.

“I just look forward to racing those guys and learning from them. I’ve had some conversations with Jimmie and different guys here at HMS and just knowing what the landscape is going to be at that level and trying to understand it and be ready to go next year.”

Byron will have continued support from Liberty University and Axalta in 2018. Hendrick did not rule out the possibility of Byron getting additional seat time in a Cup car later this year.

Kasey Kahne's future

As for Kasey Kahne’s tenure with HMS, Hendrick said, “We haven’t gotten the job done,” Hendrick said of the results from the No. 5 car. “I take full responsibility for that. For whatever reason, we weren’t getting it.”

When asked whether recruiting Byron while Kahne still had another year remaining on his contract, Hendrick replied,“I have an obligation to Kasey, so I’m paying two drivers next year. And I’m also trying to help Kasey in another situation that we could be involved with helping another team.

“So therefore, it’s not so much about money. It’s about the future and building for the future, getting a fresh start.”

That fresh start could be behind the wheel of a GMS Racing ride should the organization move up to the Cup Series next year. GMS has had ongoing talks regarding a technical alliance with Hendrick for 2018.

Hendrick doesn’t seem worried that the average age of his stable will drop considerably next season with the addition of Byron and Alex Bowman, 24, who is taking over for the No. 88 Chevy for Dale Earnhardt Jr. next season. Then there’s Chase Elliott, 21, just turned legal last year. He’ll rely on seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson to reel the youngsters in.

“Jimmie Johnson will be a mentor to all three of them,” Hendrick said. “We still have Jeff Gordon involved, and Dale Earnhardt’s going to be involved. He’s still going to be involved with the team, so we’ve got a lot of coaches. But the main thing is just not putting too much pressure on them and let them go out and learn.” 

For Byron, it will be a dream realized. He remembers going to the HMS campus as a kid and looking through the windows.

“The 5/24 (building), they have the window there, and I would walk up to that, and it’s pretty cool to be on the other side of it next year,” Byron said. “I feel like I’ve put the work into it, and I feel like I’m learning on the job, and that’s been the biggest thing for me, to learn from the best people I can have around me. Just looking forward to the future.”