Skip to main content

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

William Byron uninjured after hard wreck in shocking pit entry collision

Byron was despondent, saying, "For random shit to happen like that, it just sucks."

GettyImages-2240313551

Ty Dillon and William Byron, Las Vegas NASCAR Cup playoffs race

Photo by: Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

With 31 laps, William Byron's race came to a shocking and violent end. 

Byron had bobbled just before that, which handed the race lead to Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson

Soon after, the caution flew as the No. 24 crashed across the track in a bizarre incident. While trying to hunt Larson back down for the race lead, Ty Dillon (who was off-sequence), was trying to get to pit road.

Byron had no idea and slammed into the back of Dillon's car at a high rate of speed, absolutely destroying both race cars. John Hunter Nemechek spun as well as he avoided the massive impact. 

Read Also:

Both drivers walk away from huge crash

 

"What happened there?" radioed Dillon, bewildered. Both drivers were checked and released from the infield care center.

"I never saw him wave," said a gutted Byron after being released from the infield care center. "I never saw any indication that he was pitting, and it was probably 12 to 15 laps after we had pitted, so I thought the cycle was fully over. Nobody said anything to my spotter from what I know. I had zero idea. Everyone has been wrapping the paint really far around the corner and that's what I was doing.

“I was watching him and he missed the bottom a little bit and then he just started slowing and I had no idea what was going on. I'm just devastated. I had no indication, so obviously, I wouldn't have just driven through the back of him like that."

He then added, "For random shit to happen like that, it just sucks."

As for Dillon, here's his take on what transpired: "It was a rough day for us. My spotter told me that he let the 24 spotter know we were coming to pit road. Maybe I din't wave him off enough, but at this level, you kind of trust your spotters to do that. I don't know what we do different there.

"Hate it for the Hendrick guys, hate it for Chevrolet that it happened that way. But I'm not even looking out the mirror that point. I'm just trying to get onto pit road and he hit me hard. It's an unfortunate way for that to happen."

Byron, who placed 36th and won Stage 1, will leave Las Vegas 15 points below the cutline and fifth in the playoff standings.

Photos from Las Vegas - Race

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Aric Almirola, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota; Connor Zilisch, JR Motorsports Chevrolet

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Katherine Legge, Chevrolet

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Chris Buescher, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Las Vegas - Sunday, in photos

NASCAR Cup
46
Read Also:

Previous article Ryan Blaney crashes early at Las Vegas, title hopes in peril with last-place finish
Next article Denny Hamlin in tears as he surges to 60th career NASCAR Cup win in heroic drive

Top Comments