William Byron dominates Martinville and qualifies for the final

By winning for the third time in his career on the Martinsville oval, William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports) once again secured his final place in NASCAR, Sunday in Phoenix.

Published 27/10/2025 à 08:30

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William Byron dominates Martinsville and qualifies for the final

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William Byron led 304 of the 500 laps contested in this penultimate round of the championship. The driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet arrived at Martinsville in a weak position, 36 points behind the fourth available spot for the final. The equation was therefore simple: he had to win if he wanted a chance at winning his first championship title.

While on paper it seemed like a formality, in reality Byron found himself battling for the entire second half of the race with Ryan Blaney's #12 Ford (Team Penske). The 2023 champion was in the same situation as Byron, and both drivers knew they were fighting for their playoff survival. With 44 laps to go, Byron finally found the opening with a slight contact, finishing the job by earning a third Grandfather Clock, and a spot in the championship finale.

“Damn, I have so much to say.”, Byron said with a broad smile. “Things always work out in the end. God often tests our resilience. We've been tested. It's just incredible. I'm at my wit's end. We're obviously going to Phoenix with the goal of giving it our all there.”

Byron thus joined the Joe Gibbs Racing duo of Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe, who had already secured their place by winning the previous two races on the schedule. One would be tempted to say "fortunately," since both Hamlin and Briscoe suffered engine problems and were forced to retire. The fourth and final spot for the final came down to points, and it was Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports) who managed to get his No. 5 Chevrolet to the right side of the cut line, seven points ahead of the Toyota Christopher Bell's No. 20 (Joe Gibbs Racing). This season's two strongest teams will therefore be in equal numbers in Phoenix. Of the four qualifiers, only Kyle Larson has already won a title, in 2021.

The Phoenix finale will already be historic in one respect, as for the first time since the introduction of the seventh-generation car, a Team Penske driver will not win the title. Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney have shared the crowns for the past three years, but neither managed to qualify for the finale this time.