William Byron fights through 'slugfest' to advance to first career Championship 4

For his first trip to the Championship 4, William Byron had to sweat it out. It was a fight the whole afternoon to make it. Despite a 30-point cushion entering the Xfinity 500, Byron had to race for his life in the NASCAR Playoffs.

William Byron didn’t have speed all day. However, he pushed through a slow car, made adjustments, and eventually, he got himself in the position he needed. Denny Hamlin almost pulled it off, but Byron kept it just close enough.

Even with high heat and failing A/C in his helmet, Byron fought. He didn’t give up and it paid off for him. His worst race in the playoffs and he didn’t let it take him out.

“Yeah man, I just obviously we were not very good,” Byron said to NBC after the race. “This [was] our worst race of the year. But these guys deserve it so much, they work so hard. Honestly with probably 50 to go I felt really really bad. I just had to drive the hell out of it and the guys stuck with me and they just kept motivating me through little bits and pieces and just keeping my mind straight. I’m just really thankful for them. It was just a, like you said a slugfest.

“Appreciate everyone racing me good there at the end. Congrats to Ryan that – was really happy for him, brother-in-law, he was really fast. But man we just had to hang on. I just had to dig a little bit deeper and I knew when I got out of the car I was just beat. The result means more than anything these guys work so hard and we’ve worked so hard all season and I’m just really proud of them.”

William Byron will race for a championship

Here’s some good and bad news. Good news, William Byron is in his first Championship 4 ever. He’s had a breakout year with six wins so far. Bad news, Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson are really good at Phoenix.

We can’t ignore Byron’s win at Phoenix. He won it on a few late restarts over Larson who was dominant on the day. Will we see the championship come down to multiple restarts or is it going to be like Martinsville today with green flag racing?

Another thing I don’t like, and this goes for Blaney and Christopher Bell as well, only Larson has been to a championship before. He knows how to win a title. With that experience, he should have an edge over the competition.

William Byron has his work cut out for him. However, he has a chance. In the NASCAR Playoffs, that’s all you can ask for.