William Byron is one of the most intriguing drivers in NASCAR.

The 27-year-old, North Carolina native is obviously one of the top names in the motor sport, racing as one of the four drivers for the prestigious Hendrick Motorsports organization.

Following last weekend’s race at Sonoma, Byron is the No. 1 driver in the NASCAR Cup Series standings. In fact, three of the top racers in the standings entering this weekend’s race at Dover Motor Speedway are Hendrick Motorsports racers, with Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson rounding out the top three.

“It just says that I feel like we just do a really good job as teams,” says Byron in a one-on-one interview. “I’d say there’s been other teams that have been really fast this year. We’ve had our fair share of races when we’ve been really fast, but I think that just all three, four teams have done a good job executing and just working together. That’s the strength, is in our people and just the way that we interact and work as a team.”

While Larson (32 years old) and Elliott (29 years old) are a bit more established as not only older and more experienced drivers, they’ve both finished No. 1 in the cup standings, with Larson winning it all in 2021 and Elliott winning it in 2020. Both have established legacies, with Larson already having been named one of the 75 greatest NASCAR drivers of all time and Elliott coming from a motorsport family, with his dad being Bill Elliott.

Byron may not come from a racing family, but he’s arguably the top young driver in the sport. He’s finished No. 3 in the standings in back-to-back years and he’s on the doorstep of being that guy that finishes on top when it’s all said and done. His story is even more interesting considering he didn’t grow up racing on the track – he learned how to drive and race through a simulator.

“I feel like I’ve always wanted it really bad,” says Byron. “Now it’s just trying to do it in a smart way. Just trying to be smart about my approach and channeling that motivation towards the right thing. It’s always a little bit that you learn throughout the years and it’s never been from a lack of effort. Just trying to dial in what I need to do on the track and with my team.”

William Byron On 2025 Season So Far: ‘Every Team Goes Through Their Ups And Downs’

Byron will obviously have to start showing a little more consistency as the season progresses if he hopes to achieve his goal. The back-to-back Daytona 500 winner — he’s just the fifth driver to accomplish that feat — has had bright spots this season, but he’s also had some rough patches.

The Charlotte, North Carolina native finished 28th or lower in four of five races prior to Sonoma, including posting his worst weekend of the season in Chicago with a DNF (40th-place) finish after his car encountered a clutch issue.

He bounced back with a strong finish in Sonoma, posting an eighth-place finish. He was actually second for most of the day and maintains a slim 14-point lead over his teammate Elliott entering the stretch run of the season. There are only six races to go before the playoffs start.

“Every team kind of goes through their ups and downs,” said Byron just prior to the race in Sonoma. “For us, it’s a long season and really just trying to get back on track this weekend. We’ve done a really good job, just getting qualified well and just bringing a good car, good preparation throughout the week with the simulator and all the different conversations.

Byron says he feels he’s driving “better” than he’s ever had, which is something that is key if the 27-year-old is to finish with his first NASCAR Cup Series win this season.

“What I’m really confident about this year with our team is we have a lot of speed, so we’ve just been fast, and just that’s all across the board,” says Byron. “The car preparation, the engineers doing a good job, the setup, and then me driving the car to the potential and the limits. I feel like I’m driving better than I ever have, and feel like our team is just working really well. It’s a long season, so you just have to keep that up.”

William Byron On Importance Of Valvoline To His And Hendrick Motorsports: ‘It’s Such An Iconic Brand’

The Hendrick Motorsports star is sponsored by a number of prominent names, but arguably the most prominent brand you’ll see on his car during the 2025 season is Valvoline. Byron sported the trademark blue paint scheme of Valvoline for this past weekend’s race in Sonoma and features the look six races a year.

Valvoline is known as the original motor oil and has been around since 1866. The brand is obviously known for its “Restore and Protect” product– it’s also it’s most advanced engine oil — but it plays a pivotal role in the success Byron has on the track. Valvoline was a partner of Hendrick Motorsports from 1993 until 1995 before its current partnership with the dominant motorsports brand, starting in 2014.

“Valvoline’s history and NASCAR goes way back,” says Byron of Valvoline. “Just growing up, watching Mark Martin race and all the various paint schemes. When I got started with Hendrick, probably two-to-three years into my career, I got connected with Valvoline and started to race their cars. It’s a lot of pride in racing their car, because it’s such an iconic brand, in motorsports and just in general.”

Byron won the race at Watkins Glen while sporting the Valvoline paint scheme — in was in the white color scheme look — back in 2023. He hopes to repeat that same success with the car moving forward.

“I feel like a lot of friends and family and people watching, they always recognize the Valvoline car,” says Byron. “It’s been fun to carry those colors and hopefully get a win soon. I won the road course with them at Watkins Glen. Just trying to hopefully get another one soon.”

As Byron says, the “history” between Valvoline and Hendrick Motorsports is something that is key as both iconic brands continue its relationship. Hendrick Motorsports has seen three of its drivers win the NASCAR Cup Series title over the past decade while sponsored by Valvoline.

“Just the history, like I talked about, and the consumer relationship,” says Byron of why Valvoline is pivotal towards his and Hendrick Motorsports’ success.

His teammate, Larson, also sports the Valvoline paint scheme and it alternates throughout the season. Larson’s car leans heavily on the red paint scheme in contrast to Byron’s blue paint scheme.

“The blue is really nice this year,” says Byron. “We’ve never really had a bad scheme, but I think it definitely looks sharp and fits me really well. Blue is my favorite color as you can tell, so it’s just kind of a good scheme.”

“We’re not just sponsoring a car,” Sherfick continued, “we’re showing up for our city, our state, and a sport that brings people together. This is about pride, perseverance, and racing toward what’s possible.”

The Brickyard 400 is scheduled for Sunday, July 27, with coverage on TNT, the IMS Radio Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

-Photo credit: Garage 66

Sherfick Companies, a family-owned commercial and residential construction business, has teamed back up with Josh Bilicki for a Garage 66 NASCAR Cup Series entry at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Sherfick Companies’ expertise in the central Indiana market continues to grow with more than 25 years of experience. In their construction projects, they offer the highest quality builds, materials, and service in both commercial and residential settings. Sherfick also provides property management services that include property maintenance, lease compliance, vacancy marketing, tenant placement, rent collection, on-call contractors, and managers.

The 2025 Brickyard 400 Presented by PPG comes on the heels of Bilicki’s impressive drive to P21 at the Chicago Street Couse, a Garage 66 team best since the debut of the NextGen car. The Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin native will be making his 105th premier series start and third in the Brickyard 400, a race in which he captured a Top
25 finish in his last running.

“I am excited to be back at the Brickyard with Sherfick Companies and Garage 66,” said Josh Bilicki. “Sherfick has been a great partner, and racing at Indianapolis is always special. We’re looking to build on our momentum from Chicago and put together another strong performance for the team and our partners.”

As a lifelong Hoosier and motorsports enthusiast, Sherfick Companies founder
Michael Sherfick expressed deep excitement about this collaboration:

“It’s an incredible honor to be a part of one of the most iconic races in the country, right here in our backyard at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Partnering with Josh Bilicki and the hardworking team at Garage 66 is a perfect alignment of passion, grit, and commitment to excellence—values we live by at Sherfick Companies every day.”

“We’re not just sponsoring a car,” Sherfick continued, “we’re showing up for our city, our state, and a sport that brings people together. This is about pride, perseverance, and racing toward what’s possible.”

The No. 66 Sherfick Companies Ford Mustang Dark Horse entry will be the fifth Brickyard 400 for Carl Long’s Statesville, North Carolina operation. The best NASCAR Cup Series finish in team history came at Indianapolis in 2017.

Catch the 400-mile battle from the World’s Greatest Race Course live on TNT on Sunday, July 27 at 2 pm ET. 50 minutes of practice take place on Friday, July 25 and qualifying follows on Saturday, July 26, with live coverage on TruTV.

Garage 66 PR

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are currently in an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR, and the latest news isn’t positive for the teams. On Wednesday, NASCAR said 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports have completed paperwork to compete as open teams starting at Dover Motor Speedway this weekend. Now, the sport could seek a repayment for the races with charters.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday rejected a request from 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports to continue racing with charters while they battle NASCAR in court, meaning their six cars will race as open entries this weekend at Dover, next week at Indianapolis and perhaps longer than that in a move the teams say would put them at risk of going out of business.

U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell denied the teams’ bid for a temporary restraining order, saying they will make races over the next couple of weeks and they won’t lose their drivers or sponsors before his decision on a preliminary injunction.

Bell left open the possibility of reconsidering his decision if things change over the next two weeks.

After this weekend, the cars affected may need to qualify on speed if 41 entries are listed — a possibility now that starting spots have opened.

“We are disappointed that the court declined to grant 23XI and Front Row Motorsports a temporary restraining order to allow the teams to continue racing as chartered teams,” the teams’ attorney Jeffrey Kessler said in a statement. “We remain confident that our motion for a preliminary injunction is legally warranted and necessary, and we look forward to the court’s full review.”

23XI, which is co-owned by retired NBA great Michael Jordan, and FRM filed their federal suit against NASCAR last year after they were the only two organizations out of 15 to reject NASCAR’s extension offer on charters.

“We made the decision to bring this lawsuit to challenge NASCAR’s monopolistic practices and bullying tactics, and we are not going to let them push our teams – or others – out of the sport that they love,” Kessler’s statement said. “We are confident in the merits of our case and the teams remain focused on competing this weekend and continuing their playoff push.”

The case has a Dec. 1 trial date, but the two teams are fighting to be recognized as chartered for the current season, which has 16 races left. A charter guarantees one of the 40 spots in the field each week, but also a base amount of money paid out each week.

Jordan and FRM owner Bob Jenkins won an injunction to recognize 23XI and FRM as chartered for the season, but the ruling was overturned on appeal earlier this month, sending the case back to Bell.

Three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin co-owns 23XI with Jordan and said they were prepared to send Tyler Reddick, Bubba Wallace and Riley Herbst to the track each week as open teams. They sought the restraining order Monday, claiming that through discovery they learned NASCAR planned to immediately begin the process of selling the six charters which would put “plaintiffs in irreparable jeopardy of never getting their charters back and going out of business.”

“This is a fair and significant fear; however, NASCAR has agreed that it ‘will not sell any charters before the court can rule on plaintiffs’ motion for preliminary injunction,’” Ball wrote. “Similarly, plaintiffs worry that denying them guaranteed entry into the field for upcoming races could adversely impact their competitive standing, including their ability to earn a spot in the playoffs. Again, a legitimate, potentially irreparable harm. Yet, akin to the sale of charters, NASCAR represents to the court that all of plaintiffs’ cars will qualify (if they choose to race) for the races in Dover and Indianapolis that will take place during the next 14 days.”

Making the field won’t be an issue this weekend at Dover as fewer than the maximum 40 cars are entered. But should 41 cars show up anywhere this season, someone slow will be sent home and that means lost revenue and a lost chance to win points in the standings.

Reddick was last year’s regular-season champion and raced for the Cup Series championship in the season finale. But none of the six drivers affected by the court ruling are locked into this year’s playoffs.

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday rejected a request from 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports to continue racing with charters while they battle NASCAR in court, meaning their six cars will race as open entries this weekend at Dover, next week at Indianapolis and perhaps longer than that in a move the teams say would put them at risk of going out of business.

U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell denied the teams’ bid for a temporary restraining order, saying they will make races over the next couple of weeks and they won’t lose their drivers or sponsors before his decision on a preliminary injunction.

Bell left open the possibility of reconsidering his decision if things change over the next two weeks.

After this weekend, the cars affected may need to qualify on speed if 41 entries are listed — a possibility now that starting spots have opened.

“We are disappointed that the court declined to grant 23XI and Front Row Motorsports a temporary restraining order to allow the teams to continue racing as chartered teams,” the teams’ attorney Jeffrey Kessler said in a statement. “We remain confident that our motion for a preliminary injunction is legally warranted and necessary, and we look forward to the court’s full review.”

23XI, which is co-owned by retired NBA great Michael Jordan, and FRM filed their federal suit against NASCAR last year after they were the only two organizations out of 15 to reject NASCAR’s extension offer on charters.

“We made the decision to bring this lawsuit to challenge NASCAR’s monopolistic practices and bullying tactics, and we are not going to let them push our teams – or others – out of the sport that they love,” Kessler’s statement said. “We are confident in the merits of our case and the teams remain focused on competing this weekend and continuing their playoff push.”

The case has a Dec. 1 trial date, but the two teams are fighting to be recognized as chartered for the current season, which has 16 races left. A charter guarantees one of the 40 spots in the field each week, but also a base amount of money paid out each week.

Jordan and FRM owner Bob Jenkins won an injunction to recognize 23XI and FRM as chartered for the season, but the ruling was overturned on appeal earlier this month, sending the case back to Bell.

Three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin co-owns 23XI with Jordan and said they were prepared to send Tyler Reddick, Bubba Wallace and Riley Herbst to the track each week as open teams. They sought the restraining order Monday, claiming that through discovery they learned NASCAR planned to immediately begin the process of selling the six charters which would put “plaintiffs in irreparable jeopardy of never getting their charters back and going out of business.”

“This is a fair and significant fear; however, NASCAR has agreed that it ‘will not sell any charters before the court can rule on plaintiffs’ motion for preliminary injunction,’” Ball wrote. “Similarly, plaintiffs worry that denying them guaranteed entry into the field for upcoming races could adversely impact their competitive standing, including their ability to earn a spot in the playoffs. Again, a legitimate, potentially irreparable harm. Yet, akin to the sale of charters, NASCAR represents to the court that all of plaintiffs’ cars will qualify (if they choose to race) for the races in Dover and Indianapolis that will take place during the next 14 days.”

Making the field won’t be an issue this weekend at Dover as fewer than the maximum 40 cars are entered. But should 41 cars show up anywhere this season, someone slow will be sent home and that means lost revenue and a lost chance to win points in the standings.

Reddick was last year’s regular-season champion and raced for the Cup Series championship in the season finale. But none of the six drivers affected by the court ruling are locked into this year’s playoffs.

___

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.