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According to multiple reports, 19-year-old NASCAR XFINITY Series standout William Byron will drive Hendrick Motorsports No. 5 Chevrolet in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series next year.
Motorsport.com, NBC Sports and ESPN are reporting via sources that Byron has been tabbed to take over for veteran Kasey Kahne.
Kahne has driven the No. 5 since 2012. Hendrick Motorsports announced Monday that the team would not retain Kahne in 2018.
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Byron is a three-time winner in the XFINITY Series this season driving for Earnhardt’s JR Motorsports team. Rick Hendrick signed the prospect in 2016.
Byron won seven times and finished fifth in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series last year as an 18-year old in his first full-time season of competition in NASCAR’s national series.