Hendrick Motorsports announced Tuesday that William Byron, the NASCAR Cup Series’ newest first-time winner, has signed a contract extension that will keep him in the No. 24 Chevrolet through the 2022 season.
Byron, 22, has been with the Rick Hendrick-owned organization since his rookie season of 2018. He became a first-time winner last Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway, landing a playoff-clinching victory in his 98th Cup Series start. According to Hendrick Motorsports, Byron signed his extension Aug. 8, before his Daytona victory.
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The personnel move adds another puzzle piece to Hendrick Motorsports’ driver lineup for next season and beyond. Chase Elliott signed a four-year extension in June 2017 with the Hendrick No. 9 team through 2022. Alex Bowman re-upped with the Hendrick group in mid-May, securing him in the No. 88 Chevy through next season. That leaves only the No. 48 Chevrolet ride unresolved as the organization aims to replace Jimmie Johnson, the seven-time champion who will end his full-time career at season’s end.
https://twitter.com/WilliamByron/status/1300878261849862151
Byron has tried to replicate the performance gains of last season in the 2020 campaign. He won five Busch Pole Awards in 2019 and notched five top-five finishes, but until his Daytona breakthrough, Byron had only placed among the top five once this year — an output that had him firmly on the playoff bubble.
Byron is in his second season paired with crew chief Chad Knaus, who was a key part of Johnson’s march to seven Cup Series titles. Byron has qualified for the 16-driver playoff field in both seasons with Knaus atop the No. 24 pit box.
Byron won the 2017 championship in the NASCAR Xfinity Series driving for HMS-affiliated JR Motorsports. He has four Xfinity Series wins and seven in the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series. Byron also won the 2015 title in what is now called the ARCA Menards Series East.