William Byron: How I Proved Jeff Gordon Wrong

Summary

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Herm & Schrader Podcast – “William Byron: How I Proved Jeff Gordon Wrong”

Date: July 16, 2026
Host: Kenny Wallace
Guest: William Byron

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Overview

This lively, candid, and humorous episode features Daytona 500 champion William Byron joining Kenny Wallace for a deep dive into Byron's quick-rise career, his racing philosophies, relationship with Jeff Gordon, success at iconic short tracks, the legitimacy of iRacing as a career path, and life as a modern NASCAR star. Wallace, an unabashed Byron fan, gives listeners an inside look at what makes a true racer and how Byron proved doubters—including Jeff Gordon—wrong.

The conversation covers everything from pure racing passion and grassroots involvement to sponsor dinners, LEGO obsessions, contact lenses, and hard-hitting questions about driver pay in today’s NASCAR. Fans will get both in-depth racing talk and honest life insights.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Byron Keeps Racing Short Tracks

[03:50–05:30]

• Byron finds joy and motivation in racing short tracks across America (“just pure racing”), even as a Cup Series star.
• Returning to grassroots racing reminds him why he loves driving.

  "Going back to the short tracks is just a way for me to have fun and remember the reasons I drive race cars... it’s very pure."
  — William Byron, [03:57]

• He uses his own money to run these events; enjoys the “pure competition” compared to the business pressures of Cup.

2. Slinger Nationals & Physical Demands

[05:30–07:13]

• Byron details the challenge of winning at Slinger, one of America’s toughest short tracks.

  "Your tongue's hanging out every time you go there."
  — William Byron, [05:55]

• Both Wallace and Byron discuss the physical intensity of short tracks—being out of breath, dizzy during first practices, even at Bristol.

3. Daytona 500 Victory: Aftermath and Reflection

[07:13–16:30]

• Byron is still adjusting to the "crazy whirlwind" since his Daytona 500 win.

• Trophy sits center stage on his coffee table (“I don’t have much else, so…” [09:05]), a classic young champion move.

• Discusses how legends like Dick Trickle kept zero racing memorabilia at home—Byron isn’t quite there yet.

  Coincidences and Legacy:

  • Byron won in 2024, marking car #24, the 40th anniversary of Hendrick Motorsports, and a race run on Monday due to rain—just as team owner Rick Hendrick had mused.

    "Mr. H actually said at the partner event... how cool would it be if we won on Monday? 40 years to the day."
    — William Byron, [12:13]

  • Detailed explanation of Hendrick’s “partner event” and how vital sponsors are to the sport.

    "We're not racing without them for sure."
    — William Byron, [13:55]

  • Victory Lane for the Daytona 500 “lasts for days”—a different magnitude altogether.

    "When I got out of the car, I realized what the Daytona 500 is. It’s not just any other race."
    — William Byron, [15:40]

4. Inside the 2024 Daytona 500

[18:02–24:07]

• Breakdown of chaotic finish: three-wide, late-race crash, and winning move with help from fellow Ford driver.

  "Coming down to 10 laps to go... I was bouncing between the bottom and the middle. Somehow Bowman and I got clear... we got out of shape from him pushing me..."
  — William Byron, [18:50]

• The art of drafting: Fords push Chevys better than Chevys do each other; much of this is learned through trial, history, and limited practice.

• Conversation turns to manufacturer alliances versus self-preservation:

  “You can have a great game plan and then they drop the green flag… It’s 200 miles an hour… You can’t always just go where it sounds good to go.”
  — William Byron, [23:00]

• Wallace notes how team alliances echo Formula 1 at times.

5. Byron’s Unique Path: From iRacing to Cup Champion

[29:21–42:21, 33:56–40:27]

• Byron’s origin: 2011, at 13 watching Daytona (Trevor Bayne’s win) as a fan in the grandstands; 13 years later he’s the winner.

  "For all the kids listening...he was in the grandstands watching, and 13 years later, he became that dream."
  — Kenny Wallace, [28:46]

• iRacing was Byron’s proving ground. He’d run 300+ simulator races a year, learned from Dale Jr. and Landon Cassill interviews, and made the jump to real legend cars.

  "I felt like every step... I was always discredited because I was the kid that started on computers."
  — William Byron, [35:15]

• His real-car debut? Immediately a second faster than the field; word spreads.

• Byron’s advice for young drivers:

  "Keep the main thing the main thing...if you love driving race cars or working on them, it all falls into place."
  — William Byron, [40:27]

• Byron now embraces his sim-racer background, no longer feeling like an outsider.

  "As I've gotten older, I realized that's who I am... I try to embrace it now."
  — William Byron, [42:10]

6. Life as a Modern NASCAR Superstar

A. Vision and Equipment

[29:21–31:44]

• Byron races with contact lenses due to challenged vision since age 18; keeping them clean is crucial for performance.

  "If you have a contact issue, you're done...it's all about the preparation.”
  — William Byron, [31:44]

• Wallace cites this as inspiration for kids who may doubt themselves due to glasses or vision issues.

B. The 24 Car, Jeff Gordon, and Earning Respect

[52:56–54:44]

• Byron addresses the pressure and honor of inheriting the #24 car.
• Reveals Jeff Gordon was skeptical at first. Byron had to prove himself to Gordon and other doubters.

  "He was intimidating at first… as soon as I got through Xfinity and made a connection there, our relationship changed to… 'How can we make you successful in our Cup cars?'"
  — William Byron, [53:56]

• Now considers Gordon a friend and mentor; the two even drink coffee at Byron’s home.

C. LEGO Hobby and LEGO Masters Appearance

[56:05–57:24]

• Byron builds elaborate LEGO sets (“Titanic,” “LEGO piano”) for focus and relaxation.

  "The amount of focus it took and how it got me off my phone...it was very therapeutic."
  — William Byron, [56:05]

• Appeared with Jeff Gordon on “LEGO Masters” TV show.

7. On Rick Hendrick and Team Culture

[49:00–50:02]

• Rick Hendrick is described as a supportive, hands-on owner who always made Byron feel confident—especially during tough years when he wasn't getting results.

  "He never doubted me... he encourages me, and he makes every person at Hendrick Motorsports feel important."
  — William Byron, [49:00]

8. The Business: Driver Pay, Sponsorship & The Modern NASCAR Economy

[57:12–60:48]

• Wallace addresses rumors that young drivers like Byron are underpaid compared to former stars.

  "Is that false?...are drivers like you helping the team by making minimal pay?"
  — Kenny Wallace, [58:55]

• Byron’s response is honest:

  "That's mostly false. Definitely it's false for the great drivers or guys who are winning races...It's a performance sport, and that'll never change."
  — William Byron, [59:39]

• Emphasizes importance of drivers demanding value: “...the money you make as a driver is what people view you as, it’s your value.” [61:29]

9. NASCAR’s Present & Future: The Health of the Sport

[62:41–65:56]

• Byron feels NASCAR is in a great place—improved crowds, highly competitive racing, and a surge in excitement since COVID.

  "There is a lot of aggressive driving...the competition is breeding the excitement...I just wish we got back to that national level of coverage."
  — William Byron, [63:41]

• The return of Trackside Live, fan engagement, and contributions from young stars like Byron are bringing the sport “back to its roots.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On racing short tracks for pure joy:

  “No one at the short track level is worried about what they’re gonna say… it’s pure racing, and that’s what I enjoy.” – William Byron [03:57]

• On Daytona 500 win finally “sinking in”:

  “I finally got the trophy in the living room. So I think having that thing in my possession has been the moment that it’s sinking in.” – William Byron [08:31]

• Wallace calls Byron a “badass” after a Hickory short track duel:

  “At that time, I went, ‘He’s a badass.’” – Kenny Wallace [43:45]

• On the pressure and skepticism from Jeff Gordon:

  “He was intimidating at first...as soon as I got through the Xfinity Series...our relationship changed.” – William Byron [53:58]

• On embracing his iRacing background:

  “…That’s who I am. And that’s where I came from. So...I try to embrace it now.” – William Byron [42:10]

• On Rick Hendrick’s leadership:

  “He never doubted me...he made every person feel important.” – William Byron [49:00]

• Wallace, getting goosebumps over Byron’s journey:

  “For all the kids listening, the kid you’re looking at right now, he was in the grandstands watching. And 13 years later, he became that dream.” – Kenny Wallace [28:46]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Section | |------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:50 | Byron’s passion for short tracks | | 05:55 | The challenge of Slinger, short track physicality | | 07:13 | Daytona 500: Aftermath, trophy pride | | 12:13 | Numerology: 40 years, car 24, Monday victory | | 18:50 | Breakdown of Daytona 500 finish, manufacturer alliances | | 29:21 | Watching Daytona as a teen, iRacing journey | | 33:56 | Real-car debut and proving ground; advice to sim drivers | | 49:00 | Rick Hendrick’s support and team environment | | 52:56 | The #24, Jeff Gordon’s skepticism and later mentorship | | 56:05 | LEGO hobby, “LEGO Masters” appearance | | 58:55 | Driver pay and the modern economics of NASCAR | | 62:41 | The state and future of NASCAR, resurgence in fan support |

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Closing Thoughts

• Byron is honest and humble about his rapid ascent, skill, and the work required—and clear that enjoying the core of racing is what sustains him.
• He’s now seen as a role model for the next generation, especially sim-to-real drivers, and a fitting successor to legends like Jeff Gordon.
• Wallace repeatedly highlights Byron’s “real racer” credentials—short tracks, humility, and passion—while both men share mutual respect.
• The episode is rich in racing detail, personal memories, and advice for fans dreaming of their own NASCAR journey.

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This summary preserves the unscripted, conversational, and story-driven nature of the show, with direct quotes and vibrant moments for racing fans and newcomers alike.

Transcript

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[Kenny Wallace]

Hello everyone and welcome back to Ken Conversation brought to you by jegs, the leader in high performance aftermarket car parts. Remember to go to JEGS.com for everything you need to fix your hot rods or straight up vehicle. Fix them up. Well, as you can tell, I have a little different backdrop. I am in Pensacola, Florida and as brother Rusty says, I'm racing that old dirt car. But we had to stop everything because we are so lucky today to have one of the greatest race Car drivers in our era and the Daytona 500 champion, William Byron. William, welcome my friend.

[William Byron]

Thanks for having me, Kenny. I've been watching, so it's cool to be on.

[Kenny Wallace]

Well, you make an old man feel good, buddy. Ryan Blaney said the same thing. It makes me feel good that all you young guys watch Kenny. Conversation. Well, listen, let's get right at it. I'm gonna brag on you in a little bit, a little more. But I, I gotta, I gotta throw a disclaimer. I'm on the road and I always tell everybody, I do my notes, I don't have the printer with me, but I gotta make a disclaimer. Everybody. This is a message to all of you out there. I'm a big fan of William Byron and he knows why, so I might brag on him a little more than normal. William is a real racer. He goes to all the short tracks, whether it's Slinger, Wisconsin, Wisconsin, and he's a champion there. Slinger Nationals, Hickory, Snowball Derby, you name it. So he's one of us. And William, let's start right there, buddy.

[William Byron]

Yeah.

[Kenny Wallace]

What, what makes you go and pay it forward and go to all these short tracks throughout of America?

[William Byron]

Yeah, I mean, so when I got to the Cup Series, I felt like all that stuff disappeared for a little while and I felt like I was just racing the cup car and it became really like a business. I kind of forgot what, why I was doing it in some ways, and, and some of the fun kind of went away. So I feel like going back to the short tracks is just a way to. For me to have fun and remember what the reasons I drive race cars and, and just the pure competition of it. You know, no one at the. Not many people at the short track level are worried about, you know, what they're gonna say to talk about their sponsors and things like that. It's just really pure racing, and that's what I enjoy about it. You know, I spent some of my own money to go race cars the last few years, and I just enjoy. I don't know, I just enjoy the competition and everyone's. It's very pure.

[Kenny Wallace]

I noticed that one of your teammates, Chase Elliott, doesn't race as much as you, but it did. You know, I think his broken leg last year slowed him up a little bit. Do you and Chase ever compare what asphalt short track race you're going to do? You ever talk to him about that?

[William Byron]

Yeah, it comes up a little bit in, in passing, like in our competition meetings and stuff. I mean, we're not like worried about going to the same race or not, but we typically do a lot of the same ones just because they're during the week. But. But yeah, I mean, we definitely talk about it and I feel like we share a lot in common because that's really our background racing the Super Late Models. So for me and him, I feel like it a lot correlates, you know, to what we do on Sundays in those cars.

[Kenny Wallace]

Yeah, well, we're going to get to your stats in a little bit, but man, oh man, you won the Slinger Nationals and that's one of the toughest racetracks in the world, you know, just not America. That is a. I, I believe I ran like, I drove one of Matt Ken says cars there. When they repaved it, I think I ran a 9.93. I was getting it, man.

[William Byron]

Yeah, yeah, dude, it's. I think it's. I, I wish I remember exactly, but I think it's. I feel like it's 10 or 11 second lap times, like a mid 10 is. Is pretty good, but it's. Dude, it's. Your tongue's hanging out every time you go there. I've been there twice, and this past time I went there right after the Atlanta race in the summer and I had. I was like four or five hours of sleep and I went out and made a practice run and I could not. I could not get my breath to come back.

[Kenny Wallace]

It was. You know what's funny about that? First of all, let's let all the fans know you were the 2022 winner at the Slinger Nationals up there in Wisconsin, home of Matt Kenseth, the great Dick Trickle, Joe Shear, the legends of our sport. But yeah, you know where I find being out of breath is every year that I would. And I'm asking you this, every year, the first practice session at Bristol, just. I'm like, hold on. I'm dizzy. I'm like, okay, the car is doing this or I don't know yet.

[William Byron]

Yeah, no, it's the same way. I feel like it, honestly. Like you're kind of wondering to yourself, how am I going to do this for four hours? Because I'm just out of breath. But it's that way every year for sure.

[Kenny Wallace]

Yeah. And then the next practice session, we're ready to go. Well, that was just a little prelude to what we're going to talk about. And listen, you did it, my friend, as we just said from the short tracks. And you are a Daytona 500 champion. You know, I know that we had you on trackside live in Atlanta. But you know, hundreds of thousands of fans are watching this right now and they didn't hear us at Atlanta. So tell me a little bit, we'll go through a little bit of the race, but for right now, what's it feel like? Any new things happening or as things calm down?

[William Byron]

Man, I mean, they haven't calmed down yet. I feel like it's, it's just, it's just trying to get back in the normal routine. You know, we, yesterday we're at the simulator as a team and we do our meetings on Tuesday, so just doing all that stuff. But today we're doing. We shook hands with all the employees at Hendrick Motorsports and, and handed out some rings actually for last year. But, but yeah, I mean it's surreal. It's, it's been a crazy kind of whirlwind and it's cool. I finally got the trophy in the living room. So I think having that thing back, back in my possession has been the, been the moment that it's kind of sinking in.

[Kenny Wallace]

We have a little fun every once in a while. I don't think you'll, you'll mind me asking this. Where are you right now?

[William Byron]

So I'm at my house. So yeah, I, I live in Charlotte and I moved here about in July. So yeah, pretty new. But, but yeah.

[Kenny Wallace]

And the trophy's in there?

[William Byron]

It's in there, yeah.

[Kenny Wallace]

Are you, are you like the, the 26 year old kid? Is it like in your living room by your tv?

[William Byron]

It is. Is it on the, it's on the coffee table, so.

[Kenny Wallace]

Oh, hell yeah.

[William Byron]

I don't have much else, so it's.

[Kenny Wallace]

Oh, you got a lot. You got a lot. Hey, I, I gotta tell you this and I always remind everybody, this is Kenny conversation. This is not an interview. Years ago when I was your age, obviously I had everything in my living room and I went to my hero's house, Dick Trickle and I walked into his house and there was zero racing. Like if you would have walked in Dick Trickle's house, you would not even known he was a race car driver really. And he was a philosopher. Now you got, you got time yet. But I learned that there were so many peaks and valleys in racing that the message was there was a day that I said, okay honey, we're going to get rid of all, all the racing. Because when I come in the house, I gotta, I gotta, I look at a picture. Oh yeah, I had no plug because I'd look at the trophy, I'd look at A picture and it would take me back in time. So where is all your trophies at?

[William Byron]

Yeah, so, I mean I keep a lot of them in my office, which I don't have a real job, so I don't, I don't really do a lot of work in the office, but it, but I keep all of them in the, in the office there. And then I keep some of the trophies, you know, just scattered around the house. But a lot of the cool ones were just. I mean, obviously the cup wins and then the slinger nationals, that was a really cool one because it's got your name on it. So I like that one.

[Kenny Wallace]

We're, we got to get to the Daytona 500. But, but one more question, because my mind is racing. I went to Hendrick Motorsport and I think I went there and I, I went past one of the offices. I, and I think Jimmy Johnson, does Hendrick, does he give you each driver, does he give you your own space, your own office at Hendrick?

[William Byron]

So I don't have one, no. But I just share it with my crew chief and my, my team. But they, they changed the shop quite a bit A couple. A few years ago we all kind of went to the same. Working out of the same space. And so now we have like a 24 room 9548 and, and I spend most of my time in there.

[Kenny Wallace]

Okay. All right, so that started out with where's your Daytona 500 trophy? Morphed into where's all your trophies? And so that was a little fun. We knocked out a lot of information right there. Okay, so the Daytona 500. And we talk, We've already talked about this, but I'm going to say this again to you and I want you to respond. It became a numerical highlight in your career. In 2024, you win the Daytona 500 with car number 24.

[William Byron]

Yeah.

[Kenny Wallace]

And because of the, the rain out, because of you all racing on Monday, you literally win the Date Tournament 500 on the 40th year of existence of, of Hendrick Motorsport.

[William Byron]

Yeah.

[Kenny Wallace]

Tell me about the numerology situation and what Mr. Rick said.

[William Byron]

Yeah, it's pretty wild. So I mean, obviously going into this 40th year, a lot of hype, a lot of, you know, excitement around Hendrick Motorsports. We got the, the maroon cars for Martinsville and then, you know, actually in our pre race or pre season meeting, Linda Hendrick got up there and gave an awesome speech and really inspired everybody and got us ready to go. And, and the message was go out there and try to win the Daytona 500. And. And try to win the championship. And. And so when we got down to Daytona, it looked like the weather was bad. And. And Mr. H actually said at the partner event on Saturday night, how cool would it be if we won on Monday? 40 years to the day. And of course, at that time, you're just trying to think of how. How am I going to get through this race. But it's pretty special. I feel like all four of us really had a chance to win that race, and I feel like one of us was going to bring it home.

[Kenny Wallace]

We're leading up to the race itself. One thing that strikes me is, you know, you're with a great team and you said partner event. A lot of the fans don't know what that is. So what is a partner event?

[William Byron]

Yeah, so that we've been doing it the last few years since COVID and basically just have all of our sponsors and all of our partners at Hendrick, you know, Chevrolet, everybody that supports the team, they come out. We do a little dinner on Saturday night before the season, and it's a great chance to just see everybody. And there's so many different, you know, brands on the car that a lot of times you don't get to see everybody in one space, but it's pretty cool. It's. It's got a really high attendance and, you know, pretty much all of our sponsors come out.

[Kenny Wallace]

Yeah. Make them feel important that we all are not. We're not racing without.

[William Byron]

We're not racing without them for sure.

[Kenny Wallace]

Now, there's an old saying, if you're going to play, you got to pay and we got to have that money. So the day. Total 500. They dropped the green flag on Monday. It was like 48 hours of rain. Yeah. It just wouldn't stop. And. But they were able to get all the events in with a lot of audibles. And even after the Daytona 500, I thought it was a funny nugget. You were in victory lane celebrating, and the Xfinity race was going on. So when you were celebrating in Victor lane still and there was like a big race going on, was that weird?

[William Byron]

It was so weird. I've had that happen. I had that happen during late model shows. Like you'll go and you'll celebrate and then you'll go through tech and you're in the tech shed and you got the support race going on, you know, and whatever that is. And so it. I was not foreign to me, but it was weird winning the Daytona 500 feeling like. I was feeling like there was Another race going on. But. But yeah, I mean, it ended up being cool. It was, it was a little loud in Victory Lane, for sure.

[Kenny Wallace]

Well, what was wild is, you know, you were on the Big Bird, you were on Fox winning the Daytona 500. They switch over to FS1 and, and you know, they're doing two shots. They're showing the race, but they're showing you and Victor Lane.

[William Byron]

Oh, were they? I didn't even know that.

[Kenny Wallace]

Oh, yeah. And it made me think, man, that victory lane's been going on for an hour or more. So, yeah, so the. We're going to get to the race a little bit, but when you're in victory lane for the Daytona 500, it seems to last a lot longer than a normal victory lane. How much longer do you think Victor Lane at Daytona lasts more than other ones?

[William Byron]

Oh, man. I mean, it really lasts for days. Yeah, it really. You gotta. You realize how many people are. Are a integral factor in what you do, you know, like going to Victory Lane. Honestly, I, you know, when we won that race, I knew it was a Daytona 500, but I only have one mode and that's to try to win the race we're in. And I thought, man, how awesome. We won another race. This is great. And then as soon as I got out of the car, it was like, oh, I realize what the Daytona 500 is. It's not just any other race. And so I think like going through that night just in Victory Lane, all the different things that we did and the confetti and all the pictures and then going to New York and then going to the race shop and Chevrolet. So it. It lasts for days. For sure.

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[William Byron]

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[Kenny Wallace]

all right, let's, let's fast. Let's kind of get to the race at hand. So the race runs on, and I thought there was a lot to be said. I didn't know if it was deserved, but it was like, the Fords are on the pole, the Toyotas suck.

[William Byron]

Yeah.

[Kenny Wallace]

And, and, and yourself and, and your teammate Bowman, you guys are there for the win. He gives you a push, and you're gonna spin out, but you end up getting into the right rear. You know, of Brad Keselowski, that saves you. You do. You do a restart and you're coming to the, you know, white flag. Tell me, tell me that whole scenario. Run me through that. Those things I just said.

[William Byron]

Yeah, yeah. So, I mean, you know, coming down to 10 laps to go in the 500. Everyone's pushing. And. Yeah, you know, for me, I was. I don't know if I've ever been in a 500 where it's three wide like that. You know, all the lanes pushing each other. And, and so I kept bouncing between the bottom and the, the middle. And somehow I think with five or six to go or whenever Bowman and I got clear of the bottom. And so we moved to the middle. And when we moved to the middle, the lanes in front of us were starting to shuffle around. And for whatever reason, when he was pushing me, we got out of shape. I got out of shape from him pushing me. And the 22 was also coming down the track just a little bit. And so we got all misaligned in that, in that big crash happened. So I think when that crash Happened, obviously, I was glad to get through it, but in. In a lot of ways, I felt bad that it happened. And so I think my crew chief knew that. And, you know, he's like, look, man, like, block it out. It doesn't matter right now. You, you know, you got. You can look back because I kept asking him questions of what happened, because you really don't know in the moment. But so I think trying to block that out and trying to go after the next restart was. Was the big key. And then the restart there with four laps to go, I just. I had choice. I didn't have choice of the front row, so I was going to take whatever Chastain didn't, and he chose the top, which I thought was the right decision. And luckily I lined up on the bottom with Cedric, and he's a great pusher, the Ford. The Ford nose pushes really well, lines up really well with our back bumper. So, you know, when he pushed me, the pushes were straight, like, intense. He was pushing me all the way around the track. So we got clear of. Of Chastain in the second lane, and so I was able to control both lanes. And then eventually they got a big run. You know, I think it was off turn four, and I pulled up to block that, and that's when Chastain tried to go the bottom, and. And. And that was really the end of the race. So it was crazy. I mean, I don't. I don't know. In those moments, you're not really thinking much, but you're just trying to think about where the run's going to come from and how. How am I going to block it. And if I can't block it, what's. Where do I want to be?

[Kenny Wallace]

It was really interesting what you said. You said the Fords, their front bumpers align with the. Your car Chevrolet. You know, the rear bumper.

[William Byron]

Yeah.

[Kenny Wallace]

When I was racing, you know, we would just be out there and practice. We had a lot of practice in our day. And, you know, all of a sudden you be out there and practice and you practice so much, you're like, hey, man, we were really. We were a haul and butt with this guy.

[William Byron]

Yeah.

[Kenny Wallace]

So at what point did you find out that the Fords really aligned with your car? Was it in practice? Did somebody tell you? How did you know that?

[William Byron]

I think it's a little bit of history because like you said, we don't have practice. So for us, it's really what has worked in the past. You know, they had a slight body change to their car, but yeah, we went out and practiced on Friday, I guess it was, and we ran all the Chevys together, all the Toyotas, ran together, all the Fords. And we realized right then, man, like, I'm not sure if we're all good together. Like, we need to spread out. We need to kind of mix ourselves, you know, amongst each other. And so that's kind of what we did. I mean, we obviously try to work together. We found each other in the end of the race, but we really just tried to mingle with the rest of the draft and, you know, it seemed to work out pretty well.

[Kenny Wallace]

You know, Ryan Blaney had mentioned that, you know, when it comes down the end, you know, you can only work with your teammates so much. And I believe in, in one of the duel races, you know, he pulled a last corner move and just, you know, I say this light hearted. He. He dumped Cedric, you know, his teammate, and won the race rightfully so. But I think my question is, it seems to me that times kind of repeating itself. We're hearing more like we're like Formula one now. It's like Chevrolets, Fords. And, and is, is that true? I mean, is there more making that, you know, you guys are working as much as you can together or you. Or, or are you still a little selfish?

[William Byron]

Yeah, I mean, there was the, There was a very strong trend, I'd say, I'd say 2018 to 2022, probably where it was, you only work with your guys, and that was great until it was extremely predictable to just work with whoever was, you know, on your Chevy. So. And I think the broadcast really got on that where they're like, hey, well, this guy's. He's only going to push this guy because he's a Chevy or he's a Toyota. And it's just racing is not that easy. I mean, it's not right. You can't. You can have a great game plan and then they drop the green flag and, you know, it's 200 miles an hour. You're not. Think. You can't always just go where you, you know, where it sounds good to go. So I think it's just changed. People have realized, man, this isn't. We can't be this, you know, we can't be this predictable and still try to win the race. So I think it's kind of. It goes in waves like this sport always kind of seems a cycle, but it just seems like we got in a trend of everyone doing the same thing, and that became very predictable years, years ago.

[Kenny Wallace]

Darrell Waltrip said, Herman, NASCAR is a monkey seed, monkey do business. Those, those garage areas were parked right next to each other. Secrets don't, don't last very long. So, okay, you win the Daytona 500 and let's have a little fun. Now, you took us through some good parts of the race. You're done. It's your east coast time. You're, you're almost one in the morning and you're done celebrating. Now I wake up the next morning. Somehow I wake up and I kind of get up what I think's early and I'm in St. Louis and you are already in New York and you're on national tv. I mean, you're on the big, big shows already in New York. Take me, take me and everybody else. Tell us about that timeline of leaving Daytona. How'd you get to New York?

[William Byron]

Yeah, so we get down with Victory Lane. We do the, we do the media center. I had a couple beers and then I, I went to my bus and called a few people, called my dad, talked to him on the phone for a little bit, talked to a couple, you know, Mr. H. Talked to Jeff and, and then changed out my fire suit, which was soaked. And then, and then took about 10 minutes just to breathe and said to myself, okay, what's next? So went from there, went to the garage, saw my guys in the garage and they were, they were still tearing the car down. And so I had a couple of drinks with some of the guys and then about 12:30 they told me, hey, you know, the sooner you get on this plane, the more sleep you're going to have. So it, so we got on a plane, NASCAR plane, and flew to New York and then got in about 3:30 and went to bed at 4 and slept till about 6:45 and, and did the tour. So my eyes, the thing. I didn't, I didn't. I underestimated the champagne or whatever. This is a great problem to have. But it got in my eyes and I wear contacts. So the next day my eyes were burning all day. But that's all right.

[Kenny Wallace]

Hey, you know what? A couple things remind me because I'm trying hard. You're giving such a good information. I want to talk about those contacts. But you mentioned something. You talked to some people. You talked to your dad, Mr. H. Of course, the great Jeff Gordon. But what, what went on in the conversation with your dad after the Daytona 500?

[William Byron]

I mean, I think it's hard to remember.

[Kenny Wallace]

It's hard to remember.

[William Byron]

But I think honestly, just hearing his genuine joy and excitement for, for, for me and just what it meant. I think we, I really feel like we talked about just what it meant and, and if we could ever have imagined to be in that position, you know, he and I just going to the racetrack together and, and so it's surreal. I think it was. It took till about Tuesday or Wednesday, and then he, he got choked up on the phone. I was driving home from the race shop and I called him. I think it was Wednesday. And he just, he told me how like surreal it was that, you know, 10 years ago we were watching Dale Jr. Win the 500 and I was just getting started in racing and so just. That was pretty cool.

[Kenny Wallace]

So in victory Lane, you pointed your finger to those grandstands and you said. It wasn't long ago that my dad and myself. What you just mentioned you watched the Daytona 500. Not a child, but a kid. Your path was extremely fast. We're talking about that a little bit. Tell me about that day, what maybe was. I don't even know if it was 10 years before your win, being the Daytona 500 champion.

[William Byron]

Yeah.

[Kenny Wallace]

If we do a little math. When you. Let's do it real quick. You and your dad sitting in the grandstands, you're watching the race. You see Dale Jr. Win. How many more years did you just win this champion?

[William Byron]

So. So actually the race I went to, the 500, I went to was when Trevor Bain won. So 2011. So I would have been. I think I was like, shoot. I, I was born in 97, so I was 14, 24.

[Kenny Wallace]

Yeah. 13 years.

[William Byron]

Yeah.

[Kenny Wallace]

So. So you were in the grandstand. You were in the Grant. Okay. For all the kids listening, the, the kid you're looking at right now, he was in the grandstands watching. And 13 years later, he became that dream.

[William Byron]

Yeah.

[Kenny Wallace]

Wow.

[William Byron]

It's unreal. It's unreal.

[Kenny Wallace]

Unreal. Wow.

[William Byron]

I mean, it, it was.

[Kenny Wallace]

I got goosebumps.

[William Byron]

It's crazy. I mean, it is crazy because we, he and I, we went down there and Trevor Bane won the race as a 20 year old. And yeah, I mean, it was. That was probably the spark of my racing career. I mean, that's right around when I started racing or, or at least getting in. Into iracing. So, you know, which had been. For years I had watched races, but the Daytona 500, I went to. Yeah. When I was 13.

[Kenny Wallace]

IRacing is next on my list, but I want to get to those contact lenses. And here's why. You know, Kenny. Conversation, inner. We. We talk to all the drivers.

[William Byron]

Yeah.

[Kenny Wallace]

The great Jonathan Davenport. We call him JD or Superman.

[William Byron]

Yeah.

[Kenny Wallace]

JD's won a million dollars at Eldora. He won the world 100. Won a million dollars. The million, it wasn't, I don't think it was the world, but it was the million. And when we had him on Kenny Conversation, he said he got into his career and he was blind as a bat and at night he saw halos. And I had people coming up to me after that Kenny Conversation and Chris Madden and my friend everybody now, everybody's wearing glasses.

[William Byron]

Yeah.

[Kenny Wallace]

And when we watch the in car cameras now of all the cup races, see a lot of heroes now wearing glasses.

[William Byron]

Yeah.

[Kenny Wallace]

So tell me about your contact lenses. They must be pretty good.

[William Byron]

Yeah, they've, man, I've been afraid to, to change it. I, I've had a contact since I started in the trucks in the truck series. So I, you know, my vision started to change probably when I was, yeah, right around 18 years old. And what I noticed was I couldn't see the definition in the wall. So like when I come off the corner, I couldn't see like I could see the wall, but I couldn't see exactly how close or how far I was. And I just that little bit of detail. So I got contacts about the third, I think it was the third race of the year in the truck series and, and we ended up having a really good year. So I, I didn't want to change it. I didn't want to change anything since then, but I think it helped it. I mean, everyone's got different, you know, Cadence. I, I wear glasses at night, but I've never experimented with wearing them in the, in the car.

[Kenny Wallace]

The reason I bring this topic up is I, I know how much you can inspire kids that are coming up and you know, glasses have been around since the biblical days and eyes are never perfect. And you know, some kids might think you're perfect, you're a perfect specimen and for you just sharing with us that, hey, champagne got my eyes and I wear contacts that will make that kid that wants to be like you, William. Yeah, that's great information. You know, they feel like they can be you. Yeah.

[William Byron]

And there's a lot of detail that comes with it. Like I have to make sure I keep them super clean because like going into the race, like if you have a contact issue, like, you're done. So it luckily, knock on wood. I've never had, you know, major issues, but definitely, you know, it's, it's all that preparation is really important.

[Kenny Wallace]

My, this, this is fun. My friend Nick Hoffman, he builds my dirt cars. He cannot hear out of one ear and he wears contact lenses, but he whips her butt. So, yeah, that's just good stuff. That's just good stuff.

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[William Byron]

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Whoa.

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[Kenny Wallace]

let's talk about what made you so famous before you really started winning cup races. And yeah, they said William Byron kid. All he did was run iraces on computers. And now he drives for Henrik Motorsport. And I was right there with him. I was like, what? Yeah, let's. Let's d bullet tell tell all the kids how you did this.

[William Byron]

Yeah, I mean it's, you know, it was very like coming into the to NASCAR and being the only kid that had ever gone that route. And yeah, I mean I started. So how iracing started for me was Dale junior And Landon Castle were very complimentary of iracing. They were talking about it all the time in interviews. They would get asked in the media center. And I'm just a 1112 year old kid that's watching. I would watch every practice on tv, watch every. Every, you know, try to watch everything that I. We didn't have YouTube back then, but I would watch all that. And then so I figured out iracing was a big platform, so I started racing on there and I started running races like 3, 4 A Day in the summertime. I'd run all day from. From when I got up to whenever I need.

[Kenny Wallace]

So get off your computer, kid.

[William Byron]

Yeah, and that was sometimes good and bad because, you know, you get pretty frustrated pretty quick. But it. I would just race on there. I learned the. I learned the skill set that it took to. To drive and. But I was always interested in. In racing and. And so then got into the legend cars and, and late models and all those things in the real car. But I felt like every step of the way I was always discredited because I was the. The kid that started on computers, didn't. Didn't earn it. Like, didn't race quarter midgets and go karts. So it was always a tough kind of uphill battle to prove to people that I could. Could drive.

[Kenny Wallace]

So we're going to keep talking about this, but I want to tell you my experience. I go to movies every Tuesday night in my hometown. We got about 20 of us, and the movie was called Grand Turismo. And, you know, I really didn't know what to expect, but it was a real movie and it was about you, but not. It was. It was about an automaker that said, hey, we're going to find the best iracers basically in the world. And they felt like they did. And in the end, the movie's incredible. I thought of you the whole, whole darn movie. But in the end, they all go to the 24 hour Lamar and they end up finishing third. And all three. All three drivers in this movie, Gran Turismo, they podium.

[William Byron]

Wow.

[Kenny Wallace]

And. And they made it. So. Okay, now we know that you ran like 300 races a year is what you told me. Yeah, I. Racing.

[William Byron]

Yeah.

[Kenny Wallace]

Okay, so how do you get from the computer racing? How do you get to a real car?

[William Byron]

Yeah, I mean, luckily I grew up in Charlotte, so, like Concord, they had the legend car. US Legend car shop was there in Concord. So went up there, met this guy Jimmy Baker. And he told me to, he's like, hey, I'll take you to a couple races. So we went to Concord Speedway. They had the little quarter mile track behind the big one and which I can't believe that place is, is gone now.

[Kenny Wallace]

That junky little track up and down.

[William Byron]

Yeah.

[Kenny Wallace]

Oh yeah.

[William Byron]

Little, little track. Half the track was under, half the track was like, you know, it was like Wilsboro. It went uphill and then it went downhill and super fun racetrack. But I went, watched a couple races out there and then the legend cars, they had a driving school. Anyone could do it. Like, it was just like, I think it was three or four hundred bucks to go out and race, drive a legend car around the fifth mile. And so I did that twice and got, got to know some of the owners, some of the guys who owned legend cars around Concord. So just, I mean really started with the, the driving school. I did that twice in the summer of probably eighth grade, going into ninth grade. And I had a lot of speed racing, you know, driving the car. So.

[Kenny Wallace]

So you, you told me. I don't want to put words in your mouth, but I just think this was really awesome what you told me. On Trackside Live, our pre race show at Atlanta, we were talking about this and you said, and you said it very humbly. You were a second quicker than everybody else. And I'm bragging on you right now. That's what made you stand out. You came off. I'm not putting words in your mouth, but you, you get all the computer, you go into the real car and you're a second quicker than everybody. Yeah. And people took notice.

[William Byron]

Yeah. So I had, I couldn't get this car started. So I was really bad. I couldn't use the clutch. I didn't understand. I had never driven anything stick shift. But once I got on the racetrack, I, There was another girl there and her, she had an agent. She was up and coming. She had been racing dirt, dirt car or dirt go karts and in quarter midgets. And you know, her and I were basically the two people there that day. And I was, yeah, I was making laps like a second faster and I was almost, I was only about a half a second off of the, the instructor guy who was, who actually raced the legend cars. So, so I, I kind of got the, I got noticed by those people, by the guy who was, you know, instructing everybody. And then she also had an agent that was actually David Reagan's agent at the time when he was driving for Roush. So he was at the Racetrack and, and just got started just making connections with people at the racetrack.

[Kenny Wallace]

What would. Let's wrap this up because they got so much more to talk about. What would your message be? I don't want to put you on the spot, but a lot of kids know about you and, and the world is becoming more like this. You know, airplane pilots, they go in simulators. What would your message be to the kids that know about you, you know, being an iracer and now you're a, you know, a NASCAR winner, a Daytona 500 champion. What would you say to them?

[William Byron]

I mean, I think it's just when I was younger, the desire was there to race in NASCAR and all that was there, but I just was having fun with it. I was trying to go and just. I just wanted to be at the racetrack and I just wanted to see what was going on in the pit area, you know, get a. Get a pass to go walk around and. And try to get in somebody's race car. And just one thing led to another. And I feel like that kind of genuine passion that a lot of us in racing have, that, that never goes away, even when it gets. You know, I never thought I'd be doing like all these interviews and things. Like, I. For me, it was all about, I just want to drive the race car. You know, that was. That was it. So I think keeping that the main thing is always important, and then all the other stuff comes with it. It's a lot of work, but it, you know, if you love driving race cars or working on them, I feel like it all kind of falls into place.

[Kenny Wallace]

You put yourself out there. I tell my three daughters that all the time. I say, go and do. Don't sit at home and say, well, he's got this, he's got that, he did this, he did that. And the great Dick Trickle taught me, you gotta wanna. And you wanted it. You went to the Daytona 500 as a fan, you know, some people just don't put their self in your. In the position. And you loved it. So listen, thanks for talking to me about that. I know you're tired of it. You're probably. Are you tired of talking about that eye racing?

[William Byron]

No. I mean, yeah, for a while when I started, I didn't. I really shied away from talking about it because I felt like I was different. And I. In a. In not a good way.

[Kenny Wallace]

They didn't like you for it.

[William Byron]

Yeah. And I think for me, like, as I've gotten older, I realized that that's what. Yeah, that's who I am. And that's where I came from. So it, you know, it's. I try to embrace it now.

[Kenny Wallace]

That's good. That, that really is emotional for me. Makes. Makes me happy. Because as a young man, when I was 26 years old, there were some things I was bitter about. And later on in my life, I'm like, hey, yeah, that did happen to me, and now I'm better, you know. Yeah, well, good job, William. And I think that now that simulators and things like that, I mean, they're respected now. So. Yeah, you're. You're the man. You're. You're the face of that because you did it and you're a Daytona 500 champion.

[William Byron]

Thank you.

[Kenny Wallace]

Yeah. Yeah, you're. You're awesome. And because you go short track racing and, you know, that's my favorite thing about you. Okay, I gotta stop right now. I'm at Hickory, I'm at Tri county and I'm testing the cars. Tour race car. Well, I get done testing and I head east on 40 and I'm like, oh, my God, they're running the ASA race there. Asa's back. And one of my dear friends, my partner is Bob Sergeant, and Bob's the promoter. So I pull in, I pulled into Hickory, and I didn't even know you were there. And I watched you and you were running like fourth or fifth, and you got caught on the outside and they were, they were making your life miserable and you would not give up. And at that time, I went, he's a badass. And then you climb the wall down the back.

[William Byron]

Straight away, racing for the. That was a heck of a race. That was last May that we raced for the lead and like, side by side for like 20 laps is.

[Kenny Wallace]

Okay, the lead. Yeah.

[William Byron]

Yeah, that was fun.

[Kenny Wallace]

Well, you got.

[William Byron]

Got put in the wall a little bit, but that's a. That's all right.

[Kenny Wallace]

That old boy got tired of you. Yeah, I'm gonna get rid of him. I'm move up one foot. Okay, I. I usually do this a lot earlier, but you were different. So I'm going to remind everybody. Everybody knows this part of the show. I didn't do everything because you've done so much at only 26 years old. But listen to this. 26 years old, drives for Hendrick Motorsport, one of the greatest teams. Rick Hendrick likes you. Loves your talent, hires you. 2015 NASCAR KO Pro Series Champion. 2016 Rookie of the Year, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. This one is unbelievable to me. 2017 NASCAR Xfinity champion and rookie of the year at the same time. So that means in 2017, you're like, hey, I'm gonna go run the xfinity series. And you do it all. You win the championship. 2018, went on to win. You went on to race, you know, well, you won the NASCAR cup series rookie of the year in 2018. Now, one thing's impressive about this. It goes 15, 16, 17, 18. Every single year. You kept going up, up, up. 2019, okay, now, 2018, you won the rookie of the year in a cup. 2019, now you're on the poll for the Daytona 500. You're a Daytona 500 champion. Now this we're not done. 11 cup wins, four Xfinity wins, eight truck wins. Now, I'm gonna remind everybody. I don't want to hear it, because he. He'd triple these numbers if he would have stayed in those lower series. But he's only 26. He moved up so quick. And then I saved the best for last. 2022, you went to the state of the Wisconsin, and you basically won their Daytona 500. You won the 2022 Slinger Nationals champion, Chip. So now I. There. There's more. But when I tell you that at only 26, what goes through your mind when I'm saying all that?

[William Byron]

Well, it makes me uncomfortable to hear my.

[Kenny Wallace]

How great you are.

[William Byron]

I don't like hearing about. About that stuff. But, yeah, I mean, it's. It just kind of the. It just makes you remember some of those awesome moments. I mean, the. I thought I'd never have a day like the day we won the Xfinity Championship. That was one of the biggest days of my career. And then, you know, Slinger nationals was a day that I was. I mean, that was an awesome, awesome feeling. I never have felt that way at a short track. Just that many fans and that close to everybody. And then. Yeah, I mean, it's just cool. I. I just, you know, I just think about the work it takes and trying to get to the. The next one.

[Kenny Wallace]

When you won Slinger, you. You realize, I'm sure you're a good study. The sport, you knew that was the home of, like, Matt Kenson.

[William Byron]

Yeah.

[Kenny Wallace]

You know, a lot of the big boys. So is that one reason it was such a big win for you?

[William Byron]

Yeah, I mean, I kind of educated myself on that race. I'd say I knew of it for a lot, you know, the three years before I ran it, but I watched Kyle Busch and Kenseth on there and Erik Jones and Kenseth, and just a lot of People told me how big a race that was, and I didn't really realize it until it went up there. And I mean, they've got the streets shut down and the crowd is packed. I mean, there's not many short tracks. You have stands all the way around, all four corners and. And then you go to qualify and you're the most nervous you've ever been. I mean, like, you could miss the race or you could be on the pole and it's like Bristol times times two. So I don't know. It's a wild racetrack.

[Kenny Wallace]

Yeah, it's awesome. Right outside of Milwaukee, everybody's drinking beer. They're having a damn good time. That's beer drinking. Capital. The word. There's no doubt.

[William Byron]

Yeah.

[Kenny Wallace]

All right, let's. Let's call an audible. It means we're gonna really do a 180. You drive for arguably. Well, he is. I mean, Mr. H. There's not very many people. You got. You got Roger Penske, he's the captain, and rick Hendrick is Mr. H. So I guess you haven't really drove for anybody else because you're so young. What is, is Rick Hendrick really like, they say? I mean, is he like a dad? Is he like family? Is he soft hearted? What is he like?

[William Byron]

Yeah. The thing I. The thing I always think about with Mr. H is when I started in the Cup Series now, you know, Rookie of the year was great, but I had a few years where it was tough, it was hard to get results. And I feel like anytime you're in a hindered car, you're expected to get, you know, wins and compete for championships. And he just never doubted me. He just never, he never in his voice or anything he said to me ever gave me the impression that he wasn't sure of how. Of what I was doing or didn't agree with it. And so he just gave me that confidence from an early age. And I feel like when we started winning races, it was the same way. He just, he. He's just always been encouraging me. And then the other thing about Mr. H is he makes sure that every person at Hendrick Motorsports feels important. And I noticed that through. I mean, we were at the shop today and he wanted to shake hands with every single employee and take a photo with every single person. And that's just. Not everyone does those kind of things.

[Kenny Wallace]

Yeah, he's a people person. I've heard. I've heard so many great stories. And you're so young. I wanted to. I wanted to see if your story kept aligning Mr. H has been very good to me. He's given me great advice about life.

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Yeah. No, I don't need to.

[Kenny Wallace]

I. I don't understand.

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[William Byron]

Whoa.

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[Kenny Wallace]

What is your weeks like? I mean, I know you're a young man, you do young things. Are you required to go to Hendrick the shop? Do you.

[Commercial Announcer 1]

Do you.

[Kenny Wallace]

Are you required to go there every week?

[William Byron]

So no one's ever told me how much or how little I need to be there. I mean, I think all four of us are kind of do it a little bit different way. I'd say I'm probably the most involved at the shop, you know, but I just, I enjoy that for my peace of mind. Like if I don't. If I don't go to the Shop during the week. I feel like I'm missing out or I feel like I'm not doing everything that I could do. And that's just. I think growing up in Charlotte, being so close to the shop, it kind of makes sense. But I. I go to comp meetings as much as I can, and then, you know, I go the simulator with my team, so I feel like that's just what works for me. But I try not to go every week because it, you know, it can get a little bit. You know. Our job as drivers is to be fast in the race car, so however you need to train or prepare is important.

[Kenny Wallace]

The fans would tear me up if I didn't talk to you about this. You drive the legendary 24, and, boy, have you done it justice. I'm gonna. I'm gonna brag on you. Jeff Gordon is so proud of you. He said that in victory lane. He said what a great driver you were. What do you. I mean, he's a lot older than you, and, I mean, we all want to stay young. But what is your. When you and Jeff talk, is it small talk? Is it deep talk? What is it like to be with Jeff Gordon and driving his. His number 24?

[William Byron]

Yeah, I mean, it's yours now.

[Kenny Wallace]

It's your car now.

[William Byron]

Yeah. I think Jeff, like, we've gotten a lot closer over the years. I mean, when he was. He might not say this, but he was one of the most skeptical. I feel like when I came in, Mr. H. Was the one saying, hey, this guy. I really like this guy. And Jeff, you know, hadn't seen any of what I'd done in the truck demo.

[Kenny Wallace]

Eyebrows went down.

[William Byron]

He was like. He was like, yeah, you know, I. You know, let's see. Let's see how you do. It's really tough out there. And he was intimidating at first. He was very intimidating. But I feel like over the years, especially as soon as. As soon as I got through the xfinity series and we kind of made a connection there in that championship race. He was down there watching the race, and I feel like it changed. Our relationship changed to, okay, how can we make you successful in our cup cars? And he. He really just kind of took me under his wing, and, like, he. We spent time. You know, he'll come over to my house, like, in the off season. We'll. We'll, you know, have a coffee or whatever, and, like, just talk racing. So we're pretty close. I mean, it's. It's gotten that way over the years, I think, and he's become a mentor.

[Kenny Wallace]

That makes me happy because Jeff and I have a, a long distance, long time relationship. That makes me happy because I, I remember him as 19 years old. And here we are, older men now. And seeing him, it did surprise me that Jeff stayed in racing because I thought, you know, he would move on. So for him to have that executive position and Hendrik, that's really cool. Really nice of you to hear that. Okay, we're going to do the, the big 180 again. Changing now. Charlie Marlowe, who, who operates everything here on Kenny Conversation. Charlie does it all. And you're tired of this one. But on the Kenny Wallace show, they're, they don't know about it. You have become legendary for the LEGO company. Children's Legos put Legos together. But then there's the big boy Legos. We all heard it. Dale Jr. Brought it back on, on your, on the podcast. You built a 42 inch. Now listen, that's big. That's, that's, that's big. That's, you know, 3ft's 36. You build a 42 inch Titanic ship with Legos. Take me through this LEGO thing. I think it's fantastic.

[William Byron]

Yeah, I mean, it's sitting over there on my, on my, in my living room. But it, Yeah, I mean it, that was a project. I think it started just a few years ago. I just, you know, it's kind of like, what, what do you get your, you know, what do you get for Christmas when you become an adult? Like, what is it? You know, you get clothes, you get socks. And I just, I started asking for LEGO sets. And so it basically started with, I built. The first thing I built was the LEGO piano and it actually plays music, which is pretty awesome. And, and I just was hooked as soon as I built that. The amount of focus it took and how it got me off of my phone and it got me thinking, you know, in a different headspace than being on the computer. And it just, I just loved it. I think it's very therapeutic and it's kind of become more of an intense hobby over the years, but it's just something I enjoy.

[Kenny Wallace]

Yeah, that's really awesome. And you, and you were on, I guess was it a FOX TV show that made this so popular?

[William Byron]

Yeah. LEGO Masters, lego. Yeah, that was, that was fun.

[Kenny Wallace]

Yeah. Where did you go to do that?

[William Byron]

I, that was in Atlanta. So that was a couple. Yeah, that was a couple years ago. We went down to Atlanta, Jeff and I both. So that was pretty fun.

[Kenny Wallace]

Hey, listen, just reminded Me, when I first met Jeff Gordon, I thought he was a little weird because he had a pet snake and like. Yeah, and Jeff had a snake and one of the greatest race crossovers of all time. So it's pretty incredible. You know, race car drivers nowadays, you know, you don't got to be dirty. You don't got to prove that you're underneath the car. That's pretty cool. And I do agree with that being, you know, I love models. You know, I would go get the Jags, I'd go get the Jags model, you know, and Don Gregory was the driver and I loved models, so I could, I can relate with you. All right, man, we got about five minutes left here. We are right at an hour. And I apologize, I gotta rough you up in a mature way. So there's this dynamic out there in America right now about nascar. They, they say it's not me, but I've, I've talked about it a little bit. They say it is so hard to find sponsorship now that the car doesn't have enough money. So all the new drivers like William Byron, Ryan Blaney, so on and so forth, the new drivers like yourself, like you guys hardly make any, any, any base pay. So in other words, you know, let's say Clint borer would make 6 million dollar base. And the word on the street is that you make $250,000 base. That's, that's, that's, that sounds crazy to me, but I don't. You know, I watched Dale Jr. Last night. He asked Daniel Swore's question and it was a minute long question. And Dale Junior's taught me, you know, they teach at NBC to ask the question quick. Well, it's hard to ask this question quick, but I'm doing my best. Is that false? I mean, I know you could make a lot more money on percentage, but our drivers like you helping the team out by making minimal pay.

[William Byron]

No, I think that's mostly false. I think.

[Kenny Wallace]

Good.

[William Byron]

Definitely it's false for the, the, the great drivers or the guys who are winning races like you. I do, yeah, I do think that there is a, and I heard Kyle talk about this. There, there's an average, you know, and I think that it, if we get drivers who come in that, that do race for, you know, whatever that number is and just kind of bring everything down, that it's important that we hold that value. And I think that the drivers, you know, we've got a council and, and we've got a lot of things going on behind the scenes to make sure that that doesn't happen. But, but yeah, I was definitely concerned about that coming in, but the best thing you can do is win races and compete up front and, and you get, you know, and you're going to be in line to, to make what those guys make. But it's a performance sport. That'll never change. But yeah, definitely the, the bottom line, I guess, and the, in the overall average of the series is probably shifted over the last few years. But I think it's important that when new drivers come in that they, that they demand their value. And I think that that really kind of establishes it.

[Kenny Wallace]

I really appreciate you asking that because, you know, yeah, obviously I'm like you. I'm in, I'm in the, there's no union for any of us, but I'm in the racers union.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

So.

[Kenny Wallace]

Yeah, I, I say that, you know, a baseball player that can throw a ball really good and he's very talented. He gets $20 million a year. And, and here you are cheating death. And it has happened and you know, it's a shame, but, you know, I, I feel like race car drivers are extremely underpaid and, and I won't have it that, you know, they're doing what they want to do. I'm just saying make as much money as you can.

[William Byron]

Yeah.

[Kenny Wallace]

Because number one, you're talented and you deserve it and you're cheating death. It's still a very dangerous sport.

[William Byron]

Well, I think a lot of, a lot of guys told me like, like Max always told me this with, you know, he was really good, really close with Ayrton Senna. And you're. The money that you make as a driver is, is what people view you as. Like, it's, it's your value. And so I think that's how I look at it, is, is it's how people value my ability, my, how I can get the job done inside the car. So it's important for sure.

[Kenny Wallace]

Damn, that's really good. I like that. You just taught me something. Yeah, that's your, your value. Well, listen, it's been incredible. You've been so nice to me all these years. I want to, I want to thank you and let's end it like this. You're, you're a young man. I don't know if you have much, but we, we asked this question at the very end of all of them and it's a lot easier now. We don't go into tech inspection and fines, but as a Daytona 500 champion now, and you've won a lot of cup races. What are your thoughts of NASCAR today?

[William Byron]

Man, it's a loaded question.

[Kenny Wallace]

Are you too young?

[William Byron]

I'm probably pretty young to give my. Give my perspective. But from watching, I guess what I would say about it is I feel like from watching when I was younger to first getting in the sport, when I was coming up through the ranks, I was very nervous about where the sport was going and what kind of future. Like. Like you just said, with the pay and with everything you. That goes into it. Is there a future? Is it. Is it something that is going to be around? And I feel like NASCAR has taken a major positive turn the last two and a half years that I've seen, really since COVID The racing on the track is as competitive as it's ever been. And the closeness of how we all operate, there's a lot of tension in the garage. Everyone. Nobody likes each other, you know, and I don't think that's always captured, but there is a lot of aggressive driving going on out there, and I feel like there's a lot because of how close it is. And I just feel like our sport is in a really good spot. You know, it's. It's the. The competition is breeding all the excitement. The only thing I wish for our sport is that it gets back to that national level of coverage with some of the sports broadcasting, like ESPN and some of these places that. That it deserves, because the competition is really is fierce right now.

[Kenny Wallace]

Marcus Smith, who owns a lot of the NASCAR tracks, you know, whether it's Vegas you're going to right now, he owns Vegas. He owns Bristol. We brought Trackside Live back because, you know, they dumped, you know, the speed TV channel to bring FS1 back. And with that NASCAR race day built by the Home Depot, which made the sport incredibly popular, they destroyed it all. And Marcus said, we got to bring this back. Kenny, would you please do some shows? So myself and John Roberts are doing it for about eight races at the SMI tracks. You know, Charlotte, Bristol, so on and so forth. Yeah, when you were in Atlanta just last week, and you came on the trackside live show and we're entertaining the fans, now we're back to what we messed up. When you saw that crowd, what did you think?

[William Byron]

It makes me excited because I feel like I'm seeing that a lot more. Like I'm seeing tracks, I'm seeing the stands full. When we do the national anthem and you look to your right and you see, you know, full grandstands. Like, when I came in the sport in 2018 was my rookie year. Like, it was not that way. Like, it was. It was pretty dire, pretty ugly. It was ugly. And a lot of times the conversation with my crew chief was, man, like, like, it was encouraging. If we saw a good crowd now, it's. It's almost expected. And so I think our sport, just the excitement and the fan, like you said, on trackside, like, I mean, it was packed all the way out to the guardrails. So I just feel like there's a lot more of that going on and I want to contribute. I think the new wave of drivers is motivated to. To contribute to that excitement.

[Kenny Wallace]

Yeah. And thank you for saying that right at the end, because trackside live is for the fans to get their cars, get their vehicles parked early, have something to do. And William, you know, it was packed because the drivers like you, you know, they were there to see the Daytona 500 champion. That show does not work without somebody like you. And Christopher Bell and Brad Keselowski, Ty Gibbs, they came to see you.

[William Byron]

So.

[Kenny Wallace]

So thank you for doing your part. And we got to work hard, man. Anything worth doing, it requires work. And I want to thank you for doing that.

[William Byron]

Yeah, yeah. I mean, I think this sport, you know, it's not guaranteed, but I think it's. I think they're doing. There's a lot of good things going on and we just have to keep sharing that.

[Kenny Wallace]

Well, you're awesome, buddy. Listen, that's it. All right, everybody remember, they always say, put that show in podcast form. So William was an hour long, leave your. Your house, go to go to work. Listen to him on the way to work. Turn around, listen to William on the way back. We are on itunes, We're Spotify. And this is the big kenny conversation on YouTube. Please subscribe. And William, do good out in Vegas.

[William Byron]

Thank you. Thanks, Kenny. And we're looking forward to it. For first, you know, first real test for us. That's. Everyone in the garage knows that, so it'll be fun.

[Kenny Wallace]

All right, everybody, we'll see you on the next Kenny Conversation.

[William Byron]

Check out Dirty Mo Media on Twitter, Facebook, TikTok and Instagram.

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[William Byron]

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[Kenny Wallace]

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[William Byron]

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[Kenny Wallace]

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[William Byron]

Every day I'm thinking about some other new business, but Shopify is doing it to me because it's so easy to use.

[Kenny Wallace]

It's like I can't stop.

[William Byron]

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[Kenny Wallace]

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