William Byron’s recent Iowa Corn 350 victory marked him as the only driver to win at Iowa Speedway across all three <a href="https://www.big14news.com/nascar/”>NASCAR national touring series. The 27-year-old racer credited countless hours on iRacing as a major factor in his strong performance on the challenging short track.
Byron elaborated on this connection to the virtual platform, saying,
“When I was a kid, the iRacing schedule would always line up with the race tracks in the summer, and that’s when I would have the most time to iRace,”
which gave him repeated exposure to Iowa’s layout.
“I feel like that’s why it’s been a good track for me, because I have thousands of laps in my head of how the rhythm of this place goes.”
Early Experience on iRacing Builds Track Mastery
Despite changes like track repaving, Byron believes his early exposure to tracks such as Iowa and Pocono on iRacing set a foundation for his success on fast circuits. He said,
“Even with repaves and everything, I feel like I just spent so much time as a 14-year-old, 13-year-old just racing on iRacing on Iowa and Pocono. Those are usually our fastest tracks.”
This extensive practice allowed him to mentally map out racing lines and strategies well before hitting the real track.
Milestones in Byron’s Career at Iowa Speedway
Byron first triumphed at Iowa Speedway in 2016 during the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports in a Toyota. The following year, he earned a victory in the Xfinity Series behind the wheel of a JR Motorsports Chevrolet. Now, eight years after his Xfinity success, he added a NASCAR Cup Series win at Iowa Speedway driving a Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Notably, crew chief Rudy Fugle was involved in two of these victories—during the truck and Cup Series races—highlighting a successful partnership.
Darlington Raceway Holds a Special Place in Byron’s Heart
Despite his achievements at Iowa, Byron identifies Darlington Raceway in South Carolina as his favorite track since it sparked his passion for racing. Reflecting on his upbringing in Charlotte, North Carolina, he shared,
“My family and I, we’d go to Myrtle Beach (S.C.) so I would drive by that track (every summer).”
He added,
“So, that’s always held the most meaning to me personally.”
William Byron’s Continued Rise in NASCAR
Byron’s ability to connect virtual experience from iRacing with real-world racing has demonstrated a valuable blend of preparation and skill at a young age. His success across all three national touring series at Iowa Speedway cements his reputation as a versatile and accomplished driver. Given his steady progress and the strong team support from Hendrick Motorsports and crew chief Rudy Fugle, Byron is positioned to remain a formidable competitor in upcoming NASCAR seasons.
