William Byron recently shared his feelings about being featured on the cover of the upcoming NASCAR 25 video game during an appearance on Kevin Harvick’s Harvick Happy Hour. For Byron, appearing on the game’s cover represents a “full circle moment,” connecting back to his early days when video games helped spark his passion for racing.
The conversation, posted on X by HarvickHappyHour, shows Kevin Harvick asking Byron how it felt to be the face of the 2025 NASCAR game. Smiling as he recalled his teenage years, Byron highlighted the significance of this milestone in his career.
Byron’s Childhood Connection to Racing Games
William Byron opened up about the impact video games had on his love for racing, sharing a heartfelt moment with Harvick. Reflecting on the game’s history, Byron recalled,
“You were the first game I played, like ’05 or something,” he told Harvick,
He went on to explain how special it feels now to be the one featured on the cover, with his former high school friends sending him images to commemorate the milestone.
“It’s really cool and that’s a full circle moment, that’s a pretty neat experience, and yeah kind of gave me a little bit of chills,” he said.
When asked about his involvement in the game’s development, Byron clarified,
“I didn’t have a ton of involvement with it but I did play it along the way and kind of gave my feedback based on that,”
During the official launch at Daytona International Speedway, Byron emphasized how video games played a pivotal role in his introduction to racing.
“Growing up racing on video games primarily, obviously, everyone knows that about my story so, yeah, just a very full circle moment for me personally and great for our partners and everybody,” Byron said.
Details About NASCAR 25 and Byron’s Team Performance
The NASCAR 25 cover features William Byron alongside his No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet. This game marks the first NASCAR console release developed by iRacing and is scheduled for release on October 14. It will be accessible on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC through Steam, offering multiple competition levels including the Cup Series, Xfinity Series, CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, and ARCA.
Byron also discussed the strength of his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports crew as they move into the playoffs. He finished the regular season as the champion with two wins and nine top-five finishes.
When questioned about whether his team is the top contender, Byron said,
I think we’re up there for sure,
while acknowledging the unpredictable nature of the playoffs where every week brings new challenges.
He highlighted his team’s consistency and speed as crucial advantages, stating,
“I think we’re just consistent. Speed is probably our strength. I don’t really see a huge weakness with our team,”
Byron stressed that the focus is now on fine-tuning all aspects of their effort to become even stronger.
Looking Ahead: Byron’s Playoff Aspirations
Reflecting on recent performances, Byron reviewed his results at Iowa and Richmond. He secured a victory at Iowa and finished 12th at Richmond, noting that Richmond showed “more promise than normal.”
Despite recognizing that improvements are still needed, Byron expressed optimism about the final ten races of the season, eager to continue building on the team’s success as they pursue a strong playoff run.
