At 27 years old, William Byron is one win away from completing the kind of rise every young racer dreams about, from iRacing prodigy to NASCAR Cup Series champion.

William Byron isn’t flying private to Phoenix this week. He’s just another guy boarding a commercial flight out of Charlotte, keeping his head down, pizza in hand, and laughing at himself for grabbing a bag of Nerds Clusters at the checkout counter.

That small moment says everything about him. He’s grounded, unbothered, and focused on what matters most as he heads into the biggest race of his life.

“I like to get treated like a normal person, which I am,” Byron said with a grin. “I go TSA PreCheck, keep my head down. It’s great.”

Byron’s week started the same way it always does, just with a little extra family coming into town. His sister recently got engaged, and he’s excited to see everyone. But for him, it’s business as usual.

Even with the Cup championship on the line, he isn’t trying to reinvent anything. That calm approach has been the defining characteristic of his rise.

He’s 27 now, in his third straight Championship 4 appearance, coming off a clutch Martinsville win that locked him into Phoenix.

“Last weekend was freeing,” he said. “It’s nice not to be looking at the leaderboard and worrying about that BS. This week, it’s just about racing the race. The third stage is what matters.”

For Byron, Martinsville wasn’t just another win. It was proof his team could close. There have been years where they came close, only to watch the moment slip away.

He mentioned the Roval in 2021, where he led late in a must-win situation before a caution ruined their shot. “This was the first time we closed the deal,” he said. “It was freeing to be in that position.”

That victory, and the steady hand of crew chief Rudy Fugle, have given Byron and the No. 24 team a quiet confidence that comes from experience. They’ve been here before, and this time, there’s no panic. Just process.

“It’s a very normal weekend for me,” he said. “The track hasn’t changed. We’ve been in these positions. It’s very routine.”

He speaks like a veteran, though it wasn’t long ago he was the young kid learning how to survive in the Cup garage. He remembers 2023 at Phoenix, winning the pole, leading laps, and looking poised to win it all until it slipped away.

But he doesn’t dwell on it.

“I’m a totally different person than I was back then,” Byron said. “With age, you should be learning, improving. I’ve learned so much since then. Probably the only thing the same is the track and the car.”

That evolution shows in how he carries himself. There’s no drama, no chest-beating. He just trusts the people around him.

“I don’t think about the pit stops,” he said. “I just trust those guys. They’re the experts. I focus on executing my job.”

He has the same steady tone when talking about teammate Kyle Larson. “If one of us wins, we’d be happy for Hendrick as a whole.”

And the same humility when talking about his own success. “You never want to take it for granted,” he said. “You just go out there and try to do the best job you can.”

Even off the track, Byron’s a man of rhythm and routine. He loves golf, though this week’s too short for that. He jokes about Christmas decorations staying up until mid-January.

His playlist leans Coldplay. His road-trip snack of choice is still Nerds Clusters. And when asked about a traveling companion, he smiled. “I think I’d just drive by myself. I like my space.”

He’s calm, thoughtful, and precise, the kind of competitor who doesn’t need to talk himself into believing he can win. His focus is internal, built on discipline and trust.

“It’s the same as always,” he said. “That might sound boring, but it works.”

Byron doesn’t see this weekend as pressure. He sees it as opportunity.

After years of steady growth, countless lessons, and one Martinsville breakthrough that erased any doubts about closing, he’s on the verge of something special.

Win or lose, he says, he’ll walk away with no regrets.

“You just try to leave here with no regrets,” he said. “It’s all over in a few days, so you make the most of it.”

That’s the story of William Byron heading into Phoenix. Not loud, not flashy, but quietly, steadily ready.

And if he wins it all Sunday night, don’t expect a wild celebration or a speech about destiny. He’ll probably just thank his team, smile, and catch a commercial flight home.

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