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William Byron Interview Following His Win At Martinsville | VICTORY LAP

William Byron Interview Following His Win At Martinsville | VICTORY LAP

Kevin Harvick's Happy Hour presented by NASCAR on FOX Oct 27, 2025 9 min
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About this episode

William Byron reflects on his dominant Martinsville win, highlighting the team's resilience and mental focus through adversity. He discusses the confidence gained from recent performances and the importance of maintaining rhythm heading into the championship weekend at Phoenix. Byron shares insights on managing pressure, the finality of the playoffs, and the mindset needed to succeed. The conversation also touches on the evolution of the cars and his approach to time management during high-stakes races, offering a candid look at the challenges and excitement of competing at NASCAR's highest level.

Topics: martinsville win team resilience mental focus championship weekend car performance race strategy pressure management playoff mindset time management NASCAR competition
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I've never had this feeling being able to go into a weekend after a win.
It already feels different.
We're just in a rhythm and a cadence, and hopefully we can keep that going all the
way to Sunday.
Well, William, that was one of those pressure moments that came through for you guys and
to win in a dominant fashion, late restart, late pit stop, total team effort in having
to perform.
That had to feel pretty good.
Yeah.
Thanks.
Yeah, I did.
It was a complete day, honestly, and not without adversity and just different things going
on.
But yeah, it was, you know, it came with a game plan there and, you know, we just
felt like we had a good weekend start to finish, was able to have a pretty good
Saturday.
Qualifying was a surprise that it was that good, and then just being able to execute
the race and get through the different runs of the race and track changes and that
last caution and that restart was definitely nerve-wracking.
But I just felt like we kind of channeled everything that we were building throughout
the year to get that done.
So when you go through a moment like that and we talked about it a little bit on our
show today, I was back in 2015, one of the biggest conversations that we had as a team
was how do we perform like that on a weekly basis to be able to have that preparation
and mental focus?
Now there's going to be things that happen because that was something that Jimmy and
Chad were so freaking good at through the years and showing up like that every week.
So did you guys learn any, what did you learn about yourselves?
I know you learned something.
Did you learn about yourself after going to Martinsville?
To me, I think that the relief and the pressure when you got out of that car was super visible
of just like, oh my God, thank God that worked out.
But what did you learn about yourself and your team after a race weekend like that?
Yeah, I think we just finally capitalized and I think it was just a really cerebral
weekend just the way that we were able to manage it and get through it.
I just felt like we were able to just put all the pieces together and I think the other
races we've had this year that haven't exactly gone the way we wanted to just were lessons
for us.
And I said that at the Media Center, I feel like those moments and those opportunities
that we've been through just helped us, helped shape us and I think those experiences just
give you things to fall back on and you just, if you can learn from them and focus internally
and just find a different level of motivation, it usually works out.
Momentum is real this time of year and I think you look at the difference between
your race weekend and the 11 race weekend, 19, some of your competitors and obviously,
does that feeling different to you just because of the fact the cars have to leave Tuesday?
You talk about the things with the team, just being able to carry that over into the
championship weekend so quickly has to feel pretty good because you don't have to get
out of that mindset if you're anything like me.
You don't have to get out of that mindset from where you ended on Sunday because the
weekend is so short.
Yeah, this is a short weekend.
Yeah, we've been fortunate to be to the start third time going into this weekend and it's
a huge blessing.
It's your fortune to be a part of this championship forward because you want to be racing for
something this weekend.
And I feel like, yeah, I've never had this feeling being able to go into a weekend
after a win.
You know, honestly, the last couple of times we made the championship forward, it's been
relief and just been trying to refocus for this weekend.
And I think it already feels different, you know, already feels like we're just in
a rhythm and a cadence and hopefully we can keep that rhythm and routine going all
the way to Sunday.
So based on the spring at Phoenix and everything that you guys have been through this
year with different tires and the evolution of downforce and what do you, how do
you feel about where you're at with your cars?
Obviously, they were really fast at Martinsville.
You made a good stride, you know, at Loudon and St. Louis, you know, as a company.
Where do you feel is the strength for the weekend?
What do you need to work on going to Phoenix to put yourself in a position to have a
chance to win this thing?
Yeah, I feel really, I feel confident.
I feel like our cars are, we've had something that we can drive hard and just
manage and I feel like it just feels good.
It feels a lot better.
A lot less questions than what we've had in the past going to Phoenix.
So yeah, it's nice also to come off of a short track and be kind of in the routine,
as you know, like push the brake pedal, hit the gas a certain way and just kind
of all those little things that feels nice to be in that rhythm.
So yeah, I think I'm confident in what we're bringing to the racetrack right
now and it feel a lot better than how we've been in years past.
So you've been there a couple of times already.
Tell me what you think you need to do from a time management standpoint,
expectation standpoint, compared to the first two times and how you're going
to approach this, this third one.
Yeah, it's just, yeah, it's not boring, but it's just business as usual.
You can't really change a whole lot, you know, going into this weekend.
It's there's a lot of distractions.
There's, as you know, there's a ton of things you have to do.
And you just can't really change.
You just have to, the moment is, is obviously big, but it's got to feel
just like every other, every other weekend.
So yeah, it's, I'm going to try to just stick to my normal stuff.
It might be a little boring, but it's, it's just kind of stick to what works.
Well, it's, it's a lot more work.
I know that for sure.
And it definitely, every time I always got to the championship race,
it was like, oh my God, thank God.
I'm finally, finally relieved.
And, and, you know, I think when, when you go into last week, as far as knowing
that you had to win, not in that limbo zone, I guess, like Larson was to where
you don't really need to win.
You need to beat one car.
It'd be nice to win, to lock yourself in.
Do you approach the championship weekend kind of that same way as, hey, I know
I have one goal and that's to, to go there and try to win the race
because you're most likely that's, that's what you're going to have to do.
Um, do you, do you feel that same way that not having to balance points and
thinking that you might have to win, just having one goal is, is easier?
Uh, yeah, I think it is.
I think it, uh, it's kind of, it's do or die.
And I feel like it gives you a finality to the weekend.
And yeah, I mean, this is the last, just like last weekend felt, you know,
I felt like if, if Sunday didn't work out, it was pretty much our season
is over, right?
And, and it's the same way this weekend.
So it's, um, the finality of that moment is, is nice.
It's freeing because, you know, on the other side, good or bad, it's, it's, uh,
all that work is, is going to come to an end.
And you just have to, uh, put your best foot forward this week
and, uh, do everything you can do because it's, yeah, it's,
that's how I felt going into Martinsville.
It's like, if we're not good enough to win this weekend, then
it's all going to, all going to be over.
So you just have to, uh, approach it with that finality.
All right. Last question.
Was that the best burnout that you've ever done?
It was long. I was just excited.
And then they told me I was in the wrong spot.
They told me I was in the wrong spot.
So I was like, okay, I got to move, move for the stage or whatever.
But, uh, yeah, it's just a lot of excitement.
I mean, honestly, you know, when you have a race like that,
you have a lot of time to think and, and you're just, you know,
I wasn't maybe right after the race.
So I was just thinking about the execution of the race.
And so I wasn't at first as excited, but then, you know,
as soon as I got out of the car and heard the fans, I was, I was pumped.
So it, um, yeah, it's just trying to do your job inside the car.
And when they weighed the checkered, it was like, okay, all right.
Now we can breathe a little bit.
Well, it was pretty fun to watch.
You guys had just a dominant performance and then I wish you nothing,
but the best of luck is, as you go to Phoenix,
I know you got a lot on your plate.
And I appreciate you taking the time today to, to tell us a little bit about your weekend.
Yeah, man. Thank you.

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