A Liberty University student is celebrating a major victory after winning his first NASCAR Cup Series race of the season, last Sunday.
William Byron, an online junior studying strategic communication, won the Folds of Honor Quiktrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He beat out 20 racers over 111 laps in his Chevy Camaro ZL1 that featured the word “Liberty” on both sides.
“What a day,” Byron wrote on Instagram. “We never stopped working. Crazy racing today at Atlanta. So thankful, winning in Cup is special.”
The reconfigured track, with new pavement and steeper banking, produced an exciting race with 46 lead changes among the drivers. Despite multiple wrecks, Byron managed to keep the racers behind him for the last 10 laps. He beat out the second-place finisher by .109 seconds.
“Pretty wild,” Byron said after the race. “I’m out of breath. It was crazy.”
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Byron’s win was the third of his career and first of the season. It secures his spot in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
“I think these fans saw one heck of a race,” Byron added. “It was certainly long from my seat. It was mentally taxing (but) I definitely enjoyed it. It was lots of drafting and lots of crazy moments, but I’m glad we could come out with a win. It’s super exciting.”
The 24-year-old credited his win to Liberty University’s sponsored vehicle.
“The Liberty University Chevrolet was awesome here,” he told Fox Sports.
Last fall, the school reached a five-year agreement with Hendricks Sports to sponsor Byron for 12 races through 2026.
“I’m proud to represent an institution like Liberty University,” Byron said. “They inspire a lot of people my age to pursue their passions, and I look forward to continuing to represent them on and off the racetrack.”
Byron’s Christian faith is central to his life and his racing career.
A few years ago Byron told the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, “When I started racing was really the first chance that I really reached out to God and really needed Him in my life. I was always involved in it as a kid, but it didn’t carry as much importance to me as it does now.”
Ephesians 3:20 has inspired Byron in his young career. In fact, he’s even kept a metal plaque with that Bible verse in his race car. It states, “God’s plan is exceedingly abundantly above anything we could imagine for ourselves.”
“It’s the verse I always keep in mind when I race,” Byron told Inspiration.org. “It talks about the power of God and what He can do. That’s more than what we can imagine for ourselves and what we can even think of and believe for ourselves.”
Liberty University will sponsor Byron’s next race at Richmond Raceway on April 3.
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