Getty Kyle Busch makes a pit stop at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Kyle Busch Motorsports has reunited with a familiar face. William Byron will join the Craftsman Truck Series team for three races of the 2023 season.
KBM announced the news on March 9 ahead of the trip to Phoenix Raceway. The team said that the Hendrick Motorsports driver will take over the No. 51 Chevrolet Silverado at Bristol Motor Speedway (dirt) on April 8, Darlington Raceway on May 12, and North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 20.
He’s back! 👀
@WilliamByron will pilot the No. 51 @HendrickCars Silverado for three races in ’23!
• Bristol Dirt
• Darlington
• North Wilkesboro
HendrickCars.com will join Byron at Kyle Busch Motorsports as he makes his return to the Craftsman Truck Series. The sponsor will run a tribute to Ricky Hendrick’s scheme from the 2001 season.
“Having William return to KBM for three races is going to be beneficial for our whole organization as we continue to build our notebook as a Chevrolet team,” Kyle Busch said in a statement
“You expect that he’ll compete for the win each time out, he’ll provide valuable feedback to Brian Pattie and our other crew chiefs and when it comes to the development drivers that we’ve had come through KBM, his race preparation is second to none, so he’ll be a valuable asset as a teammate to the young drivers we have in the building.
“Ricky was a good friend of mine, so seeing one of my trucks hitting the track with the paint scheme he raced with in the Truck Series is going to be really special. We appreciate Rick [Hendrick] and everyone at HendrickCars.com for stepping up and making this deal possible.”
Byron Achieved Success for Kyle Busch Motorsports
GettyWilliam Byron does a burnout at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Byron now races for Hendrick Motorsports, but he spent a brief amount of time with Hendrick Motorsports while rising through the NASCAR ranks.
Byron made his Truck Series debut during the 2015 season. He took over a KBM entry at Phoenix Raceway and finished 31st after a crash. Byron then took over the No. 9 for the full 2016 schedule.
This lone season with KBM featured a significant amount of success. Byron won seven Truck Series races, which included consecutive events at Texas Motor Speedway and Iowa Speedway.
Byron made the playoffs and continued to add points to his total, but he ultimately missed the championship four due to an engine issue at Phoenix Raceway. Johnny Sauter went on to win the championship while Byron finished fifth. Though he won the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
“I am so excited to return to racing with KBM. I’m looking forward to getting back in their trucks and hopefully having some fun for these three races,” Byron said. “These are three cool race tracks we’re paired up for and I’m interested in running at them since I haven’t raced there in a truck before.“
Byron Has an Opportunity Ahead of Him
GettyWilliam Byron (left) celebrates a win in 2016.
Byron has won eight races during his time in the Craftsman Truck Series, primarily with Kyle Busch Motorsports. Though he also captured one win in 2022 while driving for Spire Motorsports.
The list of tracks he has conquered includes Martinsville Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Pocono Raceway, Kentucky Speedway, Iowa Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, and Kansas Speedway.
None of these tracks are on Byron’s schedule for the 2023 season. Instead, he will take on new territory with the goal of adding more trophies to his collection.
Byron has no previous Truck Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway (dirt), Darlington Raceway, or North Wilkesboro Speedway. All three will be new to him in this style of vehicle, and they will all provide another challenge.