William Byron Makes Spire Motorsports History at Martinsville

Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron made his return to the Camping World Truck Series on April 7. He competed at Martinsville Speedway and took the No. 7 to Victory Lane on what was a historic night for multiple reasons.

Byron had a HendrickCars.com primary scheme, but he did not suit up for Rick Hendrick. Instead, he joined Spire Motorsports, a Cup Series team that is only taking on the Truck Series for the first time. After three races, the team already has its first win, as well as its most laps led by far. Austin Hill and Alex Bowman each led one lap during their starts at Daytona International Speedway and Circuit of the Americas, respectively, but Byron led 94 of the 200 laps at Martinsville.

This victory at Martinsville Speedway was also momentous for Byron. The Charlotte native won a national series race at the Virginia short track for the first time in his career, and he celebrated next to the iconic grandfather clock. The April 7 race also marked the second short-track victory of Byron’s Truck Series career.

ALL the latest NASCAR news straight to your inbox! Subscribe to the Heavy on NASCAR newsletter here!

Sign up for the Heavy on NASCAR Newsletter!

---

Byron Tied 2 Active NASCAR Drivers With His Win

The Cup Series driver has only made 26 total starts in the Camping World Truck Series, but he has achieved a considerable amount of success. His lone full-time season (2016) featured seven trips to Victory Lane and three Pole Awards.

With his latest win, Byron now has eight in his Truck Series career. This places him in a tie with 2020 champion Sheldon Creed and Austin Hill for sixth overall among active drivers. Brendan Gaughan also has eight wins, but he no longer competes in NASCAR while working for Beard Motorsports.

It took Creed two seasons to hit the mark. Hill reached eight wins in three seasons. Byron posted seven of his wins in one season. He added his eighth in only his 26th career start and second since moving up to the Cup Series.

Kyle Busch currently holds the all-time mark among Truck Series drivers with 61 trips to Victory Lane in 163 starts. Johnny Sauter is second with 24 wins, Todd Bodine is third with 22, Matt Crafton is fourth with 15, and John Hunter Nemechek is fifth with 11.

---

Only 2 Drivers Have Registered Wins for Spire Motorsports

April 7’s trip to Martinsville Speedway was a historic night for Spire Motorsports, a team that has not experienced much success in its brief existence. In fact, Byron is only the second driver to secure a win for the organization.

Justin Haley, who drives full-time in the Cup Series for Kaulig Racing, is the only other driver to reach Victory Lane in a Spire Motorsports entry. Like Byron, he also did so during the team’s first year in a national NASCAR series.

Haley drove the No. 77 entry for three races during the 2019 season. He experienced issues during his first two career starts, which included a crash in his first-ever start. However, the decision to remain out on the track during his third start led to a celebration.

The 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400, which took place a day later than expected due to rain, also unexpectedly came to an early end. The drivers completed the first two stages and tried to finish off the final run to the checkered flag, but a 17-car crash unfolded on Lap 119 of the scheduled 160 and brought out the caution flag. The majority of leaders pitted during caution laps, including Kurt Busch who gave the lead to Haley.

The driver of the No. 77 was at the front of the pack and ready to take the green flag, but lightning in the area brought out the red flag. NASCAR attempted to restart the race multiple times, but more lightning led to the race being declared official. Haley became the winner, and he made Spire Motorsports history.

READ NEXT: NASCAR Makes Final Decision About RFK Racing Penalty, Fines

0 Comments