CONCORD, N.C. - Sometimes, it just takes a little spark to start a championship run. For William Byron, that spark very well could have been ignited at Martinsville Speedway.
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After tough outings at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway, the No. 24 team entered last weekend in a virtual must-win situation. They responded by claiming the pole, leading 304 laps and sealing the day with a trip to victory lane.
But the job's not finished.
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Sunday will mark Byron's third consecutive Championship 4 appearance. But in a year full of twists and turns, a walk-off victory might just be what the team needs to break through and leave Arizona with a championship trophy.
Take a look at that stats that point to Byron being crowned the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series champion:
William Byron
- Phoenix starts: 15
- Phoenix wins: 1
- Phoenix poles: 2
- Phoenix top fives: 3
- Phoenix top 10s: 9
- Career laps led at Phoenix: 288
- Average finish at Phoenix: 10.8
The case: Since the Next Gen car was introduced in 2022, Byron's average finish at Phoenix is eighth, the best of the Championship 4 drivers. Last season, the No. 24 entry qualified on pole and paced the field for 83 laps before finishing sixth.
Byron also enters this weekend having scored stage points in the last 19 segments at Phoenix. The last time he was outside of the top 10 to end a stage was the opening stage of the 2020 championship race. He's also accounted for four stage victories in that timespan.
But the final factor, one not controlled by statistics, is the exclusion of Team Penske in the final round. By virtue of a pass in the final stage at Martinsville, Byron knocked Ryan Blaney out of the Championship 4. For the first time in three years, a different team will raise the championship trophy.
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While anything can happen on Sunday night, Byron and the No. 24 team are poised to make a run for the title on Sunday evening.
Catch the race at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.