With NASCAR returning to a season-long Chase championship format, consistency has once again become the sport’s most valuable currency. That placed William Byron squarely at the center of debate.
On the latest episode of The Teardown, Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi examined whether the No. 24 driver is poised to thrive under a format that rewards steady results over late playoff surges. First, Bianchi believes Byron’s reputation hasn’t caught up with his performance.
He pointed to Byron posting the best average finish in 2023 and winning the regular-season points title last year, while never dropping below second in the standings during the 2025 regular season. To Bianchi, that body of work suggests Byron is no longer a driver who runs hot and cold, but one who now lives near the front weekly.
“This is a team that consistently shows they run up front and string together good to great finishes,” Bianchi said, adding he expects Byron to firmly establish himself among the sport’s elite in 2026.
Meanwhile, Gluck pushed back, arguing the results still show volatility. He referenced an eight-race stretch last season in which Byron recorded no top-five finishes and only a couple top-10s, both on road courses, raising concerns about long dry spells in a cumulative points system.
“That can be a problem in this format,” Gluck said, not entirely convinced at the moment. “Their results are still a little up and down.”
He also noted how the No. 24 team struggled early in last year’s playoffs at Darlington before rebounding to reach the Championship Four. It was an impressive recovery, but the standings may not be as forgiving in a season-long battle. Because of that, Gluck admitted he currently leans toward Kyle Larson as a safer championship pick.
Alas, Byron’s season opened with a 12th-place finish in the Daytona 500, offering little clarity but reinforcing the central question of whether he’s consistently elite or occasionally elite.
In the previous elimination format, Byron’s ability to rebound from slow stretches kept his title hopes alive. In the Chase, prolonged slumps carry heavier consequences.
If the No. 24 team truly has evolved into a week-to-week contender, the new system could reward them more than ever. If not, every quiet month may quietly remove them from the championship conversation.
The margin between contender and favorite has never been smaller. Byron’s 2026 season may ultimately define where he falls in NASCAR’s hierarchy.