RICHMOND, Va. — William Byron secured the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series regular season championship Saturday night at Richmond Raceway, capping off a consistent campaign with a 12th-place finish in the Cook Out 400. The result was enough to lock up the title with one race remaining before the playoffs.
Byron entered the weekend with a 42-point lead over Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott. That margin widened dramatically after Elliott was collected in a multi-car crash on Lap 198, relegating him to a last-place finish and eliminating his chances of overtaking Byron in the standings.
The regular season crown marks Byron’s first in the Cup Series and awards him 15 bonus playoff points, adding to the 17 he had already accumulated through stage wins and race victories. Those points will carry through each round of the postseason, giving Byron a strategic advantage as the championship battle intensifies.
Byron’s season began with a statement win in the Daytona 500 and included a pivotal victory at Iowa Speedway. Despite a midseason slump that featured five finishes of 27th or worse, he rebounded with a top-five run at Watkins Glen and maintained a steady presence near the front of the field in recent weeks.
The No. 24 team’s ability to weather adversity and capitalize on key moments proved decisive in the final stretch. Byron led the point standings for 20 of the first 25 races and topped the series in stage points earned, underscoring his consistency across various track types and conditions.
With the regular season finale at Daytona looming, Byron can now shift focus to playoff preparation while the rest of the field scrambles for position. His championship run not only highlights Hendrick Motorsports’ strength but also sets the tone for a postseason campaign that could culminate in a title run at Phoenix.