"I felt they were in another zip code": HMS' William Byron reflects on Penske dominance after Loudon playoff run

William Byron couldn't overcome the Team Penske dominance on Sunday at New Hampshire. The driver of the #24 showed speed throughout the 301-lap event, but wound up finishing third. He was able to surpass Team Penske driver Joey Logano in the end, who led a race-high 147 laps. However, the Hendrick Motorsports driver couldn't reach Ryan Blaney, who went on to win the race.

Blaney and Logano led all but 38 laps in Sunday's event combined. Meanwhile, Josh Berry finished runner-up in the #21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford, an organization aligned with Team Penske. While Byron proved to have top five speed, it wasn't enough to earn his third win of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Following the checkered flag of Sunday's race, Byron spoke about the Penske dominance that he and the field had to endure. The two-time and defending Daytona 500 winner said the Penske drivers were essentially on their own they were so fast, but made mention of how hard his #24 team worked. With two races left in the Round of 12, Byron is hopeful they can build off the strong finish.

Here's what William Byron told Motorsports Hotspot following his third-place finish at New Hampshire:

“The Penske guys were super fast. I felt like they were in another zip code. Other than that, we were really competitive. I’m really proud of our team, [and our] Raptor Chevrolet. If we can just build on this, I feel like all of our short track [results] are starting to come together.”

It was a great points day for William Byron despite not leaving New Hampshire with the checkered flag. Heading into the Round of 12, Byron had a 24-point advantage over the cut line to advance to the Round of 8. Now, the 27-year-old has a 47-point gap over the cutoff with two races left in the round.

William Byron not settling despite large points gap over Round of 8 cut line

NASCAR: Southern 500 - Source: Imagn

With two races remaining in the Round of 12 of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, William Byron holds a strong 47-point advantage over the cut line. However, the North Carolina native said there's no time to rest as that barrier could be washed away in an instant.

Byron told Motorsports Hotspot that he's hopeful they can carry the momentum of a third-place effort at New Hampshire into the next two races. Despite having the large points gap, Byron believes he can't settle if he wants to assure his spot in the Round of 12.

“It’s no breathing room because you’ve got to go out and execute every week. You’ve got to keep your foot on the gas in this deal. Hopefully we can go to Kansas and be up front contending for a win. Then you go to the ROVAL, and you can kind of have that one [race] where you can kind of reset," William Byron said.

William Byron is seeking to return to the Championship 4 race for the third straight season. This time, he'll aim to win his first NASCAR Cup Series championship as he's failed to do so in his previous two championship race appearances.

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Edited by John Breeden