“The flames are back”: Fans rejoice as HMS reveals William Byron’s striking Raptor livery

Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) has unveiled the paint scheme for William Byron's No. 24 Raptor Chevrolet, and fans are over the moon for the 'flames' return. He ran a green and black Raptor car in 2025.

Next season, Raptor Coatings will return as a primary sponsor, and the 2026 livery will feature red and blue flames on a white background. HMS revealed the paint scheme on X, writing:

"A new era of heat is coming in 2026 with [Raptor Coatings]! 🔥 Consider this your warning."

NASCAR fans flooded the comments section to share their thoughts on the striking Raptor livery.

"The flames are back ❤️❤️," a fan wrote. "Now that's an incredible look for the Raptors. Well done," another shared. "I liked the green, but I think this might be the best raptor scheme yet," another commented.

Fans also noticed the new livery's similarities with Byron's 2025 Axalta scheme. Raptor has appeared on the No. 24 car in past seasons and is tied to Axalta, the long-time paint partner that owns the Raptor brand.

"Looks like axalta but i like it 🔥," a fan wrote. "I like it. The 24 looks best when it has flames on it," yet another wrote.

HMS has also rolled out other paint schemes for the No. 24 car.

William Byron's other 2026 paint schemes

William Byron's Cincinnati Chevrolet livery for the 2026 season will stay the same as last season, with red, white, and blue colors. The machine tool maker will serve as a primary sponsor for two races next season.

Meanwhile, Hendrick Motorsports also released the new blue and white paint scheme for HP, which will return as a primary sponsor for William Byron in 2026, but fans weren't happy with it.

Liberty University, Valvoline, Phorm Energy, and All-Pro Auto Reconditioning will also sponsor the 16-time Cup winner in the upcoming season. Byron also signed a multi-year deal with defense tech partner Anduril Industries as a new sponsor for the No. 24 team last month.

Meanwhile, Byron, whose 2025 Cup championship was derailed after a flat tire during the finale race at Phoenix last month, was seen spending the off-season on the track. He shared a video on Instagram, getting ready to race in the No. 24 car. The 28-year-old captioned:

"GRWM for a day in the office in December."

William Byron won the Daytona 500 for a second straight year and also clinched the 2025 Regular Season Championship. He added two other wins to his 16 Cup victories by taking the checkered flag first at Iowa Speedway in August and at Martinsville during the playoffs, which also punched his ticket to the Championship 4.

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Edited by Hitesh Nigam