Article recounts NASCAR driver and LU student William Byron’s ‘fast ride’ to success

William Byron is now a household name for NASCAR fans, but before he reached the highest level of the sport, Byron was already a Charlotte, N.C., favorite — and a Liberty University student.

Reporter Madeline Coleman recently chronicled Byron’s success following his runner-up finish at the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, his first Top-5 finish in the Cup Series. In the article “From fan to driver: Charlotte native William Byron’s fast ride to NASCAR’s top series,” published in the Charlotte Observer, the 21-year-old driver talks about his rapid success through the ranks of NASCAR and how he has grown in his faith.

“It was hard to balance having friends and what I wanted to do with my life, and I figured out that I really needed to pursue what I’m interested in and not what other people are interested in,” Byron said. “That’s where my faith kind of grew … I just started to race, and then my faith came with that because I was on my own and trying to figure out how to survive out there.”

Byron first took courses through Liberty’s online program, then became a residential student pursuing a business communications degree. Now, in the NASCAR Cup Series, he continues to take courses online and is cheered on by his classmates, friends, and professors at Liberty. The university is playing a large role in his endeavors, too, as one of his primary sponsors.

Read more news on Byron and follow him in the Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at WilliamByron.com.