NASCAR: William Byron decision keeps remarkable streak intact

Never in the history of the NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4 has the first driver to reach two wins in a season failed to qualify.

Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron advanced to the round of 8 of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs with a 16th place finish in Sunday afternoon’s round of 12 finale, the Bank of America Roval 400 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval.

Byron ended up 11 points above the round of 8 cut line, meaning that had the appeal of his 25-point penalty after the race at Texas Motor Speedway two weeks prior not been successful, he would have been denied his first career round of 8 appearance.

Ironically, it was Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson who ended up being denied a round of 8 spot because of it. The reigning series champion was the first driver below the cut line after Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell won the race while in a must-win situation.

So Byron’s successful appeal means that a remarkable Championship 4 streak remains intact, and it will remain intact for at least another three weeks.

The current playoff format was introduced in 2014, and in each of its first eight seasons, the driver who was first to reach two wins advanced to the Championship 4.

William Byron was that driver this year, winning the March race at Atlanta Motor Speedway and the April race at Martinsville Speedway.

Here’s a look at the last eight years.

• 2014 – Kevin Harvick (champion)
• 2015 – Kevin Harvick
• 2016 – Jimmie Johnson (champion)
• 2017 – Brad Keselowski
• 2018 – Kevin Harvick
• 2019 – Kyle Busch (champion)
• 2020 – Joey Logano
• 2021 – Martin Truex Jr.

Byron is the most recent winner at two of the three tracks in the round of 8 as well, accounting for half of his career victories. He won the February 2021 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, and he won the aforementioned April 2022 race at Martinsville Speedway.

Those tracks are scheduled to host round of 8 races on Sunday, October 23 and Sunday, October 30, respectively. The other round of 8 race is scheduled to be contested at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this Sunday, October 16.

This trend doesn’t necessarily translate to championships, but with William Byron having +800 odds, tied for second worst among the remaining eight title contenders, he could be worth a second look before the round of 8 begins, since a Championship 4 berth would inevitably shorten those odds. Keep an eye on all NASCAR odds at WynnBET.