NASCAR CUP SERIES: FIREKEEPERS CASINO 400

August 22, 2021

William Byron

Frontstretch

An Interview with:

Q. William, you put up a major fight there with late-race restarts trying to get by Ryan Blaney. What more did you need to make the pass?

WILLIAM BYRON: Just the 11 to stay with us. He tried to shuck us into one. I had to stay with him to not sacrifice my right rear. Once you get put three-wide middle, it's game over. I gave up the lead trying to protect the top. Just didn't have the loyalty there to kind of push me to the lead.

Overall really good car. Axalta Chevrolet was extremely fast. Definitely know we can bring that to the Playoffs. Stinks to finish second, but feel like we had a really good car to go to battle with.

Q. Saw and Larson get out of the car, both smiling, high-five'd a little bit. What were you discussing? Did you have a lot of fun in the last couple laps?

WILLIAM BYRON: Yeah, it was fun, kind of like a speedway race. I was trying to back up to him about two to go. Feel he kind of ran the bottom so he didn't have any momentum to push me.

Yeah, I don't know what you do. You can only block so many lanes. I tried to block the top and cost myself first, but just part of it.