William Byron began his NASCAR journey in 2015, competing in the ARCA and Truck Series. His breakout year came the next season during his first full-time Truck stint, where he won seven races, but narrowly missed a spot in the Championship 4. His performance promptly led to an offer for him to step up to the Xfinity series the next year. Yet, Byron’s success was not solely his own talent; credit was due to his then crew chief, Rudy Fugle, whose strategic acumen played an important role in their victories.
Advertisement
Reunited in the Cup Series in 2021, the partnership between Byron and Fugle has flourished, securing 12 wins in NASCAR’s premier division.
Discussing their dynamic on the Rubbin is Racing podcast, Byron revealed, “He’s [Rudy] a genius behind the scenes. So, he can be intimidating to work with but I think that’s what makes Rudy so special is he’s got a great heart.”
Byron elaborated on their history and reunion, saying, “We started in the Truck Series race together there at Kyle Bush Motorsports and then I went off to Hendrick and started racing. There was an opportunity for me to get a new crew chief when Chad was retiring. So, Rudy was that guy they honestly brought him, they suggested it. I always wanted him as part of my Cup team…”
The HMS driver reflected that after Fugle’s initial discussion with the team, the two sat down for lunch to talk further. After giving it some thought, Fugle agreed to join forces, and from that point, their collaboration took off seamlessly.
Last year, despite Byron advancing to the Championship 4, they fell short of winning the Cup Series title and finished the season in P3 in the final standings.
At the NASCAR Awards, a reporter suggested that Fugle seemed to have taken the loss more to heart than Byron, judging by their post-race demeanors. And Byron conceded with a contemplative “maybe.”
Now in their fifth year together, the duo has started the season strong, with Byron already securing a victory at Daytona, signaling the potential for more successes in the next 25 weekends.
Byron’s relationship with his crew chief Fugle
Byron, who transitioned from a SIM racer to a NASCAR Cup driver, has built a strong partnership with Fugle, whose background in mechanical engineering and their shared experiences in the NASCAR Tier-3 series have greatly strengthened their bond.
Fugle noted that their relationship remains open, saying they both do not get stale and are not afraid to talk to each other and work through things.
Following their recent second consecutive Daytona 500 victory, Fugle reflected, “I think this is our 2oth win together, so that’s pretty amazing if you count them all together.” He also shared how last year’s Daytona 500 win moved him to tears, while this year’s victory sparked laughter.
With their eyes set on the ultimate prize, Fugle expressed optimism for the remainder of the season and their pursuit of a championship title. He remains hopeful that the path to victory will become increasingly streamlined as they progress.
