William Byron finished the Clash at the Bowman Gray Stadium in 18th place — not the result he had hoped for. He can possibly take heart that the exhibition event is largely a warm-up for the Daytona 500. That said, the action was pretty hot, and it was clear that exhibition or not, the drivers meant business. Naturally, Byron felt the physical aftermath of hard racing all over his body.
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Cup Series drivers are getting back into their cars after a three-month break. So, the Bowman Gray outing was also bound to bring up some stiffness as well as aches and pains. In a recent episode of The Racing Writer’s Podcast, Byron opened up on how he has been feeling physically after the first race of the 2025 season.
“I am a little bit sore. It feels like a little bit of a bad hangover, for sure. Especially not running well. It’s been a pretty easy day. Nothing major is going on. Just a meeting here and there. Talking about the race. Yeah, it’s great to be back,” said Byron.
Podcast host Kelly Crandall then pointed out how Byron and the other drivers had an easy commute to the Clash and back. The 0.25-mile short track in Winston-Salem is just a stone’s throw away from Charlotte, and the driver was grateful for it. Races are seldom scheduled this close to Charlotte, where most drivers reside.
“Being able to go back. Drive home in an hour was awesome,” added Byron.
The talk then shifted to how Byron went about the off-season training.
How Byron has prepared for the 2025 season in the gym
For a week after the 2024 season finale in Phoenix, Byron took a leave from work to refresh himself. He then got back to working on his fitness goals and regular training.
“Overall just wanted to work on some things during the offseason and felt like I was able to do that. Stayed on a pretty good routine,” revealed Byron.
With the amount of traveling they do, working on lifting their fitness levels is not possible during the season. Byron explained that this makes offseason training crucial. That said, he did admit that there have been seasons when he has directly jumped into racing without the tiniest bit of physical preparation.
Driving a stock car is hard work. It takes a lot from one’s body and strains the muscles to their limits. “Being in the race car is an intense workout,” the 27-year-old said, noting that staying nimble and flexible helps with the challenge of remaining in a seated position for long hours under high G-force.
Byron will be next seen in action at the Daytona 500 on February 16.
