William Byron finished the Clash at the Bowman Gray Stadium in 19th place. It wasn’t the result that he’d hoped for, but fortunately, the exhibition event is largely just a warm-up routine for the Daytona 500. In a recent episode of The Racing Writer’s Podcast, he opened up on how he has been feeling physically after the first race of the 2025 season.
Advertisement
He said, “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.” Cup Series drivers are getting back into their cars after a three-month break. This is bound to bring up some restraints.
However, Byron is just glad that they are back racing again. Podcast host Kelly Crandall continued the discussion by pointing out how they didn’t have to travel far for the Clash. 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. “Being able to go back. Drive home in an hour was awesome,” he quipped.
Races are seldom scheduled this close to Charlotte, where most drivers reside. Going forward, they won’t have the luxury of getting home this quick. Byron was, again, grateful for the soft lead-in. He continued talking about the off-season training that he went through and how he has been preparing physically for the 2025 season.
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. He said about it, “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.”
With the amount of traveling they do, changing fitness levels to an extreme level is not possible during the season. Byron explained that this is why training in the offseason is 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 most intricate muscles. “Being in the race car is an intense workout,” the driver said and noted that staying nimble and flexible helps with the challenge of being in a seated position for long hours under high downforce. He will next be seen in the Daytona 500 on February 16.
