Byron has never been a part of the Championship 4, but many still point to this Hendrick Motorsports driver as the title favourite.
One look at his 2023 season and it's easy to see why. Byron's five race wins is the most in the field. He also tops the rest of the pack on laps led and stage wins.
With a total of four wins in his previous six seasons, 2023 has been a breakout year for the 25-year-old.
Perhaps the most important aspect of Byron's year is where he collected those five victories. He won at Darlington, which also opens the playoffs this weekend. He won at Las Vegas, which opens the Round of 8. Most crucially, he won at Phoenix, which hosts the title decider in November.
Despite all that, Byron doesn't want to think about the championship ... yet. Right now, it's all about advancing through the first three rounds.
"I don’t want to think about that until we get to that point," he said during Media Day on Thursday.
Source: Autosport