William Byron Claims Thrilling Charlotte Xfinity Win in NASCAR Overtime

William Byron captured his fifth career NASCAR Xfinity Series win in a dramatic overtime finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 24, 2025. The Cup Series regular rebounded from a pit road penalty early in the race and surged ahead of the field during a hectic closing segment. For more details on NASCAR’s overtime rules, you can visit the official NASCAR rulebook.

Byron’s stay at the front came after he snatched the lead from Justin Allgaier on the decisive overtime restart, making use of fresher tires to separate himself as the leaders prepared for the white flag.

Allgaier seemed in control for much of the race, leading 101 out of 205 laps. His decision to remain on older tires during a late cycle of pit stops, while others went for four fresh tires, caught up with him as repeated cautions shuffled the running order. To learn more about tire strategy in NASCAR, check out this analysis from Motorsport.com.

On the final restart, Byron, along with Connor Zilisch and Nick Sanchez—both having taken four tires—made it past a struggling Allgaier, who faded to fourth by the checkered flag. Sammy Smith finished fifth, while Dean Thompson, Josh Williams, Austin Hill, Ryan Ellis, and Christian Eckes completed the top ten.

Byron, returning to the Xfinity Series in the No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, faced early adversity after a pit road speeding penalty forced him to rally from the back of the pack. A timely caution with just over 50 laps to go, caused by Taylor Gray’s flat tire, allowed Byron to rejoin the lead lap with a wave-around.

Brandon Jones was leading at the time, but Allgaier soon reclaimed the top spot amid shifting pit strategies.

The turning point came inside the final 25 laps when Allgaier’s teammate, Carson Kvapil, spun to bring out another yellow. While most drivers headed to pit road for tires, Allgaier elected to stay out, deciding to gamble on track position. For more insights into pit strategy, visit Racing-Reference.

On the radio, he told his crew chief he would take responsibility if the risk didn’t pay off. Multiple restarts followed, with Harrison Burton suffering damage and Katherine Legge spinning after contact with JJ Yeley, making it a test of patience and precision for everyone involved.

As the cars with newer tires closed in, Zilisch put pressure on Allgaier for the lead, only for another multi-car crash on the backstretch to push the race into overtime. Byron made his move on the outside of Allgaier when it mattered, with the two cars making slight contact as they approached the white flag.

Allgaier, unable to maintain his pace, slipped back in the order as Byron raced away. The final lap was marred by a big wreck involving Jeb Burton and Brennan Poole, but Byron had already secured the win.

Byron described the victory as especially meaningful, highlighting Charlotte as his home track and noting it was his first Xfinity Series win since 2017. Allgaier was left frustrated but philosophical, admitting the tough break that came with his late-race strategy. For historical context on Xfinity Series wins, explore NASCAR’s official records.

The Charlotte Xfinity race proved to be a wild, caution-filled affair, delivering excitement for fans and a rewarding comeback for Byron after a long gap in his Xfinity win column.

Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.