Night for Charlotte’s William Byron ends early in first NASCAR Truck race

William Byron traveled too far this week not to be in the field of Friday night’s Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix International Raceway.

It turns out there was little chance of that happening to Byron, a senior at Charlotte Country Day who made his NASCAR Truck Series debut for Kyle Busch Motorsports.

“Sometimes with your first race, the elephant in the room is that you can make the race,” said Byron, who easily qualified for the race in the fifth starting spot. “So I’m glad I made it.”

Byron didn’t last long once the race began. He wrecked with Brandon Jones on the sixth lap. The damage to his No. 9 Toyota was too severe for Byron to return.

Byron, 17, wasn’t the only Charlotte-area teenager starting near the front Friday night. Mooresville’s John Hunter Nemechek, a recent Davidson Day graduate, started 11th.

It was a magical year for Byron, 17, who recently won NASCAR’s K&N Pro East Series championship as a rookie. The title – which came with four victories -- helped him catch the eye of Busch, who hired him as one of two full-time drivers next year at KBM.

Prior to Friday, Byron’s only prior experience on Phoenix’s 1-mile oval came Thursday, when he finished second in a NASCAR K&N Pro West Series race and was fourth fastest in Truck practice.

That practice was the first time Byron had driven a truck, and it didn’t take him long to notice the differences between his No. 9 Toyota and the smaller, lighter and slower K&N car to which he’s more accustomed.

“The aero of the truck, how it gets loose, it’s all so different,” Byron said. “But I know I’ll become a lot more confident (Friday night).”

Friday’s qualifying was also a first for Byron. He’d never been involved in the knockout format used in Cup, Xfinity and Trucks racing.

“It was a blast,” Byron said. “I wanted to get in the top 24 in the first round, but making the top 12 in the second round was harder than I thought it would be. But I calmed down a lot in the third round, knowing the worst I could be was 12th.”

Byron then began his wait for Friday’s 8:30 p.m. green flag.

“I’ve been watching Truck races for a long time,” he said before the race. “To be in one now is amazing.”

This story was originally published November 13, 2015 at 3:11 PM with the headline "Night for Charlotte’s William Byron ends early in first NASCAR Truck race."