"My dad just breaks down on the phone at night" - When William Byron shared an emotional story about his mom's health battle

In 2022, William Byron opened up on learning about his mother's health scare, and his father's reaction to it, after the 2021 Martinsville race. His mother, Dana Byron, is a cancer survivor and has accompanied the Hendrick Motorsports driver to various races.

During the 2022 interview, the #24 Chevy driver Byron shared the story of his father, Bill, and the rollercoaster of emotions they went through. The 26-year-old recollected the moment when he learned his mother had been taken to a hospital for scans which revealed a tumor. He said (via NASCAR):

"I didn't know anything during the race [2021 Martinsville] at all, finished fourth, like it was a good race for us. I looked at my phone - my dad...he was just like, 'Hey call me,' and I was like, 'That's weird,' like, I had kind of a queasy feeling... As soon as he said, 'Hey, we're in the hospital, we're doing a lot of scans and MRIs and it looks like she has some kind of mass in her brain,' - there was a tumor inside of her brain on the left side - I was scared, 'what does that mean?' [0:30]

"It was tough hearing my dad...He just breaks down on the phone at night and it's hard to hear him like that because I've never heard him have that much emotion, and the emotions that she felt, y'know, is kind of a rollercoaster."

William Byron won the 2022 Martinsville race, a year after his mother suffered a mini-stroke at the racetrack. He dedicated the win to Dana, who battled through surgery and radiation.

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"This one is for my mom," - When William Byron opened up after his win at the 2022 Martinsville Speedway

William Byron is in his seventh season with Hendrick Motorsport and has been showing speed and impressive performances with each passing season since his debut.

In an interview with Fox Sports after winning the 2022 Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 400 race at Martinsville Speedway, Byron said:

"This one is for my mom. This same weekend last year, she had kind of a mini-stroke and was diagnosed with brain cancer. It means a lot to have her here. ... I kind of felt like she was riding in there with me.

"It's cool to have her here, and I'm definitely going to enjoy this one."

This was also the first time Byron's mother celebrated the win with him at victory lane. She said (via Fox Sports):

"It brings back good memories because I survived, and I’m here, and my cancer is gone. For me, it’s a happy thing, not a sad thing."

Meanwhile, the 2024 Daytona 500 winner is in contention for a maiden Cup Series title this season. After the last Round of 16 race, Byron is placed at P4 and is 14 points above the playoff cutline.