William Byron Faces a Primary Sponsor Setback Ahead of the 2026 Season

William Byron's primary sponsor, Liberty University has significantly reduced the number of races they will sponsor in the 2026 season.

William Byron Faces a Primary Sponsor Setback Ahead of the 2026 Season

William Byron (Via IMAGO)

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William Byron emerged as one of the better drivers in the 2025 season, especially after winning the regular season championship. Byron even managed to make it into the Championship-4, but a last-moment incident caused him to lose out on the title win. Now, with the 2026 season start right around the corner, the #24 driver is facing a massive sponsorship setback with Liberty University.

Notably, Liberty University has been backing William Byron for more than a decade now. The educational institution has been sponsoring him since his junior NASCAR days, as he continued to achieve success leading up to the Cup Series. Even for the 2026 season, Liberty was believed to continue the alliance, but potentially at a reduced commitment with the HMS star.

Liberty University had sponsored 12 of William Byron’s races in the 2024 season. But it was significantly cut down to just six races in the 2025 season. Now, for the 2026 season, the educational institute is sponsoring him for just three races. This might mean that the sponsor is looking to back out of the deal completely in the near future, following Byron’s championship-less streak in the Cup Series.

The three races that William Byron will be supported by Liberty University are the Watkins Glen Race, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the Martinsville Speedway over the 2025 season. The three-race sponsorship means that the number of races sponsored is cut down to half of what it was in the previous season. As such, Byron must look for other primary sponsors for more races to continue to fund his Cup Series dream with Hendrick Motorsports.

Liberty University reveals William Byron’s special livery for the 2026 season

William Byron will have to don Liberty University’s approved special livery for the three races that he will be sponsored by them in the 2025 season. The University has already revealed the special color scheme, and it is quite similar to the liveries of the previous year. Hendrick Motorsports revealed the livery in a recent post on X, and the educational institution reshared the post, showcasing their delight with the livery.

William Byron's #24 challenger with Liberty University livery (via Liberty University/X)
William Byron’s #24 challenger with Liberty University livery (via Liberty University/X)

Liberty University’s special livery follows the usual blue and white paint scheme. The car also showcases a flame-style vinyl on the sides that extends to the rear. Meanwhile, the front of the car is white, with some blue stripes, showcasing the University’s color scheme. William Byron’s No.24 is painted red, with the name of the educational institution clearly visible over other elements. Though the paint scheme is more or less the same, the fans certainly have mixed opinions on the reduced number of races sponsored, among other things.

The 2025 season was full of ups and downs for William Byron. His title loss was definitely heartbreaking, and he was disheartened for costing Denny Hamlin the title win as well. Regardless, Byron hopes to let bygones be bygones and start on a fresh note in the 2026 season. The #24 driver will certainly hope to put on a better show in the coming season and rake in more lucrative sponsorship deals for his NASCAR seat.

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