Hendrick Motorsports introduces William Byron, who makes his first public comments


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Hendrick Motorsports has officially rolled out the red carpet for its newest driver, 19-year-old William Byron.

Hendrick, on its website, posted a detailed story about Byron and his rocket-like rise in to the top level of NASCAR.

In a statement, Byron said:

It hasn't sunk in yet. Mr. (Rick) Hendrick has built such a great team. The people at Hendrick Motorsports have dedicated their lives to giving their drivers the best chance to win every weekend. I have a responsibility to them to work hard and put everything I have into this opportunity. They need to know I'm always giving 100 percent because that's what they do.

When I told my parents that I wanted to drive race cars, they supported me and believed I could do it. Without them, there's no way this would be possible.

Byron will drive the No. 5 Chevrolet and be sponsored by the team companies that support  him in the Xfinity Series -- Axalta Coating Systems and Liberty University.

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Hendrick said:

At every step, William has proven how quickly he can adapt. Some drivers have raw talent and some have a strong work ethic. William has both. It's impressive to see a young guy who never gets rattled and instinctively knows how to communicate with his team. That level of commitment, poise and pure ability is rare at any age. I think he's just scratching the surface.

There's no doubt Byron is a talented driver.

In 2016, he set a  NASCAR national series rookie record seven victories, and this year, in the Xfinity series, he's earned three wins.

In its release, Hendrick said Byron will make his debut at the Daytona 500.

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Byron will replace Kasey Kahne, who was released from his contract earlier this week.