NEW YORK — William Byron admits he didn’t make the healthiest of choices when the post-Daytona 500 victory celebration resulted in a trip to Waffle House at 4 a.m. Monday morning.
“Chocolate chip waffle,” Byron said. “I’m not very healthy. … But it was good. Did the job.”
Byron might have been exaggerating on the part that he’s not very healthy. But winning the Daytona 500 does present a problem for the winner. With media in Florida on Monday morning, an appearance Monday on WWE’s “Monday Night Raw” in Charlotte, all-day Tuesday doing media stops in New York City and then another media blitz Friday in Atlanta, Byron’s entire week is one where he has little say in the plans.
The 27-year-old won the Daytona 500 last year, so he knew what to expect this year. And while he’s trying to soak everything in more and be more present, he still hasn’t gotten to the point where he has figured out a diet that meets his training needs while also talking about one of the biggest victories of his career.
“I haven’t eaten as much as I probably should,” Byron said Tuesday as he stood on the 102nd floor of the Empire State Building. “There’s been a few beverages in there for sure. I’ve had some [vitamin] gummies and stuff, that’s about it. … I’m sure I’m still a little bit light because I haven’t eaten a lot.
“It’s not too bad. I got a bunch of sleep last night, so that was great. Last year, we had to come right here [to NYC after a Monday race], so to be able to get to rest last night was definitely much needed.”
The Daytona 500 victory tour disrupts his normal training and race preparation, something most drivers see as just a byproduct of winning the sport’s biggest race. At one point Monday morning, Byron said he was brought a fast food breakfast biscuit for him to eat between Zoom calls with various media outlets and podcasts.
His travel isn’t as bad as other champions have had. The race this weekend is in Atlanta, compared to some years where the winner has had to travel to the West Coast to race. The main concern as far as health and strength is for Byron to be ready for what is expected to be a physically demanding road-course race on March 2 at Circuit of the Americas.
“I feel like I’m relatively healthy,” Byron said. “I haven’t been able to work out or anything, but it’s early in the week, and Atlanta is not a super physical track.
“I should be able to get through that and get ready for COTA — COTA is going to be a tough race for sure.”
The team spent Sunday night in Daytona and got back home late Monday morning. Byron’s crew chief Rudy Fugle went to “Raw” with Byron but their real sitdown to talk about Atlanta likely will come Thursday.
In addition to not eating much, Byron also has cut back on his social media scrolling, trying not to listen or go into any rabbit holes of debate about his victory, where he was running seventh on the backstretch of the final lap when the leaders crashed and Byron slipped by on the outside.
“I haven’t looked at any social media,” Byron said. “I feel like that’s the best way to go about things sometimes and I’ve just been so busy. … I was in shock after the race, but I think now, looking back at it and living it, it feels really good.”
But Byron has heard about one topic.
“There’s conspiracies that I hit the wall on purpose on my burnout,” Byron said. “I’m just really clumsy.”
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and IndyCar for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
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