William Byron Hopes NASCAR 25 Cover Honors Don’t Invite a “Madden Curse”
Charlotte, NC – Riding the momentum of a stellar regular season, William Byron now faces a new kind of superstition: being the cover star of the upcoming NASCAR 25 game. As he readies for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, he’s brushing off any concerns about the infamous “Madden Curse.”
A Full-Circle Moment in NASCAR Gaming
At Daytona International Speedway last weekend, Byron was unveiled as one of the faces gracing the NASCAR 25 cover alongside Ryan Blaney and Christopher Bell. Developed by iRacing Studios, the sim-style game is due to launch on October 14, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, with a Windows release to follow .
For Byron, the moment resonates personally. Growing up in Charlotte, North Carolina, he honed his skills on iRacing — the very platform now responsible for bringing NASCAR to console. “It feels full circle,” Byron reflected, acknowledging how his childhood passion segued into a pro career .
“Madden Curse”? Not on His Radar
With cover-athlete status has come talk of the fabled “Madden Curse”—the supposed jinx that has befallen numerous athletes after adorning a video game cover. Byron, however, is unfazed. “That’s a curse in Madden, I guess, but I didn’t really think about that,” he told Sports Illustrated. “Winning the championship would be a perfect bookend for sure, if I could carry that through” .
Further reinforcing his grounded mindset, Byron told EssentiallySports that superstition simply isn’t part of his mental playbook: “It wasn’t something on my mind” .
On-Track Performance Matches Digital Spotlight
Byron enters the playoffs having claimed the regular-season championship and tied with teammate Kyle Larson as the top seed. He delivered key victories at the Daytona 500 and an event at Iowa, demonstrating both consistency and high-level performance .
Beyond the wins, his stats underline a season built on reliability and speed: 13 top-ten finishes across 26 races, an average finish hovering near 13.9, 915 laps led, and just three DNFs .
He credits his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team’s strength to well-rounded performance: “We’re fast at all the different tracks… there’s not a track where we’re at a big deficit” . Byron also noted his team’s resilience, having dominated races where victory slipped away due to circumstances, calling the season “battle tested” .
What’s at Stake This Playoff Season
While Byron has previously advanced to the Championship 4 in the past two seasons, this year’s campaign carries heavier weight. He knows peaking at the right time—once the playoffs begin—is key: “You’ve got to get to the Round of 8, and then you’ve got to start peaking as that round goes. October is the most important time of the year” .
As the NASCAR world watches, Byron is determined not to let his cover-star status become a distraction. If anything, being the face of NASCAR 25 might just be the perfect omen for a championship-worthy run.
Final Lap Thoughts
William Byron enters this postseason with both digital fame and real-world momentum—and he’s not letting any superstition slow him down. With a consistent performance track record, playoff seeding in hand, and both arms of his career converging—gaming and racing—the No. 24 driver is in prime position to make his mark while flipping the script on any jinx.
