XFINITY: Hendrick signs Trucks leader Byron

William Byron, who has a rookie-record five wins in the NASCAR Camping World Trucks Series this season, has signed a multi-year driver agreement with Hendrick Motorsports.

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The 18-year-old Byron, who currently races the for Kyle Busch Motorsports, will race full-time in the NASCAR XFINITY Series for Hendrick Motorsports affiliate JR Motorsports beginning in 2017.

"William is a special person and a special talent," Rick Hendrick said in a statement. "It's been impressive to watch him come up through the ranks and have success at every level. What he's already accomplished this season has been remarkable. On top of all his ability, he's a terrific young man from a great family, and we think he has a very bright future with our organization."

Byron has previous experience at JR Motorsports, which won the 2014 XFINITY Series championship, finished second in 2015 and currently leads the 2016 standings. He won two races in JRM's late model program in 2014 and 2015 – his first experience racing full-sized stock cars.

"Even before I started racing, it was a dream of mine to drive for Hendrick Motorsports," said Byron, who won the 2015 NASCAR K&N East championship. "I have so much respect for the way Mr. Hendrick supports his people and encourages everyone to work together. This is the biggest announcement and biggest opportunity of my life, and I will do everything I can to make the most of it. I'm proud to be part of this team.

"I owe so much to Dale Jr. and everyone at JRM for taking a chance on me in 2014. Looking back, I know none of this would've happened without that opportunity. I was there during Chase Elliott's championship season and got to learn a lot. I know what they're capable of, and I'm going to work really hard for them."

Byron is enrolled as a freshman at Liberty University, where he will take classes during the fall semester while racing full-time in the remaining 10 NCWTS events.

JRM currently fields XFINITY Series cars for Elliott Sadler and Justin Allgaier and a third car that is shared by multiple drivers. Sadler's decade-long primary sponsor, OneMain Financial, announced in July it was leaving the series at the end of the season after a management change.