iRacing porta in pista William Byron

Such a grotesque transgression of racing code would demand frontier justice at 165 mph, before any race official could black-flag the offender. The sanctions would probably compound for being a blue-eyed hotshot with a pop-idol's blonde mop of hair. But Byron avoided punishment because he didn't actually do this in real life.

He did it in iRacing, the PC driving simulator that he credits with training him to drive professionally, racking up a rookie record five victories that have made him one of stock car racing's it-boys, seemingly overnight. When the Truck Series Chase playoff begins Sept 24. at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Byron, who graduated high school just this May, is seeded first.