Heartbreaking Michigan loss 'sucks' for William Byron after fuel mileage gamble doesn't pay off

For the third straight week, William Byron was one of the fastest cars in a NASCAR Cup Series race. And, for the third straight week, luck was not on Byron's side. 

After a runner-up finish in the Coke 600 and a fifth-place finish at Nashville, Byron came into Sunday's FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan red-hot. The Daytona 500 winner led the most laps — 98 — of any driver in the field on Sunday. 

But when the pay window opened, Byron was unable to hold off Denny Hamlin for the race lead. And, in a race that came down to fuel mileage, Byron didn't have enough gas in the tank, as he crawled down pit road with four laps to go. 

Byron ultimately finished 28th on another 'what could've been' day for the No. 24 team. 

"We didn't have enough," Byron told Prime Video. "We were going to run out with a lap and a half left, we did run out with a lap and a half left. It was trying to manage both (and) manage the gap and save (gas). It sucks, it really stings. Not able to do much about that. It is what it is." 

Byron has been a contender on a weekly basis, but for various reasons, he and the No. 24 team have been unable to secure win No. 2. That will be the goal as the Cup Series heads to Mexico City for the first time on June 15.