“More Talent Than People Gave Him Credit For”: Rick Hendrick on William Byron’s NASCAR Progress

William Byron has unmistakably carried his 2023 momentum into the ongoing season. The Hendrick Motorsports star has already won 3 races and looks poised to collect many more before even the regular season shuts its doors. While his recent surge to being one of the top dogs in the Cup Series might be surprising for some, it isn’t for his benefactor Rick Hendrick.

Talking to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, the team owner pondered on the potential that Byron showcased early in his professional career. He noted how the driver relatively had much less track experience than his counterparts during his initial years and never put a foot wrong despite that. “I think he had a lot more talent that people gave him credit for and it’s showing now,” he said.

“He’s just getting better and better and better.”

Rick Hendrick knew @WilliamByron had the talent all along, but even he’s been impressed with the progression he is seeing out of his driver.

More with the #NASCAR Hall of Famer → https://t.co/WGRTG5gVtL pic.twitter.com/ZrIrTFhHXX

— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) April 11, 2024

Byron’s latest victory was at the Martinsville Speedway (short track) last Sunday. He spearheaded a trio that collected Hendrick Motorsports its fourth 1-2-3 finish in the Cup Series. His previous victories in 2024 came in Daytona (superspeedway) and COTA (road course). The range of his victories in this season alone backs Mr. Hendrick’s praise for Byron.

Byron returns to Texas, where he gave Rick Hendrick his 300th win

Over the coming Sunday, the Cup Series grid travels to the Texas Motor Speedway for its ninth race. Amongst the favorites to win is the undeniable name of Byron. He is the defending conqueror of the 1.5-mile facility in Fort Worth and was the key catalyst in helping Hendrick Motorsports reach its 300th win (September 24, 2023) as an organization in NASCAR.

Talking about the privilege of helping his team reach the milestone, Byron told Hendrickmotorsports.com, “It’s really special. Growing up a Hendrick Motorsports fan, I watched win No. 200 on TV when Jimmie (Johnson) won that race. I always felt like the gold standard was Hendrick Motorsports. So, if I could ever drive for them, once I started having success in my career, that was the goal.”

The speedway is one of the tracks where HMS has found the most success, collecting 11 wins over the years. It enters the venue this weekend with 305 victories in its pocket, accumulated at 31 different tracks by 20 different drivers. With the winds in Byron’s favor, there’s no saying he couldn’t run away with the win yet again.