The 2024 Daytona 500 made it clear that William Byron’s momentum from the 2023 season was still alive. His win gave Hendrick Motorsports its first Daytona 500 victory since 2014 and kicked off the team’s 40th NASCAR year in some style. Following Byron’s continual show of promise, retired icon Kevin Harvick has now projected him to repeat last year’s magic and gather 6 or 7 wins in the current season.
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He says, “He is blossoming right in front of our eyes. You look at last year he won 6 races. He comes out of it and wins the Daytona 500 and I think he is gonna have another year where he wins five, six, seven races.” Reasoning his words, Harvick attributed the unchanged body and balance of the #24 Chevrolet Camaro. He believes that the unchanged setup could only help them get stronger this year.
Byron and his crew chief Rudy Fugle combined in 2023 to win some of the most important races on the calendar. Their victories catapulted them to the Championship 4 and resulted in the #24 team’s best season in years. With all eyes on them heading into 2024, their very first race has sent a loud note of warning to other contenders including those at Hendrick Motorsports.
William Byron could no longer be the “other guy” at Hendrick Motorsports
Talking to the press after his victory at the Daytona International Speedway on Monday, Byron acknowledged that he was often overlooked when put alongside his more popular teammates Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson. He used the words “other guy” to refer to himself in such instances. However, the victory in the Daytona 500 could be a catalyst in changing that view around.
Talking about how he is not a favorite amongst the fans despite his extraordinary performances, he said, “Yeah, I use it all as fuel, so just keep it coming. All the preseason predictions and everything. I try to stay quietly focused. I do well having my own space and being able to work through things with my race team.”
In breaking Hendrick Motorsports’ misfortunes in the Daytona 500, Byron brought the team its ninth victory in the event, tying it with the record of Petty Enterprises. Heading into the next race weekend, nobody is happier than the team’s Vice Chairman Jeff Gordon. Pleased that the #24 car that he used to drive finally has a worthy successor, he says, “A win like this, my gosh, this is going to elevate that up to the next level and bring a whole lot more new fans to the sport and for William.”
Byron’s next race will be at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Should Kevin Harvick’s prediction end up true, his days as the “other guy” aren’t going to last for long.
