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William Byron Catapulted Himself as Third Hendrick Star This Season. Can He Become NASCAR’s Next Jeff Gordon?

Srijan Mandal
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“He’s Defying All That”: Jeff Gordon on William Byron’s NASCAR Career Trajectory

William Byron‘s Cup Series campaign this season was sort of a breakthrough for the #24 car. The HMS driver managed to outscore and outdrive some of his more experienced and often more regarded teammates, Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott, catapulting himself as the third HMS star.

Recently, NASCAR broadcaster Rick Allen shared his thoughts on Byron’s performances throughout the regular season all the way up to the Championship four race at Phoenix, explaining how Byron has managed to establish himself as one of the stars in the sport.

He stated, “It was a breakout season. I think Rudy Fugle made a big change with that organization just having that comfort. They have had that comfort, they have worked together, they have won championships together. They have been a part of each others lives to a point where they were getting the best out of each other.”

“I think we have always known that William Byron was very talented. When he has a great car he can go out and win races. This year they were in the right place at the right time, quite a few times…”

He further acknowledged how Byron was able to put in the best result despite not always having the most dominant car on the race track.

Rick Allen believes William Byron resonates with the younger demographic

Speaking further, Allen explained how Bryon “Reached out to a different demographic, he reaches out to a younger audience…” He noted certain things that Byron did while speaking with the media or thinking like wearing the big hats after winning races.

Somehow all of those things combined with the fact that he is only 25 years old help to boost him as a person of interest within the younger populace. At the end of the day if there is anything that NASCAR needs it would be to get more and more younger people in the sport. So in a way, Byron could lead the charge as a perfect example for that to happen.

Additionally, Allen also believed that Byron has made his mark on the sport, and with his performances and overall talent on the race track, there could be a possibility of seeing him win championships through the next decade. 

About the author

Srijan Mandal

Srijan Mandal

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Srijan Mandal is the Lead NASCAR Editor and Strategist at The Sportsrush with a wealth of experience and expertise in the world of motorsports. With several thousand articles under his belt over the years, he has established himself as a leading authority on all things racing. His passion for motorsports started at a young age, and he has dedicated his career to covering the sport in all its forms. He is an expert in various disciplines, including stock car racing, American motorsports, Formula 1, IndyCar, NHRA, MotoGP, WRC, WEC, and several more. But Srijan's love for racing goes beyond his writing. He actively competes in professional open-wheel sim racing, using '88' as his racing number. While he mostly participates in GT Endurance classes, he also ventures into Stock Car racing from time to time. In case, you wish to contact Srijan, kindly send an email to him at srijan.mandal@sportsrush.com or just DM him on Twitter.

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