Much of the talk before the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs began revolved around William Byron. The youngster won his first-ever Cup Series race at the Daytona International Speedway just before the Playoffs kicked off. He sealed his place in the Playoffs with the win.
On Sunday, in the opening Playoffs race, Byron produced another strong run, with a fifth-place finish. He increased his chances of progressing to the next round with that result.
However, William Byron might have done just more than raise the expectations from him to make the next round. His recent run of form shows a trend depicting William Byron’s ascent at just the right time.
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William Byron’s recent form in NASCAR Cup Series
He now has three straight Top-5 finishes, including that win at Daytona. His run started with a fourth-place finish at the Dover International Speedway, just before the victory.
That race at Dover was the second of a two-race weekend at the venue. After the first race, Byron slipped out of contention to even make the Playoffs as he finished 28th.
He was involved in a tough battle against teammate Jimmie Johnson and Matt DiBenedetto for the final Playoffs spot.
The 4th place finish in the second race at Dover followed by his win earned him the coveted seat. But it also showed what William Byron is made of, as far as mentality was concerned.
He rose to the occasion when the circumstances called for it, putting all the disappointments and missed opportunities from the previous races behind the win.
Sunday's P5 finish marked the third consecutive top-five finish for @WilliamByron in 2020.
All three top-five finishes for the No. 24 team have come in the last three races. #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/OqkZT0DIhM
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 8, 2020
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Can Byron challenge for the title?
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NASCAR legend and former driver of Byron’s No. 24 car, Jeff Gordon, also highlighted Byron’s resilience. “To hold off some very very fierce competitors on a night that had so much weight on it. I think that speaks volumes of what this guy, this kid, I call him a kid (laughs) is capable of,” Gordon said recently.
From not being a certainty to make the playoffs to already looking strong to reach the Round of 8, Byron has turned many heads towards himself as a serious contender to challenge for the title.
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It is too soon to tell whether Byron possesses the skill to consistently beat the best in the Playoffs. However, his recent run of form and the newfound momentum certainly tip the scales in his favor.
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