Rick Hendrick Lets Slip Nervousness Surrounding William Byron Amidst Notorious 40-Yo Martinsville History Repeat

It was indeed a dream finish for Rick Hendrick to see three of his drivers conclude in first, second, and third place. However, this memorable moment came with ample hair-raising instances, especially when a late caution got the race into overtime. Fortunately, none of the three drivers took the bait that Denny Hamlin threw by pitting ahead of the restart, ensuring a monumental win on the company’s 40th anniversary.

William Byron clinched his third win of the season as he took the checkered flag in a late dramatic end to the race. Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott followed him in the second and third-place finishes. And while Rick Hendrick was not able to attend the event in person and join in the celebration owing to a knee surgery, he made sure to express his feelings via a phone call. Call it fate or coincidence, Mr. H was not in attendance when they won their first-ever race at Martinsville back in 1984 and he somehow couldn’t make it to see his team win at the same venue four decades later, either.

Rick Hendrick was on the edge of his seat, following the dramatic end at Martinsville

With over 40 years of racing experience under his belt, the scenes at Martinsville Speedway, even for Mr Hendrick, were an anxious affair. Restart drama has taken center stage in the Cup Series in recent times, and Mr. H feared the worst when the race went under overtime due to a late caution. Luckily, Byron and his teammates decided not to pit, much to the relief of their boss, and brought home a memorable win.

Explaining this heart-in-the-mouth moment during the end of the race, Mr. H revealed via FS1. “It was a special day and never thought that we’d end up running one, two, three. When that caution came out, I thought, ‘Man we’re in trouble’… I’ll tell you that I’ve never been that nervous. I was hoping that they wouldn’t pit and enough folks stayed out there with them. My heart is now just getting back to normal.”

Out of all the wins over the years in NASCAR, Mr. H felt that today’s win by Byron would indeed hold a special place in his heart. “We are celebrating 40 years, and we have been planning this for long. It’s such a momentous occasion. I don’t think I’ve had one (win) that means any more than this one. Maybe that first win that kept us going, but this had been a special day,” the team owner said.

While Rick Hendrick’s absence was certainly a damper in the plans on HMS’ big day, it was Jeff Gordon who expertly led the charge for the team’s celebration. The team’s vice-chairman also expressed his delight at the results the drivers had brought him.

Jeff Gordon heaps praise on William Byron

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Byron is the only NASCAR Cup Series driver to have won at the Super Speedway, a road course, and a short track race this season. Starting the 40th year for HMS, he broke a decade-long winless streak for the team at Daytona International Speedway. He was back to winning ways at COTA, and today’s win rounded off yet another dominant performance by the driver of the #24 car. Jeff Gordon, who himself has been to victory lane nine times at Martinsville, was ecstatic about Byron clinching the win on a special occasion.

“These guys, these three guys, as well as Bowman, they drove their butts off. How about that William Byron, the 24 car? Every time we have a milestone day or opportunity or moment, he steps up. He got the number 300. This is going to be a huge win for him and the whole organization,” Gordon said after the race.

Having bagged three wins already since the start of the season, William Byron is indeed headed in the right direction to claim his maiden Cup Series championship. Will 2024 be his year? Only time will tell!

Read More: Denny Hamlin Confesses Ill Intent to “Drag Others Down” Amidst Early Realization of Slipping Martinsville Win