“There’s Probably Nothing That I Can Say”- Heavy-Hearted Jeff Gordon Consoles Entire Hendrick Motorsports Camp Amidst Phoenix Heartbreak

The heartbreak was real for Hendrick Motorsports in Phoenix. With two drivers in the final four, Rick Hendrick’s team had a golden opportunity to clinch the Cup Series title. However, it was Roger Penske who got the last laugh. Despite having only two out of their four drivers in the playoffs, HMS had a solid run leading up to the championship race. They were considered to be the title favorites but everything came crashing down in the end and a lot of people were left distraught.

It was a difficult pill to swallow especially for William Byron and the 24 team. Despite being one of the younger drivers on the grid, he had taken more race wins than anyone else this season, clinching victory on six occasions. It must have been tough for Kyle Larson as well who couldn’t find a way past Blaney during the race and finished right behind him.

Jeff Gordon reveals inconsolable Hendrick Motorsports atmosphere after Phoenix loss

Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman Jeff Gordon was left with the task of consoling his team members at the end of the day. Gordon understands how difficult it can be to deal with this kind of heartbreak. The former HMS driver expressed his pride in the team and what they had achieved despite not winning the Cup Series.

“Every time you race and every time you get beat like this, you learn something and you go and work even harder, and makes you realize how bad you really want it even as disappointing as it is right now. Looking forward to that team (24) continuing to progress and the 5 team continues to show why they are already champions. Continues to put themselves in position,” the Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman said in a post-race interview with Frontstretch.

One of the people most affected by the loss was crew chief Rudy Fugle. His emotions poured out as William Byron failed to get the job done. The 24 team had perhaps been one of the most consistent teams of the year. Their season numbers tell the story of their hard work and dedication throughout the year.

Jeff Gordon mentioned later in the interview that he conveyed his words of consolation and encouragement to Rudy Fugle. However, the former Cup Series driver also admitted that no amount of consoling would really get through to the crew chief of the 24 team at the moment.

“Well I just know how much it means to him. I know how much he commits and dedicates his time and his efforts, working with the team to get them here and how bad they wanted it so you feel for those guys because you want to say hey, don’t worry, let’s do it next year. You had a great year, all those things, but yeah right now there’s probably nothing that I can say other than just how proud I am and feel like they just did an amazing job this year,” the HMS vice chairman added.

While the driver of the #24 car, William Byron, failed to get the job done in Phoenix, the 25-year-old driver iterated that there was a lot to be proud of.

Read More – William Byron Blames Hendrick Motorsports’ Achilles Heel Moments After Failing To Carry Jeff Gordon’s Legacy

William Byron praises #24 team for solid races and communication

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Apart from winning the most races this year, William Byron had the highest average finish (11.0) and the most top-10 finishes (21). It was his first time in the championship four in his sixth full-time season in the Cup Series. As far as the 25-year-old is concerned, there was a lot to be positive about.

“We had a great season. A lot to be proud of. A lot of really solid races. Communicating well as a team. I feel like all that stuff can just go up a notch. Hopefully, we just have a bit more speed at certain tracks that we know are important,” the driver of the #24 said.

It would have been a fantastic story had William Byron won the Cup Series in Phoenix. But the driver of the #24 is still young and has a lot of years ahead of him in the sport. If Byron keeps his form up in the years to come, there is no doubt that he will win the Cup Series more than once.

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