Underwhelming Hendrick Motorsports Have Some Breathing Room, Courtesy of New Jeff Gordon

The first race of the 2023 NASCAR playoff season begins on Sunday. The 16 drivers who made the cut will be racing at 10 of the most difficult racetracks in the country over the next couple of months. Coming up first is the ‘Too Tough to Tame” Darlington Raceway. Owing to the intensity of competition at this stage, the crews behind these drivers will want to take advantage wherever they can get. The one driver who has satisfied his benefactors in this regard is William Byron, the Hendricks Motorsports star who is being hailed by many as the new Jeff Gordon.

Conversing on PRN’s ‘J.C’s Garage’ podcast, hosts J.C Fickenscher and David Styles discussed the crucial advantage that the 25-year-old has given his team going into the next round of the competition.

The William Byron advantage that Hendrick Motorsports have in their bag

With 5 wins in the regular season, Byron has had the best season of his career at the top tier of NASCAR. Despite not winning the regular season championship, he prances along at the top of the playoffs standings with 2036 points. Only the veteran Martin Truex Jr levels him. The position that Byron has got himself in is particularly advantageous for his team Hendrick Motorsports.

The Rick Hendrick-owned has had a mixed season, with star Chase Elliott missing out on the playoffs. In Byron, they find solace and a shot at redemption. With difficult races coming up ahead, Byron’s 5 wins could very well mean the line between glory and elimination for Hendrick Motorsports. Speaking on his podcast, co-host David Styles explained how.

Discussing the complexity of stage 2, the hosts discussed the advantage that drivers at the top of the table had. David said, “That’s like overdraft coverage, where you run out of money and you charge something on your debit card, the bank gives you a little bit of extra funds to pay for it. And you don’t get penalized. That’s basically what they have. So they could… they can’t do it twice, but they could have a bad race and still move on.” 

The hosts placed emphasis on the second stage of the playoffs due to the hell-ish partnership that the Talladega Superspeedway and the Charlotte Roval have formed. Navigating through these tracks is no easy feat for any driver. But if anyone could do it, it has got to be the one being hailed as the next Jeff Gordon.

Watch This Story: Hendrick Motorsports Faces Playoff Disappointment

Can the “new” Jeff Gordon take Rick Hendrick and his team to Phoenix?

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What comes ahead is 10 races at tracks that are completely unlike the others. Each has its own tricks and treats at every corner. Going through these tests unscathed to reach the final showdown at the Phoenix Raceway will take a special kind of driver and crew. William Byron and his No. 24 crew can potentially be that. Should they stutter at some point, the advantage points that they’ve already secured will keep them up. But like David Styles said, “They can’t do it twice”.

One of the most difficult tracks in the country, Darlington Raceway awaits the entry of the contenders. Come Sunday, we will get to know which of them ‘The Lady in Black’ has the sweetest smile for. Keep an eye out on the Essentially Sports’ NASCAR page for updates on the race weekend!

Read More: Kyle Petty Declares the New Jeff Gordon in Hendrick Motorsports’ Saddest Season in 4 Years