William Byron Ends Rick Hendrick’s Daytona 500 Championship Drought With a Perfect Tribute on HMS’ 40th Anniversary

William Byron has turned it around for Hendrick Motorsports at the 2024 Daytona 500. When Alex Bowman went for a gap with 8 laps to go, he encountered Byron’s #24 Chevrolet unexpectedly and triggered a massive crash that took out almost half of the grid. However, surprisingly, the only drivers to have been a part of the wreck and continued to race were the catalysts of the accident, Byron and Bowman.

Who won the NASCAR race tonight?

The Hendrick Motorsports duo battled for the victory lane ticket in the final laps and more or less ensured that the team broke its 10-year-long winless streak in the Daytona 500. With 21 cars being forced out of the race, William Byron only had Ross Chastain to overtake for the lead. With Chastain losing pace after the restart, the #48 and #24 Chevrolets picked up pace to cross the checkered flag for a historic victory. With the team celebrating its 40th anniversary, there couldn’t have been a better ending to the evening.

Applauding the fans for their patience through the adverse weather and staying to provide an electric atmosphere at the World Center of Racing, William Byron was elated to have celebrated a special day for Rick Hendrick and Co. with a maiden Daytona victory.

“It sounds really damn good. It’s an awesome crowd,” claimed William Byron. “So many emotions, and obviously, what happened on the backstretch, I got pushed and got sideways, but just so proud of this Axalta team, 40th anniversary to the day on Monday, so, just extremely blessed and thankful for the opportunities, and yeah, we just want to keep it going. We have a lot to prove this year, and this is a good start, obviously. Daytona 500, it’s freakin awesome.”

Having failed to finish within the top 10 in his previous outings at the Daytona International Speedway, Byron had a great deal of fortune on his side. However, continuing the interview, he also added the importance of the #24 team’s fuel-efficient approach to the race. On being asked what was different tonight, he said, “I don’t know just really good strategy.”

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“We obviously laid back and tried to save fuel for most of the race and we would get up there at the end of the stages and make some moves. Thankful for great power into the hood, all of our partner Chevrolet, everybody that allows us to do this. I’m just a kid racing on computers and winning the Daytona 500. I can’t believe it!“

On the other hand, Byron’s teammate Alex Bowman also had some encouraging words for his 2024 campaign after last year’s disappointment and struggle with injuries.

Securing the front row with William Byron is an impressive start for Bowman

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When Alex Bowman collided with William Byron in the final laps of the third stage, not many expected the duo to come out of the incident unscathed. With cars sliding around everywhere and a red flag in play, the Hendrick Motorsports pit crew got to work as Alex Bowman and William Byron returned to the field. Following a 1-2 finish at Daytona, Bowman revealed that he was sure of Byron’s success a while before the checkered flag.

“I was pretty sure William had us, but you’re gonna let them debate it,” said Bowman. “I think a couple more hundred feet, and I would say we had the run, but so proud of everybody at Hendrick Motorsports, it’s 40 years to the day since they ran their first race. To get an HMS 1-2, it was a great day for us.”

Having recovered from a serious vertebral injury after a sprint car crash last year, it looks like the No. 48 driver will need some time to return to his best form. However, the runner-up finish in the 2024 Daytona 500 will surely go a long way in that regard.

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