In a moment of triumph that had been years in the making, Rick Hendrick‘s dream of reaching 300 wins for the Hendrick camp became a reality under the Texas sun. The atmosphere was electric as the No. 24 Chevy powered across the finish line after a thrilling final restart, with eyes locked on the coveted checkered flag. The victory not only marked a significant milestone but also secured William Byron’s spot in the playoff round of 8.
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Since the season started, with each passing race, it became increasingly evident that Rick Hendrick’s star was emerging as a formidable contender for the championship at Phoenix. Before the round of 12 elimination at the ROVAL, Byron took a moment to reflect on his competition, subtly snubbing the 2022 champion who had suffered a heart-wrenching elimination at Bristol.
Hendrick Motorsports’ confident stance in assessing the 2023 playoff landscape
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Joey Logano found himself facing a stumbling start in 2023, with Ford struggling to compete amidst Chevy’s dominance. The defending champion managed to secure a sole victory at Atlanta during the regular season, earning his ticket to the playoffs. However, when the round of 16 arrived, Logano failed to accumulate the necessary points, and his title defense began to unravel.
In a heart-wrenching moment under the Bristol night race lights, Joey Logano faced elimination after the very first playoff round, dashing his hopes for a repeat championship. With an impressive six wins to his name in the 2023 season, William Byron currently sits atop the leaderboard. When questioned about the upcoming races and the potential competition, “Is there somebody who’s like a [Joey] Logano that’s waiting in the weeds that could just pull out that win and advance that we might not be thinking of?”
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Byron remained focused on his team’s strengths, stating, “I don’t know – I’m not really worried too much about the other people in the playoffs. I think for us, it’s just trying to focus on what we do best.”
Reflecting on the season, Byron acknowledged that while last year was unpredictable, this year seemed more defined in terms of which teams were fast. However, he believed that any of the eight playoff contenders were well-qualified to win, emphasizing the competitive nature of the sport.
Byron added, “Last year was very unpredictable. I feel like this year, it’s a little more set and stone with who’s fast, but I would say any of the eight that make it are probably well qualified to win there,” effectively eliminating Logano from the “well qualified to win” category.
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“Us against ourselves,” as William Byron reveals championship prospects
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When questioned about his path to Phoenix Raceway and the Championship Four, considering the team’s strong performance and bonus point advantage, Byron’s response was clear: “It’s definitely us against ourselves. I feel like it’s us executing races. It’s us putting together good performances—top-five performances that we know we’re capable of. But yeah, with that being said, the points are really close.”
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He went on to reveal his focused and week-to-week mindset, as he said, “Yeah, to be honest with you, I haven’t really looked a lot past Las Vegas. I think, honestly, I’ve thought a lot about this weekend right now. And then Vegas has really been a focus for us, and then we’ve got a little bit of Homestead trickling in as we get prepared for that. It’s really hard with this deal to really not just think week-to-week.”
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With a numbered few races to go for the ultimate showdown at Phoenix Raceway, what are your thoughts on Byron’s chances to etch his name as a Cup Series champion?
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