The consequences from Martinsville’s controversial finish included $600,000 in fines and the suspension of nine crew members from three different race teams. All honors must go to Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney, who will join stablemate Joey Logano in the final four. However, William Byron and Hendrick Motorsports’ acrimonious transfer has landed more than a few strays in the midst of a race tampering scandal. On his organization’s 40th anniversary, Rick Hendrick’s only title challenger put himself in the best position to finish the season with a storybook finale. He almost didn’t make it, or so it appeared in the 30 minutes following the checkered flag. But Christopher Bell’s safety violation for the ‘half-Chastain’ eventually knocked him out of Championship contention in Phoenix. Although
Chevy teammates Ross Chastain and Austin Dillon both contributed significantly to his success. Regardless, Dale Earnhardt Jr., a former Hendrick Motorsports driver, is backing William Byron. He stated it again: “If you win the championship, you’re not gonna be worried about what you did to get there.”
Dale Jr.’s perspective on a Hendrick Motorsports triumph amid race-fixing allegations Dale Jr. owned the #88 car at Hendrick Motorsports for a decade, creating one of NASCAR’s most memorable collaborations. However, even after retiring from full-time racing in 2017, his bond with Rick Hendrick remained strong. With Mr H by his side as a co-owner of JR Motorsports, he fed his passion for racing from the driver’s seat. So, If William Byron wins the championship for Hendrick Motorsports on their 40th anniversary, Dale Jr. should grin, regardless of the issue. On the most recent edition of DJD Reloaded, he answered some difficult questions to back up his claim. One of his producers asked Jr., “A Chevy is in the final four; we know the penalties, fines, and points. Was it worth it for you as a driver and owner? He said, “Yes.” You know, if you win the title, you won’t be concerned about how you got there. I believe Martinsville will be a distant memory. However, they are going to “So, if I were William Byron and won the championship, I would have no problem with it at all. “I’d stand up there and give my speech prouder than hell,” said Dale Jr. However, he also advocated that NASCAR should sanction the other drivers participating in the contentious Martinsville finish in order to protect the sport’s “long-term credibility and legitimacy.” Jr. stated that Richard Childress Racing and Trackhouse must be “pissed” at the fallout, and that their appeal may not help reverse the
original verdict. According to reports, the #1 and #3 teams will face Martinsville without key crew members on Sunday. However, in the grand scheme of the championship race, this setback is hardly noticeable. With both teams out of the playoffs and each driver docked 50 points and fined $100,000, they’re running on fumes as they go to Phoenix. For Ross Chastain and Austin Dillon, there isn’t much left to chase—maybe some pride and one last chance at forgiveness before the season ends. As a result, that is most likely why they acted the way they did last Sunday. But this was not the case for William Byron. Aside from his other Playoff teammates, Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott, the #24 driver had the best chance of making it to the grand final. Sure, he’s winless in 27 races heading into Arizona, but he knows his team has been dependable when it counts. After all, finishing sixth at Martinsville, although with some assistance, was his sixth consecutive top-10 finish. Above that, Byron was fading quickly, with some damage to his car’s tow in the final 15 laps, when Chastain and Dillon established the roadblock behind him. As a result, he deserves recognition for what he accomplished. Now he’s preparing for his first championship. Despite his double-digit winless record, Byron has the confidence to be the one to watch in Phoenix. In the last nine Playoff races, Byron has the greatest average finish of any championship contender, at 7.48. Ryan Blaney, Tyler Reddick, and Joey Logano have not finished higher than 15th on average in the same time period. And it appears that Byron is aware of such numbers. In a recent interview with Bob Pockrass of FOX, he stated, “We’ve been incredibly consistent, incredibly fast, and it’s just a matter of time for our team.”
The #24 team won the Daytona 500 to kick off the season, followed by victories at COTA and Martinsville this April. However, he hasn’t won anything else since. Some argue that the momentum slowed. However, with 9 top-5 finishes since then, it’s difficult to agree with that assessment. And Byron’s determination would likely explain why. “I detest losing and the sensation of not having enough. “This year is going to feel different in that way,” he said. “I just learned a lot of lessons about what we need to do on the car side and throughout the race to be good by the end.”
Byron finished, “I just want to get back.” To that opportunity. That’s what we’ve been pursuing all year.” Maybe that chase will come to a victorious conclusion on Sunday. However, if he wants to realize his championship goals in Phoenix, he must bring much more than consistency. Rick Hendrick will count on it.
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