William Byron’s efficiency at Darlington Raceway was one hardly ever seen in fashionable NASCAR, completely dominating nearly all of the race. Byron led each lap in Stage 1 and Stage 2, occurring to steer the primary 243 (of 297 whole) laps, and not using a single lead change.
The final time a driver led each single lap in a Cup race was Jeff Burton nearly 25 years in the past, however Byron’s probability of finishing the NASCAR model of a no-hitter didn’t pan out the way in which he hoped it might.
Regardless of a stunning present of dominance, all it took was one spherical of green-flag pit stops to unravel Byron’s benefit.
Nobody handed him on observe, however Byron fell again to 3rd as Tyler Reddick and Christopher Bell pulled off the ‘undercut’, by the cycle of inexperienced flag pit stops. Now in site visitors for the primary time, Byron struggled to make ahead progress. He ended up dropping extra spots to Ryan Blaney and eventual race winner Denny Hamlin, who each had brisker tires after operating lengthy within the earlier run.
William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Picture by: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Photos
A late-race warning paved the way in which for Byron to discover a means again as much as second, but it surely was nonetheless a bitter loss after showcasing such dominant velocity from the 24 automobile.
“First off, actually pleased with my workforce, bringing that degree of effort and preparation, have a automobile like that,” mentioned Byron. “For us to execute like that, it was trying prefer it was going to be an ideal race. We had been going to steer each lap. Was actually pleased with that.
“These guys may very well be aggressive on the opposite facet of the inexperienced flag cycle, we misplaced management there. As soon as we misplaced management, too late within the going to sort of get again up there. Yeah, it sucks. I am positive it’s going to sting rather a lot tonight. There’s nonetheless a whole lot of positives. It stings within the second, for positive.”
Byron, who received the season-opening Daytona 500, continues to steer the championship standings with a 49-point benefit over his closest competitors.
Learn Additionally:
Photographs from Darlington – Race
On this article
Nick DeGroot
NASCAR Cup
William Byron
Hendrick Motorsports
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