By winning the Cup Series regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway, William Byron became the only driver beside Jeff Gordon to win a Cup race driving the No. 24 car.
The No. 24 has been driven by 64 drivers in Cup Series history. Only Byron and the four-time champion Jeff Gordon have driven the car to the victory lane.
The victory was Byron’s first in his Cup career, making him eligible to feature for the 2020 playoffs. Speaking about Byron’s achievement, Gordon said that he is proud of the young driver to have represented the 24 extremely well.
“When that 24 crossed the line first, thinking about his race and the way he performed that night. Chad Knaus being a part of that. Seeing a young man, William Byron just how his career has progressed definitely put a big smile on my face.
“I didn’t think about the significance of the No. 24 going to victory lane, but I was certainly very proud. He’s represented that 24 team extremely well. So you’re always excited to see a young guy like that, who has a bright future, get that first win.”
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Byron was fighting for a playoff spot and was occupying the last spot above the cutline before the race. Gordon applauded the way Byron handled the pressure-filled situation at Daytona and how the young driver stood among fierce competitors.
“If you look at the moments when he had to step up. When he won that championship in the Xfinity car in those final laps. And now to be able to capitalize on this moment at Daytona. The way he avoided that wreck, that was incredible.”
“To hold off some very very fierce competitors on a night that had so much weight on it. I think that speaks volumes of what this guy, this kid, I call him a kid (laughs) is capable of.”
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