After their Cup series win at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, William Byron’s crew chief Rudy Fugle has plans to become a championship team.
The No. 24 team didn’t have to wait until late like last season to register their first Cup Series victory. Having got his victory in just the third race of the season, expectations have become high for the team to get more victories in the coming races.
We did it!!! Today was amazing, we did our homework. Rudy and the guys brought an awesome car. Executed like we needed to. Thanks for all those that believe in me to give me this chance. What a night. First win for Rudy! Very blessed. pic.twitter.com/1ZIIOx2EaZ
— William Byron (@WilliamByron) March 1, 2021
While the first two winners of the 2021 season have been unexpected candidates as it was their first-ever Cup Series victory. But for Byron, he had already tasted victory last season. People might include Byron too in the unexpected candidate list to win a Cup race so early this season but crew chief Rudy Fugle is not taking this narrative.
Rather he is looking forward to becoming a championship-contending team. He said:
“I mean, first of all, with the weird winners we’ve had so far, and I don’t think we’re weird but it kind of is a little bit weird, you have to be careful that you’re not going to get too many one wins, so you want to keep attacking for that reason.
“Two is we want to learn how to be a winning race team. In the playoffs to win a championship you have to win a lot of races, so we have to learn how to do that now and get used to that to be able to contend for a championship.
“We’re not a championship team yet, but over the next 20-some weeks we’re going to become one, so that’s what we’re going to do.”
No one would have expected Byron to get his Cup victory before his Hendrick Motorsports teammates. But, the platform is already set to perform better than his teammates and other drivers this season. In his relatively young Cup Series career, the 23-year-old is slowly beginning to make his mark.
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