Chase Elliott was the latest Hendrick Motorsports driver to win in 2024, joining teammates William Byron and Kyle Larson, locking himself into the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
While Elliott is on the come-up once again after his first win in over a year, Byron’s No. 24 has seen victory lane numerous times, including three times in 2024. Following Elliott’s win at Texas, NASCAR analyst Kyle Petty stated his belief that a little rivalry could be brewing between Elliott and Byron moving forward.
“I think if we’ve looked at the sport this year, it’s been up and down. It’s been a little everywhere,” Petty said, regarding the 2024 campaign, via NASCAR.com. “Obviously, William Byron has shown that he is the class of the field. But I think after two years, basically two full seasons, because he missed some races, of not winning, this is going to be the first of many wins that we see from Chase Elliott this year. Will it be a battle to the end, between Chase Elliott and William Byron? Stay tuned.”
A battle to the end, as Petty put it, between Elliott and Byron would be fascinating, but don’t count out Larson either. With so much talent at Hendrick Motorsports, and the rest of the field not laying down their swords, this season’s fight for the title is shaping up to be an awesome one.
Regardless, Elliott needed a win, perhaps more than anyone, and Petty took some time to elaborate on how the No. 9 was able to pull it off at Texas Motor Speedway.
“I guess it took a total eclipse of the sun to get the planets lined up so that Chase Elliott could find his way back to victory lane,” Petty stated. “Honestly, this should come as no surprise. If we go over the last three or four races. I called hin Pooh-bear. Listen, I didn’t know if there’s a crow in the Pooh story or not, and I’m gonna have to eat some crow on this one. I called him Pooh, because finally he showed up for a race, and we get to Texas, and through strategy, and I’m telling you, determination — and I have to give him this, I have to give Chase Elliott this. The race for him, I believe, was won through strategy and the late race restart, where he took the lead when the caution came out from Denny Hamlin, and forced Denny to have to run a different race.
“At that time, he could have been on either offense or defense. Once he took the lead, he was offense. He was offense. Denny was defense, and Denny backed that baby in the wall on defense. That’s what happens when you have to play a different game than what you plan towards the end of the race.”
The lid is off for Chase Elliott, and there’s no telling how many more races he could win in 2024. William Byron, Kyle Larson and the rest of the field beware, the No. 9 is back.
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