Getty William Byron (left) and Jeff Gordon (right) are part of an exclusive club.
The No. 24 is going to have a familiar look during Throwback Weekend on May 6-8. William Byron will take on Darlington Raceway while running a tribute to Jeff Gordon‘s Dupont flame scheme from the 2007 season.
Hendrick Motorsports and Axalta Racing unveiled the special scheme on April 19 with a video featuring narration from both Gordon and Byron. The two drivers of the No. 24 talked about the memorable moments from the 2007 season, including the win at Phoenix where Gordon tied Dale Earnhardt Sr. on the all-time list. The video ended with a glimpse at the tribute scheme that Byron will use to pursue his fifth career win.
2007 was a special year of memorable moments and milestone wins for @JeffGordonWeb and the No. 24.
We’re excited for @williambyron to bring this iconic scheme back to life at Darlington! 🔥 #NASCARThrowback
“While many people remember Jeff Gordon driving the rainbow color scheme, my earliest memories of cheering him on were in the iconic blue and red flames,” Byron said in the announcement video.
The No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro is a solid recreation of the scheme that reached Victory Lane six times during the 2007 season and numerous others during the 2000s. There is one significant change in that Axalta logos sit in the spots where Dupont logos previously resided.
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Gordon’s 2007 Season Featured Numerous Highlights
Gordon had no shortage of big moments during his Hall of Fame career, but he celebrated several during the 2007 season. This was the year where he reached Victory Lane for the 14th consecutive season and put himself into contention for the championship.
The driver of the No. 24 kicked off his year with several strong performances. He finished 10th in the Daytona 500 before posting runner-ups at Auto Club Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and Martinsville Speedway. He added top-fives at Bristol Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway before reaching Victory Lane for the first time in 2007 at Phoenix Raceway.
This win, the 76th of his career, moved Gordon into a tie with Earnhardt on the all-time wins list. He celebrated by taking a lap around the track and paying tribute to the late driver by holding the No. 3 flag. Gordon then passed Earnhardt the following week by winning at Talladega Superspeedway.
Gordon finished out the year with wins at Darlington Raceway, Pocono Raceway, Talladega Superspeedway, and Charlotte Motor Speedway. His year came to an end with a second-place finish in the championship standings behind Jimmie Johnson, who won 10 races and captured his second straight title.
Byron Previously Ran Another Gordon Tribute Scheme
GettyWilliam Byron ran a Jeff Gordon tribute scheme in 2018.
The driver of the No. 24 has previously showcased a tribute scheme to the Hall of Famer during his Cup Series career. He also headed to Darlington Raceway during his rookie season (2018) and highlighted another era of Gordon.
Byron worked with legendary designer Sam Bass and took a rainbow tribute scheme to Darlington Raceway. He had plans to take the iconic look back to Victory Lane, but he ultimately finished 35th overall due to a mechanical issue.
Byron will now have another opportunity to pursue a win with a Gordon tribute scheme. He will do so at a track where he has seven starts with one Pole Award and two top-five finishes. He kicked off the 2020 playoffs with a fifth-place finish and then he ended the 2021 Throwback Weekend fourth overall.
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