All four drivers in the Hendrick Motorsports stable are officially locked up for the foreseeable future. William Byron, who was the last to ink his deal, is now secure in the No. 24 for the next few years.
HMS announced the news on May 5 ahead of Throwback Weekend. The Cup Series team confirmed that Byron had signed a three-year extension on Monday, May 2, the same day that he finished 22nd at Dover Motor Speedway. Byron will remain in the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro through the 2025 season while pursuing even more Cup Series wins.
“I’m so thankful to continue racing for Mr. Hendrick, Jeff (Gordon, vice chairman), and Hendrick Motorsports,” Byron said in a press release. “Since I joined the organization, they’ve supported my growth process every step of the way, including my path to the Cup Series. With the great people around me, I’m excited to continue pursuing race wins and playoff success. Together we’ve built a No. 24 team that I know will contend for championships. I’m really looking forward to the rest of the season and my years to come with Hendrick Motorsports.”
ALL the latest NASCAR news straight to your inbox! Subscribe to the Heavy on NASCAR newsletter here!
Sign up for the Heavy on NASCAR Newsletter!
Byron Remains Part of an Exclusive Club
GettyWilliam Byron (left) and Jeff Gordon (right) are part of an exclusive club.
Byron, who signed with Hendrick Motorsports in 2016, is part of an exclusive club. He is only one of two drivers to reach Victory Lane while driving the No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon is the other.
Gordon reached Victory Lane 93 times during his career, good enough for third on the all-time list behind Richard Petty (200) and David Pearson (105). Byron has four wins of his own in the No. 24, so he still has some ground to make up. Though he is only in his fifth full-time season.
Byron also has some bragging rights from the 2022 season. He and Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain are the only Cup Series drivers to win multiple races in the Gen 7 car. Chastain captured Circuit of the Americas and Talladega Superspeedway while Byron won at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Martinsville Speedway.
The 2018 Rookie of the Year is currently in the midst of the best season of his short career. He has made the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year, and he has multiple wins in a season for the first time.
HMS Has Made Big Contract Moves
Team owner Rick Hendrick previously explained to media members in 2021 that his goal was to keep his driver lineup intact. He has achieved that goal with Byron’s three-year deal.
Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson both signed two-year extensions midway through the 2021 season, which marked career campaigns for both drivers. Bowman won a career-high four races while Larson won 10 and captured the Cup Series championship. They are set to remain in the No. 48 and No. 5 entries, respectively, through the end of the 2023 season.
Chase Elliott, the 2016 Rookie of the Year, has the biggest deal of them all. HMS announced on February 20 that he had signed a five-year extension that will keep him as the driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet through the 2027 season. Elliott, who has 14 career wins for the team, capped off his 2020 campaign by capturing the Cup Series championship.
READ NEXT: A Classic Ken Schrader Scheme Returns at Darlington
Comments
Hendrick Motorsports Signs Key Driver to Multi-Year Extension