Byron, the youngest of the Championship 4 drivers at 25 years outdated and together with his first alternative to win a title, gained the pole for Sunday’s season finale in Saturday’s qualifying session at Phoenix Raceway.
That alone seemed to be signal. Within the three earlier seasons the championship race had been held at Phoenix, the pole winner had gone on to win the sequence title.
Byron took benefit early in Sunday’s race, main all 60 laps and successful Stage 1 and remained out entrance till he was run down by Kevin Harvick for the lead on lap 93 of 312.
After that, nonetheless, whereas Byron remained up entrance and battling his fellow title contenders for the rest of the race, he led simply three extra laps, the final time on lap 277. He ended up fourth within the race and third among the many Championship 4 contenders.
“As soon as the observe rubbered in, we bought actually tight,” Byron stated. “Particularly after we misplaced the lead on observe, we simply had a giant steadiness shift and bought tight again in second by means of fifth, simply couldn’t achieve a variety of velocity by means of (Turns) 1 and a couple of, simply form of having to actually over-slow the automotive, get it to the underside.
“That’s all we had there. Simply actually pleased with our group, nice season. It stinks to come back up brief. I’d prefer to assume we’re going to be again on this place and we’re going to have extra photographs at it.”
The 2023 season was a breakout one for Byron, who drives the No. 24 Chevrolet Hendrick Motorsports. He led the sequence with six wins, led the second-most laps and tied for probably the most top-five finishes (15) and gained 4 poles.
Whereas he gained the spring race at Phoenix, Byron had had some issue on the sequence’ shorter tracks together with his greatest end a ninth at Bristol, Tenn., in September.
“We simply bought to maintain engaged on the brief observe program for us. It was positively the powerful a part of our season,” Byron stated. “I felt like we introduced automotive this weekend. Actually till the observe form of modified, I assumed we have been within the recreation.
“Yeah, that was simply all we had there.”
A disappointing finish to a powerful 12 months
Contemplating the power of his season and the way he and his group began Sunday’s race, Byron admitted Sunday’s end was “a little bit of a letdown.”
“As quickly as we bought into Stage 2, we have been attempting to determine how will we handle what we now have, perhaps make it somewhat bit higher if we will. However we simply want extra on the brief tracks,” he stated. “We simply struggled as a group on the brief tracks.
“We had an amazing season, quite a bit to be pleased with, a variety of actually stable races, speaking effectively as a group. I really feel like all that stuff can simply go up a notch hopefully, simply have a bit extra velocity at sure tracks that we all know are essential.”
