AVONDALE, Ariz. - In transitioning from the cockpit to the broadcast booth to the role of vice chairman at Hendrick Motorsports, Jeff Gordon has an abundance of knowledge and advice from a multitude of perspectives when it comes to chasing a championship in the NASCAR Cup Series.
But his over-three-decade-long involvement in the sport, a span that included winning four of the organization's 14 Cup Series titles as a driver, has also been a continuous learning process. And this weekend, as he watches William Byron take a second swing at a first Cup title in the very same No. 24 Chevrolet Gordon once drove, Gordon said he’s also gained a feel for when not to say anything at all.
“It’s out of my control for the most part, so I just support those guys and if there’s something I think I can add, I do,” Gordon said during a media session on Monday. “But most of the time, I just sit back and let them do what they do best. That’s why they’ve been hired and that’s why they’re in the position they’re in because nobody does it better than they do.”
Byron, crew chief Rudy Fugle and the entire No. 24 team have a chance to prove just that at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday. The season finale is set for a 3 p.m. start and will air on NBC.
A second straight berth into the Championship 4 is yet another feather in the 26-year-old’s oversized cap. He punched his ticket to the playoffs with three wins in the season’s first eight races, including the season-opening DAYTONA 500. He’s now won nine races in the last two seasons and if he reaches double digits on Sunday, he’ll leave the desert with a much larger trophy as well.
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Undoubtedly, the 24 team has been rock solid this postseason. Byron finished in the top six in each of the last six races and that includes four top-four showings.
But by the standards he's set in the last two years, it has been a while since the Charlotte, North Carolina native has visited victory lane. That most recent win came at Martinsville in April as he spearheaded an unforgettable 1-2-3 sweep for Hendrick Motorsports on the day of the company’s 40th anniversary celebration at the track.
“You’ve got to race different when you’re in the playoffs as you’re trying to advance,” Gordon said. “Of course, you want to win but at the same time, sometimes you get yourself in a position to figure out, ‘What do I need to do to advance to the next round?’ Sometimes doing that takes you out of taking some of the risks to get yourself in a position to win.
“This is a team that when they’re on, they’re the top of the game out there and I think they’re going to show that this week and step up and we’re excited to root them on and see how they bring it at a high level.”
Helping immensely in that effort, as he's long done in conjunction with Byron, will be Fugle. The two won seven races together in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in 2016 and Fugle has been on the box for Byron at the Cup level since 2021.
The two have formed a winning rapport and Gordon said it's a partnership that reminds him of other such tandems in the organization's decorated history.
“We saw it when those two worked together in the (CRAFTSMAN) Truck Series and I give both of those two guys a lot of credit,” Gordon said. “You see this at certain times throughout a driver’s career. I think of myself with Ray Evernham. You find a guy that trusts and believes in you and is confident that you’re the guy. You’re the guy behind the wheel that if they give you the car and get you in position, that you’re going to go get the job done and that works in both directions – William believes in Rudy and Rudy believes in William.”
And Gordon also believes in Byron and added that entire organization is behind him as he tries to capitalize on the valuable experience gathered during last year’s Championship 4.
“We had some conversation about that,” Gordon said. “I think last year, him going into that Championship 4 and it being the first time, it’s overwhelming for anybody. We’ve got to remember, he’s still really young and pretty new to the Cup level and performing at this high level. “Responsibility comes with racing for a championship and you’re proud to be there and excited to be representing your team and sponsors, but it is a distraction. I think going through those steps, not only for him but for our PR group and marketing group at Hendrick and sponsors and knowing when, where and how to manage his schedule and keep his focus as much on the race car and race itself is a big part of the whole season, but it’s a big part of this week and the championship journey.”