AVONDALE, Ariz. – The No. 17 NASCAR Xfinity Series HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro made its 2024 season debut at Phoenix Raceway on Saturday.
William Byron got behind the wheel of the entry for his first of four starts in the series. His involvement in an 11-car incident on lap 145 — approximately around the midpoint of the stage — hindered the rest of his day and resulted in a 23rd-place finish. At the time of the incident, Byron was running ninth when the wreck occurred on the backstretch. Aric Almirola came up into the left front of the No. 17 and Byron also got into the wall with his right side.
RELATED: Hendrick Motorsports to run 10 Xfinity Series races in 2024
Taking the green flag from the 28th position, the 26-year-old driver was moving ahead in the opening stage. He finished the first 45 laps in 11th. During the stage break, Byron reported that the car's balance was tight in turns three and four, loose on the rear exit and that the right front was building up on the long run. He drove into the top 10 on lap 68 but finished the stage in 11th.
The team swung big at several adjustments, so the car wasn't as tight for Byron. After restarting in 12th on lap 101, the driver reported that he was "much better in the center with that change." The 2017 Xfinity Series champion for Hendrick Motorsports affiliate JR Motorsports moved back into the top 10 on lap 122 and was running ninth on the lap 144 restart before he took on damage.
PHOTOS: See the day in images for the No. 17 HendrickCars.com team
Chandler Smith got the win in an overtime finish at the 1-mile track in Avondale, Arizona.
Brandon McSwain, the lead engineer on Byron's No. 24 NASCAR Cup Series team, made his crew chief debut atop the box for the No. 17 Xfinity Series team. This was the first of four races with McSwain as the crew chief for Byron in the Xfinity ranks. Kyle Larson (two races), Chase Elliott (two races), Alex Bowman (one race) and Boris Said (one race) will also be behind the wheel of the No. 17 this season. Greg Ives, who won the Xfinity Series championship as a crew chief in 2014 with Elliott at JR Motorsports, will be the pit boss for the non-Byron races.
RELATED: McSwain comes 'full circle' with chance to crew chief Byron
Since its return to the Xfinity Series in 2022, Hendrick Motorsports has had three pole awards, three runner-up results, six top-five finishes, seven top-10s and 139 laps led in 11 starts. In its history, Hendrick Motorsports has earned one Xfinity Series championship (2003) and 26 race wins in the series
The second of 10 races for the No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevy will be at Circuit of The Americas with Larson driving the car. That road course race occurs on Saturday, March 23, at 5 p.m. ET on FS1, PRN Radio, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
