By: Zach Catanzareti, Staff Writer
Each week, Kickin’ The Tires will highlight the 20th-place finisher from the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Standing as the middleman in weekends with 40-car fields, there is sure to be a story behind each one.
With two top-20 finishes in the year’s three short track races, it’s safe to say William Byron was aiming for something more Saturday night at Richmond Raceway.
Running his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Saturday was his second start at Richmond after an uplifting 12th-place finish in the spring.
Starting the Federated Auto Parts 400 from the 19th spot, Byron quickly fell outside the top 20 in the opening 20 laps. From there, a small move up the running order saw him finish Stage 1 in 22nd.
Finishing Stage 2 in 21st, an eventual finish of 20th saw Byron score his 17th top-20 finish of the year and fourth time finishing in 20th.
“Well, we started about 20th and finished 20th,” Byron said. “The guys did a good job on pit road.”
With only one non-stage caution flying on the night, Byron was optimistic of the car’s long-run ability. That, however, didn’t come to fruition.
“I felt like it was a pretty straightforward race,” he said. “A lot of green-flag runs, which I thought was going to be our strong suit. But we just kind of ran where we ran.
“We’ll go back and work on it a little bit.”
Indeed, some work in certainly in place for the rookie driver and HMS. Standing as the team’s only driver to miss the playoffs, Byron has had little to exclaim about the last month. With only two top 20s now in the last six races, this rough run compares to his early season struggles in the No. 24.
This weekend, Byron enters his home track, this time in the ROVAL version for the very first time. With an eighth-place run in the last road course at Watkins Glen, another top 10 Sunday would do wonders for Byron during this low point in 2018.
List of 20th-Place Finishers So Far in 2018
Daytona: Gray Gaulding
Atlanta: Alex Bowman
Las Vegas: Trevor Bayne
ISM: Trevor Bayne (2)
Auto Club: Darrell Wallace Jr.
Martinsville: William Byron
Texas: Gray Gaulding(2)
Bristol: Landon Cassill
Richmond: Ty Dillon
Talladega: DJ Kennington
Dover: Chris Buescher
Kansas: Michael McDowell
Charlotte: Kasey Kahne
Pocono: Clint Bowyer
Michigan: Jimmie Johnson
Sonoma: Kasey Kahne(2)
Chicagoland: William Byron(2)
Daytona: Trevor Bayne(3)
Kentucky: William Byron(3)
New Hampshire: Chris Buescher(2)
Pocono: Jamie McMurray
Watkins Glen: Chris Buescher (3)
Michigan: Chris Buescher (4)
Bristol: Kyle Busch
Darlington: Michael McDowell (2)
Indianapolis: Regan Smith
Las Vegas: Ross Chastain
Richmond: William Byron (4)
Mid-Pack With Zach: William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports
By: Zach Catanzareti, Staff Writer
Each week, Kickin’ The Tires will highlight the 20th-place finisher from the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Standing as the middleman in weekends with 40-car fields, there is sure to be a story behind each one.
With two top-20 finishes in the year’s three short track races, it’s safe to say William Byron was aiming for something more Saturday night at Richmond Raceway.
Running his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Saturday was his second start at Richmond after an uplifting 12th-place finish in the spring.
Starting the Federated Auto Parts 400 from the 19th spot, Byron quickly fell outside the top 20 in the opening 20 laps. From there, a small move up the running order saw him finish Stage 1 in 22nd.
Finishing Stage 2 in 21st, an eventual finish of 20th saw Byron score his 17th top-20 finish of the year and fourth time finishing in 20th.
“Well, we started about 20th and finished 20th,” Byron said. “The guys did a good job on pit road.”
With only one non-stage caution flying on the night, Byron was optimistic of the car’s long-run ability. That, however, didn’t come to fruition.
“I felt like it was a pretty straightforward race,” he said. “A lot of green-flag runs, which I thought was going to be our strong suit. But we just kind of ran where we ran.
“We’ll go back and work on it a little bit.”
Indeed, some work in certainly in place for the rookie driver and HMS. Standing as the team’s only driver to miss the playoffs, Byron has had little to exclaim about the last month. With only two top 20s now in the last six races, this rough run compares to his early season struggles in the No. 24.
This weekend, Byron enters his home track, this time in the ROVAL version for the very first time. With an eighth-place run in the last road course at Watkins Glen, another top 10 Sunday would do wonders for Byron during this low point in 2018.
List of 20th-Place Finishers So Far in 2018
Daytona: Gray Gaulding
Atlanta: Alex Bowman
Las Vegas: Trevor Bayne
ISM: Trevor Bayne (2)
Auto Club: Darrell Wallace Jr.
Martinsville: William Byron
Texas: Gray Gaulding(2)
Bristol: Landon Cassill
Richmond: Ty Dillon
Talladega: DJ Kennington
Dover: Chris Buescher
Kansas: Michael McDowell
Charlotte: Kasey Kahne
Pocono: Clint Bowyer
Michigan: Jimmie Johnson
Sonoma: Kasey Kahne(2)
Chicagoland: William Byron(2)
Daytona: Trevor Bayne(3)
Kentucky: William Byron(3)
New Hampshire: Chris Buescher(2)
Pocono: Jamie McMurray
Watkins Glen: Chris Buescher (3)
Michigan: Chris Buescher (4)
Bristol: Kyle Busch
Darlington: Michael McDowell (2)
Indianapolis: Regan Smith
Las Vegas: Ross Chastain
Richmond: William Byron (4)