The start of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season has been all about Chevrolet drivers. William Byron won at Phoenix Raceway on March 12 and helped the OEM match a streak dating back to the 2001 season.
The first four Cup Series races in 2023 have featured Chevrolet drivers celebrating wins. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won the Daytona 500, Kyle Busch won at Fontana, and then Byron won at Las Vegas and Phoenix.
The last time Chevrolet kicked off a year with four straight wins was in 2001. Michael Waltrip won the Daytona 500, Steve Park won at Rockingham, Jeff Gordon won at Las Vegas, and then Kevin Harvick won at Atlanta. A Ford driver, Dale Jarrett, then snapped the streak by winning at Darlington.
BACK-2-BACK WINS FOR BYRON! 🏁
The No. 24 driver loves late-race restarts as for the 2nd straight week he beats his teammate when it matters most.
A wild way to end the #UnitedRentals500 at #NASCAR pic./7G8HKKZqRN
— NASCAR on TSN () March 12, 2023
The 2001 Chevrolet streak only lasted four races, but it could reach five in a row in 2023. One reason why this is possible is that the next race on the schedule takes place at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Byron won the spring race in 2022 as the Cup Series drivers took on the reconfigured track for the first time.
Of course, there is another streak that Team Chevy will attempt to match. Back in 1995, the Bowtie reached Victory Lane in the first seven races of the season. Sterling Marlin won the Daytona 500. He also won at Darlington while Jeff Gordon, Terry Labonte, and Dale Earnhardt all won races of their own.
Byron Threw It Back to the 2007 Season
GettyWilliam Byron has 6 career Cup Series wins.
The win at Phoenix Raceway was significant for Byron. He became the first driver to go back-to-back in 2023, and he added another six playoff points to his total. He also matched a mark set by Jeff Gordon.
The last time that the No. 24 won consecutive races was in the 2007 season. The Hall of Famer won at Phoenix and Talladega early in the season. Gordon then went back-to-back at Talladega and Charlotte in the fall. These trips to Victory Lane were part of a six-win season in which Gordon finished second in the standings behind teammate Jimmie Johnson.
The 2007 …read more
Source:: Heavy.com