By Anthony Caruso III | Publisher
RaptorTough.com-sponsored driver William Byron is the first repeat winner of the NASCAR Cup Series season. He won the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix on Sunday at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas.
The Hendrick Motorsports driver also kicked off the season with a win at the prestigious Daytona 500. The North Carolina native has 12 NASCAR Cup Series wins in his seven-year career.
“It was fun for sure,” Byron said. “Super thankful for this team. Rudy (Fugle, crew chief) and all the race team. It’s pretty amazing what we have been able to do the last couple of years, but we just have to keep working hard and keep it going.”
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He has eight wins in the past two seasons. He led 42 laps on Sunday to pick up this win.
“What a weekend they put together,” team vice chairman Jeff Gordon said. “The race car that Rudy (Fugle, crew chief) and the guys brought and the way that William drove it. Just watching him qualify, how smooth he was. Same thing throughout the race. Just seemed to put the car in all the right places. I never saw him make a mistake, which is what it was going to take to win today in the closing laps because (Christopher) Bell had the faster car with the fresher tires.
DeWalt-sponsored driver Christopher Bell finished second. This was his first Top 3 finish since he won the race at Phoenix Raceway.
Monster Energy-sponsored driver Ty Gibbs finished third.
Ally-sponsored driver Alex Bowman finished fourth. The Beast Unleashed sponsored driver Tyler Reddick finished fifth.
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With the Top 5 finishers, they either drover a Chevrolet or a Toyota. Three of the drivers in Bell, Gibbs, and Reddick drove a Toyota.
Byron and Bowman, who are teammates with Hendrick Motorsports, drove Chevrolets.
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