NASCAR Notes: William Byron's Atlanta Cup Win Has Hendrick, the 24 Partying Like It's 2014

• William Byron's fourth win of the season marks the first time the No. 24 Chevrolet has recorded that many victories in a season since 2014.

• In 2014, Jeff Gordon drove the 24 for Hendrick Motorsports.

• In the last 10 races, Byron has produced two victories, five top-five and eight top-10 finishes.

Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman Jeff Gordon walked into the facility the day after Christmas last year and didn’t expect to see anyone, but to Gordon’s surprise there was crew chief Rudy Fugle working in his office.

Gordon immediately told Fugle: “If you’re working, you’re going to have a good year.”

They both laughed, but so far, Gordon’s prophecy has proven true.

Fugle and his driver William Byron now possess a season-leading four victories with their fourth coming Sunday night in the rain-shortened Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The win marks the first time the No. 24 Chevrolet has recorded that many victories in a season since 2014 when Gordon drove it.

Also, in the last 10 races, Byron has produced two victories, five top-five and eight top-10 finishes. With seven races remaining in the regular season, Byron leads the driver standings, holding a 21-point advantage for the second place Martin Truex Jr.

Gordon believes Byron and Fugle show the same commitment and dedication to their profession and that “spills out throughout the whole team.”

“When somebody sees others putting in extra effort, then they don’t want to be the weak link,” Gordon says. “I think we’ve always known William had the talent, it was just about getting the experience as a young driver racing at this level, getting him with somebody that believes in him and is providing the car.”

Byron says Fugle is good for him because he’s a “no-nonsense” person.

“It’s just facts,” Byron says. “I don’t have to worry about him. He just shoots me straight. He just talks about what we need to do better, and I feel like that works really well for me because I’m honestly similar.

“On a personal side, we keep up with each other, but we’re not hanging out getting beers. But we certainly have grown closer on that side. I think in a professional sense, we just work really well.”

Byron had to overcome a one-lap deficit to win Sunday night’s race that was shortened from 260 laps to 185 due to rain. His eighth career victory was the 2,000th for Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. Ironically, it was Gordon in the No. 24 that provided the tire company with its 1,000th victory in the series.