William Byron finished 10th in Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but he might have had a shot at first if not for some strange issues early in the race.
Byron was forced to pit on lap 47 due to his engine overheating as a garbage bag was blown onto the front of his car and strong winds created further obstacles for the drivers.
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The #24 Z HP Chevrolet waves to fans while walking on stage during driver introductions before the NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on March 3, 2024. Driver, William Byron. (Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
On Monday, Byron crew chief Rudy Fugle told SiriusXM Radio’s “The Morning Drive” that he was certain there was a beer can inside the garbage bag.
“It was like a 55-gallon trash bag. It was like a big trash can in the infield of a racetrack,” Fugle said.
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William Byron, #24 Z HP Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in Pennzoil 400 Presenter by Jiffy Lube, NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, March 3, 2024 . (Jeff Speer/LVMS/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“Worse than that, or even funnier than that, the air filter had a beer can stuck in it, so I’m pretty sure there was a beer can in there. It had a silver bullet in it.” ”
Byron could have been in position to pick up his second win of the season after taking the lead at Daytona, but this incident put a damper on a tough day. However, in the end, Kyle Larson won the race, giving the Hendrick Motorsports team the victory.
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NASCAR Cup Series driver William Byron (#24) during the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on March 3, 2024. (Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)
“It was huge. It looked like it was stuck somewhere underneath,” Byron said. fox sports After the race. “All I know is that my body temperature went from 250 degrees to 350 degrees in about 10 seconds. That has never happened to me.”
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