Byron’s No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet failed pre-race inspection three times on Friday with an issue with the right-front fender area of the car showing up in the body scan.
The team verified that it succeeded on its fourth try.
Due to his three consecutive failures, Byron will be ineligible to qualify on Saturday and will be required to begin Sunday’s race from the back of the pack. However, he will still have the opportunity to take part in Saturday’s practice session.
After initiating the race on Sunday, Byron will be required to complete a pass-through penalty on the pit road.
Furthermore, the car chief of the team has been expelled from the racetrack for the duration of the weekend.
With only three races remaining in the regular season, Byron currently holds the third position in the points standings, trailing leader Martin Truex Jr. by a margin of 96 points. However, there is still a possibility for Byron to secure the regular-season championship.
This season, Byron has been the top performer in terms of wins (four), average starting position (9.65), and stage wins (seven). Additionally, he has achieved a personal record by leading 810 laps, which is the second-highest number of laps led this season.
The 25-year-old native of Charlotte, N.C., has eight top-five and 11 top-10 finishes – both are tied for the third-most in the series.
Byron and his team were optimistic about improving their performance during the upcoming weekend. Despite winning in Atlanta, their recent track record includes three finishes of 21st place or lower in the last four races, with their best result being 14th.
“We have experienced challenging races in recent weeks, but our team remains determined,” stated crew chief Rudy Fugle. “We consistently provide high-performance race cars and make efforts to achieve favorable outcomes. However, unforeseen circumstances can occur.”
“We have performed strongly at Indy (Road Course) in the past, but unfortunate events towards the end have prevented us from being competitive.”
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