CONCORD, N.C. – William Byron's Axalta Throwback paint scheme for next month's race at Darlington Raceway brings back memories for both the past and present drivers of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.
Byron’s paint scheme for the May 8 event honors the 2007 on-track look that Hendrick Motorsports Vice Chairman Jeff Gordon drove that season. The four-time champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer drove the No. 24 car in 797 of his 805 career NASCAR Cup Series.
PHOTOS: See every angle of William Byron’s Axalta Throwback scheme
"Some of my first memories of watching Jeff Gordon race was from his 2007 season," Byron says in the video above. "While many people remember Jeff Gordon driving the rainbow color scheme, my earliest moments of cheering him on were in the iconic blue and red flames."
The 2007 season was a big one for Gordon, who battled teammate Jimmie Johnson all season long for the championship. In total, he won six times, posted 21 top-five finishes and had a career-high 30 top-10 finishes. Along the way, the NASCAR Hall of Famer had several major moments in what he called "a special year" for him.
"This year brought many milestone wins," Gordon said. "At Phoenix, I tied Dale Earnhardt’s win record. Honoring the legacy of the (No.) 3 was a moment I’ll never forget. One race later at Talladega, I went on to score my 77th win. And I can’t forget Darlington. I don’t know how we made it across the finish line."
Gordon's spring win at Darlington capped off a stretch of three wins in four races and marked his seventh straight top-four finish that season.
"These races and this paint scheme make up an important chapter in the story of the (No.) 24," Byron said. "I can’t wait to honor Jeff and bring this paint scheme for throwback weekend."
The 24-year-old driver has two top-five finishes in his last three starts at the 1.366-mile track. The most recent spring event saw him finish a personal-best fourth at the South Carolina venue. To date this season, Byron is the only driver with multiple wins as he posted victories at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Martinsville Speedway.
Following Byron’s victory at Martinsville, Gordon felt that the best was still to come.
"I'm really excited to see William progressing so fast this season already, but you’ve been seeing it build for the last couple years," Gordon said.