William Byron's Crew Chief Acknowledges Ryan Blaney's Strong Practice Performance
As the Championship 4 finale in Phoenix approaches, the practice sessions offer a sneak peek into the contenders' form. William Byron, who had a challenging time in Martinsville, is now aiming to redeem himself. However, Team Penske's Ryan Blaney is not to be underestimated, despite a slim gap in their practice lap times.
In the practice sessions, Ryan Blaney stood out with the fastest lap at 130.425 mph, while William Byron posted an impressive 130.011 mph, trailing by only three-tenths of a second.
Crew Chief Rudy Fugle's Perspective
When asked about the intense practice session, William Byron's crew chief, Rudy Fugle, refrained from downplaying Blaney's performance. He noted, "Yeah, I think he had four-lap older tires, so he had a little bit of a disadvantage." Fugle emphasized the importance of such challenges, saying, "You're really giving William a shot to see the strengths and weaknesses of his car. They could have made a change that was bad, and they're still making laps."
Car Consistency Over the Weekend
Regarding the #24 Chevy's performance over the race weekend, Fugle pointed out, "Anyways, the characteristics of the car are generally transferring over throughout the weekend. I think that part's good."