NASCAR legend Kyle Petty details why 26-YO William Byron could be the next Jeff Gordon for Hendrick Motorsports

NASCAR legend Kyle Petty feels William Byron could be the next breakthrough driver for Hendrick Motorsports and claimed that he's following former driver Jeff Gordon's footsteps in racing.

Byron's win at Martinsville during the Cook Out 400 brought home a triumphant weekend for the HMS team as they celebrated their 40th anniversary. The driver has been sensational in the Cup Series with 13 victories so far in his career, which also include two Daytona wins. He has also managed to win three races this season.

NASCAR legend Kyle Petty drew comparisons between William Byron and former Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon, who raced with the team in the #24 Chevy for the entirety of his Cup Series career, winning the championship four times. He analyzed the similarities between the two and said on GoPRNLive:

“He speaks like Jeff Gordon. He talks about the team, he talks about the sport, he talks about what they can do the little things stuff like that. He doesn't give you these BS answers a lot of times, he may get to that point but he's not there right now.”

Petty further mentioned how William Byron can bring a change in the team while working in the way Jeff Gordon used to.

“He's [Byron] really insightful into where the team is and I think that shows that William Byron is a Jeff Gordon-style driver. William Byron is a guy that drives the car and then says ‘I think we can move the ball forward if we change this and we work this and we do this’ that's the way Jeff Gordon was.”

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Jeff Gordon praises William Byron after Martinsville race win

Martinsville is an essential track in Hendrick Motorsports' history. Geoff Bodine scored the team's first victory on this track in 1984, which also saved them from shutting down completely.

This year's 1 - 2 - 3 finish for the team was one of its kind with William Byron, Kyle Larson, and Chase Elliott making the day memorable for the team. Jeff Gordon, who served as the grand marshal in the race alongside Geoff Bodine to celebrate the team's 40 years in racing, praised Byron's driving. He told FOX's Bob Pockrass:

“I think William had been working all day long, searching different lines, working with that. And I think it really showed up there. After that green flag stop, I mean, he was able to turn underneath some guys and clear them. And right then I was like, I knew his car was good, but wow, I was super impressed."

“He did an incredible job working traffic and keeping the tires on it. And you know, he's just driving with confidence right now and using his abilities. It's fun to watch.”

With this victory, Byron jumped three places in the championship standings and is now in fourth place with a total of 261 points and 40 stage points. Meanwhile, his teammate Kyle Larson took the lead in the championship with 309 points.