The Legacy of the #24: From Jeff Gordon to Chase Elliott and William Byron
In NASCAR, few numbers carry as much weight as the #24. It’s forever linked to Jeff Gordon, a four-time Cup Series champion whose dominance in the 1990s and early 2000s helped elevate Hendrick Motorsports to the pinnacle of NASCAR. So when young Chase Elliott was set to begin his rookie Cup Series campaign with Hendrick Motorsports, there was one iconic question on the table: Should Elliott inherit Gordon’s legendary #24?
The issue arose due to Elliott’s own family legacy. His father, Bill Elliott, had raced the #9 for most of his career, making it a number just as significant to the Elliott family as the #24 was to Gordon. When Hendrick Motorsports approached Gordon about passing the number to Elliott, Gordon’s response was filled with respect and admiration. While he hoped Elliott could continue the legacy of the #24, Gordon acknowledged the deep connection Elliott had to the #9.
In an interview with *Sporting News*, Elliott expressed the honor he felt to drive the #24: “Having the honor to drive the 24 is something that a racer can only dream of. That is such an iconic number, it’s a legendary number.” He went on to describe the moment when Gordon asked him if he was comfortable taking on the number. “If we were shaking hands, I’d have ripped his arm off. That is an opportunity that nobody would turn down,” Elliott said.
In 2016, Elliott made his full-time Cup debut driving the #24, a number that had seen 93 wins with Gordon at the wheel. But his tenure in the number was brief. By 2018, William Byron—another Hendrick Motorsports prospect—would take the helm of the #24 car after winning the 2017 Xfinity Series championship.
Byron’s time in the #24 began with a tough rookie season in 2018, followed by two winless years. However, in 2020, Byron delivered a much-needed victory for the iconic
As of 2024, the #24 Chevrolet has contested 1,701 races, with 106 wins, 93 of those attributed to Gordon and 13 to Byron. The legacy of the #24 continues to live on, not only as a symbol of Gordon’s dominance but as a number that will forever remain part of NASCAR’s rich history, thanks to the efforts of both Elliott and Byron.
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