AUSTIN, Texas – Hendrick Motorsports has much to be excited about as it approaches its 40th anniversary celebration in two weeks.
William Bryon dominated on Sunday at the Circuit of the Americas, earning his second NASCAR win. Alex Bowman finished in the top four for the third time in 2024 at COTA, while Kyle Larson won the Xfinity Series in a thrilling finale on Saturday.
That’s quite a leap ahead of the team’s planned festivities for race weekend at Martinsville Speedway, where Hendrick Motorsports won its first race with Geoff Bodine in 1984 while racing under the moniker All-Star Racing.
Another Byron Win Has Hendrick On A Roll Heading Toward NASCAR Team’s 40th Anniversary Party
So far, the race has resulted in its party.
Byron is the only two-time winner in the season’s first six races. The first occurred in the Daytona 500, where Bowman and Hendrick finished 1-2 in NASCAR’s marquee event.
Byron’s victory at COTA was his 12th career win and first from the pole position.
“I mean, just seeing him qualify, he was so fluid. The same thing happened throughout the race. “Just seemed to put the car in all the right places,” Hendrick Motorsports Vice Chairman Jeff Gordon explained. “A lot of thanks to William for accomplishing such an excellent job. Takes the entire team, pit crew, and everyone. They’ve had a great start to the season. I can’t wait to see where they take it next.
The series will head to Richmond’s short track next week before returning to Martinsville on April 7.
“We’re going to shoot for the stars,” declared Byron’s crew chief, Rudy Fogle.
Hendrick hopes to have a strong showing at Martinsville, where team vehicles will be painted in unique red schemes, owner Rick Hendrick will drive the pace car, and Bodine and Gordon will serve as grand marshals.
In the last four years, a Hendrick driver has won a race in Martinsville. The team has won the most Cup Series races at any track on the circuit, with 28 total.
“Obviously Martinsville is big for the 40th anniversary,” he remarked.
Another Byron Win Has Hendrick On A Roll Heading Toward NASCAR Team’s 40th Anniversary Party
Bowman triumphed there in 2021 and generated huge results during a crucial season. He has not won since 2022, has had two seasons of injuries, and will miss the playoffs in 2023.
“I don’t want to say, ‘Yeah, we’re back here 100%,’ but these last few weeks have been a step in the right direction,” Mr. Bowman said.
“I’m personally working as hard as I’ve ever worked,” he said. This year, I’m all in on every aspect, whether it’s extra shifts in the (simulator), correlating the tires, spending more time with the team, or training in the gym.”
Larson’s Xfinity victory was a surprise despite starting from the pole position. He had to start from the back because his squad needed to replace a broken brake rotor, but he fought his way through and took the victory in overtime.
Another Byron Win Has Hendrick On A Roll Heading Toward NASCAR Team’s 40th Anniversary Party
Larson was the first NASCAR driver to win the pole and the race while leading only one lap. His victory was Hendrick Motorsports’ first in the Xfinity Series since the team returned in 2022.
The only blight on Hendrick’s successful weekend was Larson’s 17th-place result in Sunday’s race, which took him out of the Cup Series lead. Larson now ranks fifth, slightly ahead of Bryon.
All four Hendrick drivers are in the top 11, but Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. and Ty Gibbs are the new season championship leaders.
SOURCE – (AP)
