Will Hendrick drivers get shut out of the Championship 4? The recent buzz in the media center after the Charlotte road-course race suggested that all four drivers advancing to Phoenix could potentially hail from Hendrick Motorsports. However, the current scenario indicates that it is possible none of them will make it.
Odds favor at least one Hendrick driver making the cut as they head into the final elimination race on Sunday at Martinsville. With automatic bids already secured by Joey Logano (Penske) and Tyler Reddick (23XI), only two spots remain. Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing) currently holds a 29-point advantage over the cutoff, while HMS’s William Byron is just seven points ahead of his teammate Kyle Larson, who is the first driver outside the qualifying zone.
Denny Hamlin (JGR) trails by 18 points, while Ryan Blaney (Penske) and Chase Elliott (Hendrick) are mathematically in contention but realistically need to secure a win to advance.
If either Blaney, the defending winner of this race, or Hamlin, who has five Martinsville victories with his last win in 2015, clinches a win, and Bell finishes well within the top 10, Hendrick could find itself completely shut out of the drivers’ championship.
What caused such a rapid decline for Hendrick? It all began with the disqualification of Alex Bowman at Charlotte due to his car failing postrace weight checks, which eliminated him from the playoffs.
Then, at Las Vegas, Elliott became an unwitting victim in a multi-car incident involving Martin Truex Jr., which forced him into Reddick. With only one win this year, Elliott lacks the playoff points needed to advance and now faces must-win situations at Homestead or Martinsville.
In the last two races at Las Vegas and Homestead, Larson encountered difficulties as well. A struggling pit crew dashed his hopes in Las Vegas, and a flat tire at Homestead nearly derailed his comeback attempt, leading to damage in the final laps.
On a brighter note, Martinsville has historically been a strong track for Hendrick. Byron claimed victory there in the spring, celebrated by hundreds of team members as they marked the organization’s 40th anniversary. Larson also performed well, finishing second in that race and previously winning at Martinsville in spring 2023, despite it not being one of his strongest tracks.
The pivotal questions remain: Can the team execute flawless pit stops? Will they make the right strategic decisions during the race?
Byron and Larson are expected to have competitive cars on Sunday. However, depending on the race dynamics, even strong performances may not guarantee advancement.
There remains a possibility that Hendrick drivers could fill both remaining spots. If Larson, Byron, or Elliott clinches a win, they would earn an automatic bid. If Bell falters, Larson or Byron could potentially qualify on points. Yet, this scenario appears unlikely.
For anxious Hendrick fans, such feelings are completely justified. They will likely remain on edge until the checkered flag falls on Sunday. However, if the race takes a turn for the worse early on, fans can still hold onto hope, as recent weeks have shown that championship aspirations can shift dramatically in a short time.
