Joe Gibbs and Rick Hendrick
If your name is Joe Gibbs or Rick Hendrick, life is good. This season, the two illustrious team owners have dominated NASCAR and pulled away from the competition.
This year, Hendrick or Gibbs drivers have won six of the seven races. The entire organization has not been dependent on one or two drivers to handle the strain. Each of the eight drivers has been driving incredibly well. In the Spring Richmond race that took place yesterday, six of them placed among the top seven.
In context, these were the season’s top players arriving in Richmond.
- Most race wins: William Byron
- Most top-three finishes: Christopher Bell
- Best average finishing position: Ty Gibbs
- Most lap led: Denny Hamlin
- Leader in championship points: Martin Truex Jr.
Now that Byron has been tied for the most victories, Hamlin is the only driver to have led a lap in each race. Truex remains the sole driver to have finished each race on the lead lap. As of seven races into the season, drivers from Hendrick and JGR have led 1,013 of 2,014 laps.
Does this benefit or harm NASCAR is the question to consider.
Teams have dominated leagues on multiple occasions in the past. The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers were headed for the NBA Finals together for almost thirty years. The Dallas Cowboys were once thought to be unbeatable. The New York Yankees have won 27 championships and made 40 trips to the World Series.
It’s also nothing new in the world of motorsports. Since their reunion in 2008, Team Penske and Chip Ganassi Racing have ruled the IndyCar series. Twelve years have passed since someone other than Ganassi or Penske took home the championship. Yes, these two titans have triumphed in 15 out of the previous 16 series titles.
While other teams still get to enjoy the sunshine, it almost seems like they are taking the spoiler position. Hendrick and Gibbs is living up to the high standards set for them.
Gen 7 Parity Is Fast Diminishing
The arrival of the Gen 7 automobile created parity in the garage. That 2022 season saw 19 different race winners, making it one of the most competitive in the sport’s history. Although the volatility was welcome, things have gradually returned to normal.
Larger teams tend to drift apart as firms evaluate more data and have more time on their hands. With their resources, they can elevate much more quickly. It is imperative that the drivers improve as well, and they have. Both the youthful talent and the seasoned veterans have adjusted quite nicely.
The regular season is perhaps more affected because anything may happen in the postseason. A driver may find themselves in an almost unrecoverable situation due to a single burst tire, mishap, or technical problem. Because of this, stage points and playoff points are even more important, yet these two titans are consuming them.
That being said, Penske, Stewart-Haas, 23XI Racing, and RFK Racing are not without hope. Like Trackhouse, they might all hit victory lane at some point this year. Even though they aren’t quite as good as these two teams, they still have plenty of time to improve before the Playoffs start.
Truex and Larson’s Fuel Competition in Richmond
When Truex and Kyle Larson collided on the last lap at Richmond, the Hendrick/Gibbs animosity intensified even further. The two kept trading paint and sparks as they went over the finish line.
When Larson spun with two laps remaining, Truex was irate that he had the win in the bag. In order to take the victory from his teammate, Hamlin outran Truex off pit road and utilized him at the last restart. Officials disputed Truex’s claim that Hamlin went early on the restart, despite the 228-lap leader leading the race.
These two groups are competing to be the best. They both think they are the squad to beat this year. They both understand that in order for it to happen, they will need to go through each other.
