With Chase Elliott’s victory on Monday at Dover, Hendrick Motorsports has now won five of the season’s 11 NASCAR Cup Series races and placed all four of its drivers in Victory Lane. As a result of winning, all four Hendrick drivers have also punched a ticket to the playoffs. So, not surprisingly, the Hendrick organization will arrive at Darlington this weekend with a great deal of momentum and with the goal of continuing its early-season success. Just having all four of its drivers — Elliott, Kyle Larson, Alex Bowman and William Byron — win a race already this season is a major accomplishment for the organization founded and owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Rick Hendrick.
“Well, certainly that was a goal of ours when you start out the season to get that accomplished early on,” Hendrick Motorsports general manager Jeff Andrews said. “Really proud of the effort, especially with this new (Next Generation) car, all that's gone on in the off-season with this race team, to be in this position. Having five wins at this point in the season, having all four of our cars into the playoffs at this point in time is a credit to all the men and women back in Charlotte at Hendrick Motorsports, as well as everybody at the racetrack that makes these cars go. Give that credit to them.”
Hendrick is the only organization with all of its drivers locked in the playoffs. “It feels very good at this point in time,” Andrews said. “As we go into the summer, we know how hectic that can get later on in the summer, all kinds of circumstances that can present themselves. So very pleased with where we're at right now.”