Kyle Larson Wins in Richmond, Shows That Hendrick Motorsport Is the Team to Beat

He has finished in the top 10 in six of the seven weeks. Meanwhile, William Byron has won two races and had a top-two car at COTA, while Kyle Larson should have won at Las Vegas and Phoenix but was hurt by late-race cautions. Combined, the Hendrick Motorsports team has three victories in seven races and has led 798 laps. Larson and Byron swept both stages in Phoenix and were 1-2 in Stage 1 at Richmond, comparable to Phoenix.

The potential for Hendrick Motorsports to match their impressive 2021 season is evident as the 2023 season approaches. The team's success in 2021 was unparalleled, having achieved 17 NASCAR Cup Series wins, which was their second-highest in a single season and the third-highest by any team in NASCAR's Modern Era (1972-Present). Moreover, Hendrick Motorsports set a new record with their 36th consecutive season with a victory, the longest streak ever by a team in the series, and their 37th season overall with a win, the most by any team in the series.

Additionally, they had an exceptional performance with first and second-place finishes in seven races, tying for the second-most all-time and the most by a team in NASCAR's Modern Era. Hendrick Motorsports also became one of only two teams in Cup Series history to finish 1-2 in four straight races (between Dover and Sonoma). They also broke the all-time record for the most Cup wins with 279 total victories, leading all other teams by 11 wins, which Petty Enterprises previously held.

In the 2021 season, the Hendrick Motorsports' quartet of Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, William Byron, and Alex Bowman achieved numerous accolades. They became the only team in NASCAR's Modern Era to win six consecutive races (between Dover and Pocono). They also turned into the only team in Cup history to sweep the top-four finishing positions with all four Cup cars entered in a race at Dover. Furthermore, they made history by becoming the first team with four winners under the age of 30 in a single season.

Although Hendrick Motorsports led the fifth-most laps by any team in NASCAR's Modern Era (1972-Present), they set a new team record with 4,017 laps showed that had remained unbeaten for 12 years since 2009. Junior Johnson and Associates hold the NASCAR Cup Series Modern Era organization record for the most laps led in a single season with 4,296.

In 2021, Hendrick Motorsports demonstrated unparalleled dominance with 33 finishes inside the top two, the most in the Modern Era (since 1972). They also secured 83 top-10 finishes, which was the team's second-highest (84 in 2007, 82 in 2012), and posted 55 top-five finishes, which was their second-most (57 in 2007). Additionally, they won 28 stages, having only won 33 prior to 2021

As for Martin Truex Jr, Sunday's race in Richmond was his chance to end his 50-race winless drought. But he only managed an 11th-place finish. Truex has only had one top-ten finish all season. However, his teammates Christopher Bell and Ty Gibbs have found success with five top-six finishes and three consecutive ninth-place finishes, respectively. Denny Hamlin has had a tough start to the season with just two top-ten finishes, but he led 71 laps on Sunday and could have been a contender for the win if not for a speeding penalty. Despite their success, there seems to be tension within the team, as evidenced by their fiery radio chat during Sunday's race.

Phoenix will once again be the championship-deciding race. And with the Hendrick Motorsports team performing so strongly early in the season on similar tracks, they should not be underestimated. While Truex and his team may not be performing as well, his teammates are finding success, which may cause some tension within the group.

The driver-crew chief relationship between Truex and Small isn't working, and it's unclear how much longer it can continue. Before Small, Pearn led Truex to the best stretch of his career, with 24 wins and multiple Championship 4 appearances. With Small, Truex has had just one final-round appearance and a significantly lower number of wins and top finishes. The Truex-Small pairing is not trending in the right direction, and they need a win to make it into the postseason this year.

AJ Allmendinger returned to the Cup Series after finding success in the Xfinity Series, but this season has started poorly for him, with six straight finishes outside the top 16. Daniel Suarez started strong but has fallen significantly in recent weeks. At the same time, Ross Chastain has been consistently competitive, with multiple top-four finishes and a current second-place ranking in points. The upcoming races, including Martinsville and Talladega, could provide opportunities for Chastain to continue his success.