CONCORD, N.C. - Following a two-week break from action, Hendrick Motorsports and the NASCAR Cup Series return to the track this weekend at Richmond Raceway.
Richmond's .75-mile layout has provided close-quarters racing since the tour's first stop at the facility in 1953. The uniquely shaped front straightaway's eight degrees of banking often leads to contact as drivers jockey for position into the first turn. For the Hendrick Motorsports quartet, the track serves as an opportunity to dial in short-track speed before the playoffs begin next month.
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This weekend, the track will make history as the first circuit in Cup Series history to utilize two types of rubber (not including rain tires) in a points-paying event. For the 300-mile main event, teams will have six sets of the "prime" tires in the pits. These are the normal Goodyear tires that carry yellow lettering. However, two sets of the softer, "option" tires (with red lettering) will also be available. This option tire will provide short-term speed but will lose grip quickly as the laps click off.
"The option tires are going to possibly throw a new wrench in things, but with everyone in the same boat, the playing field is even," William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Valvoline entry, said. "Getting the most out of practice on Saturday will be crucial to prepare strategy-wise for Sunday. I’m interested to see how it will play out and hopefully we come out on the good end of it.”
Rick Hendrick's team has gone to victory lane at Richmond on 12 occasions. Tim Richmond scored the team's first victory at the track in 1986, while Terry Labonte won in 1994, 1995 and 1998. Jeff Gordon scored victories in 1996 and 2000, while Joe Nemechek won in 2003. Jimmie Johnson swept the 2007 races at Richmond and added another victory in 2008. As for the current four drivers from Rick Hendrick's team, Alex Bowman (2021) and Kyle Larson (2023) have each found victory lane in the capital city of Virginia.
KEY NUMBERS TO KNOW FOR RICHMOND
Data provided by Racing Insights
Larson, No. 5 team
After the two-week hiatus, Larson will lead the field into the final 14 races of the season topping the charts in several statistical categories, most notably points (749) and wins (four). Larson's victory at Indianapolis gave him 21 since his tenure at Hendrick Motorsports began in 2021, the most of any driver by nine. He claimed the pole in the spring race at Richmond and has three-consecutive pole awards at short tracks.
Elliott, No. 9 team
Chase Elliott carries the best average finish at Richmond among Hendrick Motorsports drivers in the Gen-7 era, averaging a showing of 8.8 over six starts. That includes four top fives in his last seven events. The Dawsonville, Georgia, native continues to lead the Cup Series in average finish this season (10.5), has completed all but one lap and will enter Sunday second in the points standings, just 10 markers behind teammate Larson. He is the only driver in the series with top 10s in each of the four short track races in 2024.
Byron, No. 24 team
William Byron will ride a string of three-straight top-10 finishes at short tracks heading into Sunday, including a win at Martinsville Speedway in the spring. He finished seventh in the spring race at Richmond and won a stage there in the spring of 2023. Currently sitting sixth, Byron gives Hendrick Motorsports three drivers in the top six in the points standings and his 12 top-10 finishes this year are tied for the most with Christopher Bell and teammate Bowman.
Bowman, No. 48 team
Speaking of whom, Bowman's 12 top 10s are more than he registered total in 2023. The 31-year-old native of Tucson, Arizona, has a trio of top 10s in his last four short-track starts and started a season-best fourth in the spring race at Richmond. His win at the Chicago Street Race earlier this year broke an 80-race skid and his six top-five showings in 2024 are the most since he registered eight back in 2021.
Hendrick Motorsports
Hendrick Motorsports drivers have held the top two positions in the points standings for seven straight weeks and the organization has not gone more than three events without a win in the last 34 races. With Larson (first), Elliott (second), Byron (sixth) and Bowman (10th), Hendrick Motorsports is the only organization to have all of its drivers in the top 10 in points.
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DID YOU KNOW?
Should Larson win the pole this week, he'd become the first driver since Geoff Bodine across 1985 and 1986 to win four-straight, short-track poles? Bodine also did it in the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports car.
NASCAR TV SCHEDULE THIS WEEKEND
Saturday, August 10
4:30 p.m. Practice - NBC Sports App
5:35 p.m. Qualifying - NBC Sports App
Elliott will be in Group A, while Larson, Byron and Bowman will be in Group B.
Sunday, August 11
6 p.m. ET: Cup Series race - USA Network
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STAGE LENGTHS
Cup Series race
Stage 1: Lap 70
Stage 2: Lap 230
End of Race: Lap 400
WILL THE RACE BE ON THE RADIO?
Yes, listeners can find both events on MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
CAN I STREAM ONLINE?
Yes. Download the NBC Sports App for online coverage. Fans can also keep up with the action on X by following @TeamHendrick.
Ryan Pritt contributed to this story.