CONCORD, N.C. – As Hendrick Motorsports embarks on the 10-race NASCAR Cup Series playoffs this year, it does so with a decorated postseason history.
In the 14 years with a playoff system, Hendrick Motorsports has won 29 percent of the races – amassing a Cup Series-leading 41 wins.
Jimmie Johnson has contributed a series-leading 29 of them in that span, more than double the playoff wins of any other driver, and has won a championship in seven of the 14 years with a playoff system. He remains the only driver to have made the playoffs in every year of its existence.
In the current format, a Hendrick Motorsports driver has been one of the final four contenders in the championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway in two out of four years.
This season, Hendrick Motorsports has sent three drivers to the postseason – Chase Elliott, Johnson and Alex Bowman. It marks the 11th year in which the organization has sent three or more drivers, which is the most of all organizations.
At least two Hendrick Motorsports drivers have now made the playoffs in 13 consecutive seasons – also the most of all organizations.
Its three playoff participants in 2018 are tied for the second-most by a team behind only Stewart-Haas Racing’s four playoff drivers.
It’s the 15th postseason appearance for Johnson, while Elliott has now made the playoffs in all three seasons to start his NASCAR Cup Series career.
For Bowman, it marks the first playoff berth of his career. In the process, he became the eighth different driver that Hendrick Motorsports has taken to the playoffs – the most of all organizations in series history.
That list includes Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Kasey Kahne, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Johnson, Elliott and now Bowman.
The playoffs begin this weekend at the 1.5-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where Hendrick Motorsports leads all teams with 1,346 laps led.
The numbers bode well for the organization, as it leads all teams with 57 wins at 1.5-mile tracks. The organization has the longest streak of consecutive seasons with at least one win on a 1.5-mile track. It currently sits at 24 straight seasons, and with four more races remaining on 1.5-mile tracks this year, a win would increase that streak to 25.
Hendrick Motorsports also leads all teams in West Coast victories – including in California, Nevada and Arizona – with a total of 34. Johnson – who hails from California – leads all drivers for most wins on West Coast tracks with 15.
In all, it makes for plenty of intrigue and excitement as the playoffs begin this weekend. Sunday’s race is scheduled for 3 p.m. on NBCSN, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.