CONCORD, N.C. – A date at the “Last Great Colosseum” awaits Saturday night under the lights, and Hendrick Motorsports will look to keep its momentum rolling after securing three top-10 finishes last weekend.
At Bristol Motor Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports’ 12 pole positions are the most of all active teams. Chase Elliott most recently added to that total by capturing the pole earlier this season in April. In addition, the organization owns 11 wins, 58 top-five finishes, 105 top-10s and 5,901 laps led at the 0.533-mile track.
Below is a look at some of the stats and streaks to keep an eye on in advance of the race at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday on NBCSN.
- In the 2019 season, there have been five races in which at least three Hendrick Motorsports cars finished in the top 10. That ranks as the second-most this season behind Joe Gibbs Racing. Hendrick Motorsports accomplished the feat at Dover International Speedway, Kansas Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, Chicagoland Speedway in June and, most recently, Michigan International Speedway last weekend.
- Since the start of the 2018 season, the organization has competed well in its 12 starts at Bristol. In that span, Hendrick Motorsports drivers have earned three top-five finishes, which is tied for the second-most among all teams. The organization's six top-10s in that time are the second-most, its 150 laps led are the fifth-most and its average finish of 13.17 is the fourth-best.
- At Bristol, Hendrick Motorsports has won eight times in the spring race and three times in the summer event. Those 11 wins have come courtesy of six different drivers – Jeff Gordon (five), Jimmie Johnson (two), Darrell Waltrip, Terry Labonte, Kyle Busch and Kasey Kahne.
- The organization leads all active teams at short tracks, claiming the most wins (50), poles (51), top-five finishes (221), top-10s (377) and laps led (20,851).
- The last NASCAR Cup Series race to be held on Aug. 17 – the date of this Saturday’s race – was run at Michigan International Speedway in 2014. In the 400-mile event, Hendrick Motorsports had all four drivers lead laps, combining to lead 95 of 200 laps throughout the race. The organization collected the win and three top-10 finishes – Gordon took home the victory with Dale Earnhardt Jr. in fifth and Johnson in ninth.
- Three Hendrick Motorsports drivers are currently in position to make the 16-driver NASCAR Cup Series playoffs at the end of the regular season. That ties the organization for the second-most drivers in playoff contention. Elliott and Alex Bowman have essentially locked in their spots by finding Victory Lane and rank seventh and 10th, respectively, in the point standings. William Byron is currently 12th, with Johnson just 12 points shy of the cut-off line in 18th.
- This weekend, Elliott will make his eighth NASCAR Cup Series start at Bristol. In his first seven starts at the 0.533-mile oval, he has collected two top-five finishes, three top-10s and one pole award (April 2019). He has led a total of 166 laps at the track, the third-most laps he has led at any venue.
- Continuing his hot streak during the summer months, Byron isn’t showing signs of slowing down any time soon. In the last three races, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native has started within the top three positions twice and has gone on to finish in the top 10 twice and in the top five once across those same three races. Also, in two of those three races, the driver of the No. 24 was ranked in the top eight in points earned. Byron has collected track-best finishes in seven of the last eight races, a stat he would like to continue this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway.
- Johnson has turned in three straight top-10 performances at Bristol Motor Speedway, which is tied for the longest active streak at the track. Among drivers to compete in each of the last 11 Bristol races, the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion has the best average finish at the 0.533-mile venue since 2014 (8.45). His most recent victory at Bristol came in 2017, which marked the seven-time champion’s 82nd career win.
- Bowman has seven previous NASCAR Cup Series starts at Bristol. His best finish at the 0.533-mile speedway in Tennessee came in 2018 when he brought home a fifth-place finish after 500 laps in the spring. No. 88 team crew chief Greg Ives will make his 10th NASCAR Cup Series start atop the pit box at Bristol Motor Speedway. In his nine previous starts, he has two top-five finishes and four top-10s with his best finish of second coming in 2016 with Earnhardt behind the wheel.