CONCORD, N.C. – William Byron’s runner-up finish was the top mark for the quartet of Hendrick Motorsports at Talladega Superspeedway.
RELATED: Recap the race at Talladega
While Byron is already locked into the Round of 8, Chase Elliott and the No. 9 team made significant gains in the owner championship and Kyle Larson picked up points on the elimination line at Talladega. Elliott’s seventh-place result positions his team in fourth in the owner standings with one race remaining in the Round of 12. The group went from minus-two to plus-20 on the elimination line. Larson may have only moved up one spot in the standings to seventh, but he did gain 13 points on the elimination line to now be plus-15 on advancing to the next round. Both drivers used big days with stage points (Larson had 13 and Elliott had 12) to improve their respective playoff positions.
Shifting to the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL, Hendrick Motorsports has a series-best three victories at the 2.32-mile road course. Elliott is the only driver with multiple wins there and Larson also has a victory at the venue.
RELATED: Look back at notable wins for Hendrick Motorsports
Get the lowdown on how each of the Hendrick Motorsports drivers and teams are positioned for the Round of 12 finale. Be sure to tune in to catch the road course action from Charlotte on Sunday, Oct. 8, at 2 p.m. ET on NBC, NBC Sports App, PRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
William Byron, No. 24
POINTS POSITION: First with 3,136 points.
POSITION TO ELIMINATION LINE: Locked in with win at Texas Motor Speedway to open the Round of 12.
PREVIOUS RACE RESULT: Second at Talladega.
CHARLOTTE OUTLOOK: In five starts at the Charlotte ROVAL, Byron has a pair of sixth-place finishes. He also has led the second-most laps (80) at this track. Additionally, the 25-year-old driver is the most recent road course winner in the series thanks to his dominating triumph at Watkins Glen International in August. Byron and crew chief Rudy Fugle will be looking to continue to add to their playoff point total (41) and building on their solid playoff run thus far (one win, three top-five finishes, four top-10s and a 6.20 average finish).
LAST YEAR’S ROVAL RESULT: Finished 16th.
FIRST LOOK: See Byron's No. 24 Z HP Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for the ROVAL race
Kyle Larson, No. 5
POINTS POSITION: Seventh with 3,073 points.
POSITION TO ELIMINATION LINE: +15
PREVIOUS RACE RESULT: 15th at Talladega.
CHARLOTTE OUTLOOK: Larson’s 2021 ROVAL victory is one of four road course wins for the 31-year-old driver. In four starts at this track, he has been on both sides of the elimination line. Following the inaugural ROVAL race, he narrowly advanced in 2018 to the Round of 12. Last year, he was narrowly eliminated in last year’s race after he hit the wall late. In three of the last four road course races this season, Larson has finished inside the top 10 and he has scored the fourth-most points (134) in those races. In the 2023 playoffs, Larson has a win, three top-five finishes and 274 laps led. Late in each playoff event, he has been in contention for the victory.
LAST YEAR’S ROVAL RESULT: Finished 35th.
No. 9 team
POINTS POSITION: Fourth at 3,080 points in the owner standings.
POSITION TO ELIMINATION LINE: +20
PREVIOUS RACE RESULT: Seventh at Talladega.
CHARLOTTE OUTLOOK: Elliott is the only driver with multiple victories at the Charlotte ROVAL and his two wins are among his seven on road courses. That mark is the best among active drivers and third-most all-time in the series. His 94 laps led are the best in the series and his 8.0 average finish at this track is the third best among Sunday’s field. Over the last four road course events, the 27-year-old driver has three top-five finishes. Since the start of the playoffs, Elliott has four top-10 results and an average finish of 7.80.
LAST YEAR’S ROVAL RESULT: Finished 20th.
OVERALL DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP PICTURE
1-Byron: 3,136 points (LOCKED INTO THE ROUND OF 8)
2-Denny Hamlin: 3,108 points
3-Christopher Bell: 3,080 points
4-Ryan Blaney: 3,078 points (LOCKED INTO THE ROUND OF 8)
5-Chris Buescher: 3,077 points
6-Martin Truex Jr.: 3,075 points
7-Larson: 3,073 points
8-Brad Keselowski: 3,060 points
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9-Tyler Reddick: 3,058 points
10-Bubba Wallace: 3,051 points
11-Ross Chastain: 3,050 points
12-Kyle Busch: 3,034 points
OVERALL OWNER CHAMPIONSHIP PICTURE
1-No. 24 team: 3,136 points (LOCKED INTO THE ROUND OF 8)
2-No. 11 team: 3,108 points
3-No. 20 team: 3,080 points
4-No. 9 team: 3,080 points
5-No. 12 team: 3,078 points (LOCKED INTO THE ROUND OF 8)
6-No. 17 team: 3,077 points
7-No. 19 team: 3,075 points
8-No. 5 team: 3,073 points
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9-No. 6 team: 3,060 points
10-No. 45 team: 3,058 points
11-No. 1 team: 3,050 points
12-No. 8 team: 3,034 points