CONCORD, N.C. – With Chase Elliott's laps led early in Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports crossed another milestone with its 80,000th lap led in the sport's top series.
The 80,000th lap out front came at lap 62 with Elliott holding the point position at the 0.533-mile track. The first ever laps led for the team came with Geoff Bodine in the team's first victory at Martinsville Speedway on April 29, 1984.
Following Sunday's race at Bristol, the team has led 80,024 laps in the Cup Series.
The milestone comes during the 40th anniversary of Hendrick Motorsports, a season in which the organization has already won the 2024 DAYTONA 500 with driver William Byron. Two weekends ago, Kyle Larson earned the team's 100th stage win en route to his win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
RELATED: Looking back at Hendrick Motorsports' first Cup start
Last season saw Hendrick Motorsports cross several significant milestones. In May 2023, the iconic No. 24 car earned its 100th win, with Byron scoring the triumph at Darlington Raceway. In September, Larson earned the 500th national series win for the engine shop. Three weeks later, Byron recorded the 300th Cup Series win for the organization with a victory at Texas Motor Speedway.
"In life, business and definitely in sports, you got to have milestones and you have to have goals to reach every year or every week," team owner Rick Hendrick told HendrickMotorsports.com. "You think about winning 500 races with the engine shop and 300 wins in the (NASCAR) Cup Series. I never dreamed we would win 10 or 15 races, let alone 300. All the poles and laps led. We keep setting high marks.
"It is all about people—getting the best people and having good talent. The key is for everybody to work together and share best practices. I don't know where the top of the mountain is, but we will keep striving and moving toward that goalpost. Every time we hit a mark, we'll move it a little higher. I think all of our people expect that, and we love that. We love the challenge and when there is a high water mark, we go after it."
MORE: Key numbers to know for Hendrick Motorsports | See every Cup win
By the numbers
19.66%: Hendrick Motorsports has led 80,024 of 407,084 laps it has raced in at the Cup Series level.
21: Hendrick Motorsports has led laps in 21 states at the Cup level.
29: The number of drivers to lead at least one lap for Hendrick Motorsports in the Cup Series.
35: Hendrick Motorsports has led laps at 35 tracks in the sport's top series.
4,119: The most laps led in one season by Hendrick Motorsports came in 2021.
105,335.391: The number of miles that Hendrick Motorsports has led in the Cup Series.
Top five drivers with most laps led at Hendrick Motorsports: (three from 80K)
(Bold drivers are part of the current lineup)
Jeff Gordon: 24,936
Jimmie Johnson: 18,941
Chase Elliott: 5,113
Kyle Larson: 4,567
Geoff Bodine: 4,370
RELATED: See every driver to lead laps for Hendrick Motorsports
Top five tracks with the most laps led by track for Hendrick Motorsports:
Martinsville Speedway: 10,614
Dover Motor Speedway: 7,549
Bristol Motor Speedway: 6,431
Charlotte Motor Speedway: 6,026
Richmond Raceway: 4,472
RELATED: Click here for the breakdown of laps led by track, driver and year
Key milestones along the way
10,000 laps led: Jeff Gordon on lap 308 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 20, 1993
20,000 laps led: Jeff Gordon on lap 319 at Darlington Raceway on Aug. 31, 1997
30,000 laps led: Jeff Gordon on lap 81 at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 23, 2003
40,000 laps led: Jeff Gordon on lap 112 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 29, 2007
50,000 laps led: Jeff Gordon on lap 171 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Feb. 28, 2010
60,000 laps led: Kasey Kahne on lap 151 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Oct. 12, 2013
70,000 laps led: William Byron on lap 26 at Daytona International Speedway on Aug. 29, 2020