Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott have proven to be Hendrick Motorsports’ star drivers with their dominant performances over these last few years. But what either of these Cup Series champions hasn’t done is give Rick Hendrick a win in the Busch Light Clash at the L.A. Coliseum. HMS has won the pre-season exhibition race 7 times in its 45-year history. This year, Larson or Elliott could take the count to 8 on February 4.
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For the third year, the event will be hosted by the historic L.A. Coliseum. Before the Coliseum came into play, the Clash was held in the Daytona Speedway. It was there that four Hendrick Motorsports won 7 times in the Clash.
Ken Schrader was the first driver to win the event for HMS, back in 1989. The year was just his second full-time season with the team and he also ended up runner-up in the Daytona 500 that followed. In 1990, Schrader successfully defended his win and took home the victory in the Clash yet again.
4x Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon won the event twice (1994 and 1997). His 1994 win was the first time he ever brought victory for his #24 car. Taking the checkered flag in 1997 set the following season up for the HMS Vice Chairman well as he went on to clinch his second championship.
The third driver who won the Clash twice for HMS was Jimmie Johnson. The first time he won it was in 2005, at the onset of his history-making journey. 14 years and 7 Cup Series championships later, he would win the event again in 2019. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the Clash once in 2008, rounding off HMS’s record.
How close have Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott come to making the count 8?
The 2021 Busch Light Clash was when a Hendrick Motorsports driver came closest to the win in recent times. Chase Elliott was racing just a few yards before the finish line when Kyle Busch passed him for the win. Ryan Blaney had overtaken Elliott in the previous lap. With the HMS star attempting to get past the Team Penske driver in one final shot, he made an aggressive move that took them both out of contention. Busch took the advantage and gifted himself the win.
Kyle Larson finished 5th in the Clash both in 2022 and 2023. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, Larson is currently among the favorites to win the race this year (+850). Martin Truex Jr. leads the list (+800). Chase Elliott (+1200) is further down the list, much below his other teammate William Byron (+900).
