Rick Hendrick has dialed the number to make the 40th-anniversary celebrations of Hendrick Motorsports a lot bigger. The team announced on Wednesday that they would be returning to the Xfinity Series this year with 10 races scheduled for the iconic #17 car. With all four drivers from the Cup Series roster scheduled for appearances in the lower rung, below are the ones that former champions Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott will race in.
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The first race for Larson will be at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) on March 23rd. The Focus Health 250 will be his 115th start in the Xfinity Series and he will be vying for his 15th win in the same. His last win came last year at Darlington. The entire Xfinity program is a method to elevate Hendrick Automotive Group and HendrickCars.com, the sponsor of Larson’s #5 Camaro in the Cup Series, says Rick Hendrick.
After the race at COTA, Larson will once again take the wheel of the #17 car on the Chicago Street Course on July 6. The 2020 Cup Series champion and Hendrick Motorsports star driver Chase Elliott will run two races as well. The first of his is scheduled on May 25 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. His second race will be at the Darlington Raceway on August 31.
Elliott has driven in 83 Xfinity races thus far and found the victory lane in five. With goals for his Cup Series season already running high, the added schedule puts added pressure on matters for him. Furthermore, Rick Hendrick has made his asks from the #17 car very clear.
“Victory lane or bust”: Rick Hendrick sure of what he wants from his drivers
Mr Hendrick said in the team’s statement, “The No. 17 is a big part of our story, and it would be special to see it win – and win often – during our 40th anniversary season. The sponsorship has been a big success for HendrickCars.com and our dealerships, and we’re pleased to add more races and take it to another level in 2024. It’s victory lane or bust.”
Away from Larson and Elliott, William Byron, Alex Bowman, and Boris Said will take up the car for the remaining fixtures. Hendrick Motorsports had served a sabbatical from the Xfinity Series for 13 years before returning in 2022. During this time, they formed a very close working relationship with Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports.
Now with the team continuing to add to its Xfinity schedule year-on-year, it will interesting to note any change in dynamics between the two powerhouses. The first race for Hendrick Motorsports will be at Phoenix on March 9, when William Byron will command the #17 car against JR Motorsports and others.
