When Chase Elliott won the Clash earlier this month, he made it so that Hendrick Motorsports won races in eight presidential terms. Donald Trump was sworn in as president only a few days earlier, and the #9 Chevrolet driver became the first NASCAR winner under his second stint in the Oval Office. This leads to an interesting comparison with his teammate, Kyle Larson.
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Which driver among the two has recorded more victories when Trump has been president? The period in question is the years between 2017 and 2020. Elliott secured 11 wins during these four years, while Larson managed to bring in only five. Notably, the #5 Chevy driver was still a hotshot at Chip Ganassi Racing at the time and not driving for Rick Hendrick’s outfit.
In 2017, Larson had four wins, and Elliott had none. In 2018, luck favored Elliott more. He had three victory lane visits, while Larson failed to reach any. In 2019, Elliott again won three races and Larson managed to win one. The biggest difference between them came in 2020. Elliott won five races and secured the Cup Series championship.
Larson, on the other hand, was suspended for most of the season as punishment for using a racial slur during an iRacing event. He was reinstated in October 2020. In 2025, Elliott has taken the lead by winning the Clash at the Bowman Gray Stadium. Larson needs seven more wins to come on level terms with his counterpart. If the season is anything like 2024, he just might do it.
Which Hendrick Motorsports driver had the most wins under Biden?
Larson’s move to Hendrick Motorsports in 2021 coincided with Joe Biden assuming office. The driver secured 10 wins that season and claimed his maiden Cup Series title. Over the next three years, he secured 13 more wins to become the most successful driver from Rick Hendrick’s team under Biden’s administration.
William Byron followed him with 12 wins over the four years. Elliott’s form dipped during this period, with the Dawsonville native only managing eight victory lane visits. The last piece of the puzzle, Alex Bowman, had six wins. With Trump returning as president, a superstitious person might contend that Elliott will return to victory lane more often.
Perhaps the upcoming Daytona 500 will provide a glimpse of how the rest of the season will unfold. Larson will start the Great American Race from 22nd place on the grid. Elliott will do so from 17th place. Neither of them has been noteworthily brilliant on superspeedways off late, so the competition will be largely fair.
