Heading into Martinsville for the NASCAR Xfinity 500, Jeff Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports could have a massive weekend. Kyle Larson is locked into Phoenix. William Byron is 30 points above the cutline. Then, there is Chase Elliott in the owner’s championship in a must-win position.
This could be a big opportunity for Hendrick and their organization. It’s all about maximizing their potential in Phoenix. More than one driver means more than one shot at a championship.
Talking with Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports, Jeff Gordon talked about Hendrick’s playoff chances. He’s looking forward to possibly getting all three drivers to the next round in their respective playoff races.
“I look at it a couple different ways. I think, one, we’ve had two teams that have performed extremely well this year. It’s always special to have one, if not more than one, in the championship race. But more so, I’m just looking at the kind of breakout year that I’ve seen William and [crew chief] Rudy [Fugle] and that team have. They’ve been steadily growing to get here. But the way they’ve stepped up as a team this year — pit crew, cars, I think William’s confidence as a driver — they’ve had a heck of a year. And so no matter what, it’s a good year.
“But I know how they feel in the same way we feel as it wouldn’t be complete without going to Phoenix and being a part of that Championship 4. To me, it’s like winning a championship [in] getting there. And then, if all the stars align and you execute, then you can come out of there with something very special, which would be amazing. But right now, I think the reward for them would be to go to Phoenix.”
Jeff Gordon knows about championships.
Jeff Gordon could have three championship drivers
Having three drivers in the “Championship 4” would be quite an accomplishment. Even if Chase Elliott is in the owner’s championship, that’s important for money and the team as a whole. So, how exactly is that going to work out in reality?
There is really just one way that this can happen, Elliott has to win at Martinsville. That’s a huge ask, too. He’s so many points down from the cutline, that a win is his only way to get in. With Larson already locked in, that would leave Byron. He’s got a big points cushion, barring a tragic finish at Martinsville, he likely advances as well.
Martinsville is a track that Elliott has performed well at in the past. In fact, he’s finished P10 in each of the last three races at the track. He has a pole award and a win at the track in his Cup Series career. So, it’s possible. However, it’s going to take a monumental effort.
The last time Elliott was in the top-5 was back at Daytona to end the regular season. He has five top-10 finishes in the playoffs, but it looks like his run might come to an end on Sunday.
Last year we got the Hail Melon, what surprises wait for us this year?