[autotag]Hendrick Motorsports[/autotag] only has two drivers, William Byron and Kyle Larson, in the 2023 NASCAR playoffs after [autotag]Chase Elliott[/autotag] and [autotag]Alex Bowman[/autotag] failed to win at Daytona International Speedway. Elliott still has the No. 9 car in the Owners’ Championship but it represents the first time since 2016 that Hendrick Motorsports has seen two of its drivers miss the playoffs.
Both drivers suffered injuries during the 2023 season that put them behind the eight ball and were unable to claim a victory through the first 26 races. Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick jumped on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio to discuss Elliott and Bowman missing the playoffs and while it is disappointing, there is still more to fight for this year.
“Y’know, momentum is a thing you got to have,” Hendrick said. “If you can finish the year on a high note, you can win races, and compete there all the way, all four cars be competitive at the end of the year, you’re pumped up. You know you got the right combinations to roll into next year. To me, our most important thing right now is to see (Alex Bowman) and (Chase Elliott) both run well. Chase and Alan are focused on the Owners’ Championship now and that gives them a carrot to go after. We want momentum on the (No. 48 team).”
Kyle Larson wins at Richmond Raceway! #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/01aLLm12oa
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) April 2, 2023
“The thing about it is that you’re not gonna win every year. You’re gonna be disappointed, but the best you can ask for is to be competitive and show up every week…That’s our goal and sometimes we fall behind and we don’t know why…To me, you don’t want to go into the offseason with a car that’s not competitive cause then you start asking yourself all kinds of questions. Our goal is to have all four of them super competitive here in the last 10 races.”
While Hendrick Motorsports will focus on Byron and Larson to win the Drivers’ Championship, Elliott can still push forward and pursue the Owners’ Championship. It is not a lost year and there is still more to chase with nine races left in the 2023 NASCAR season.
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