Hendrick Motorsports drivers Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson currently occupy the top two spots in the regular season standings, separated by just three points. With five races remaining until the start of the playoffs, the battle for the regular season championship is heating up. The duo has already competed for the championship in 2021, with Larson holding off Elliott to win the title in the season finale. With the two HMS drivers embroiled in a battle, Larson was asked about the difference in their approach to this competition compared to the last time they competed for the Cup title. Kyle Larson dismissed any doubts about a rivalry between the two teams, emphasizing that all four Hendrick Motorsports teams aim for a supportive and collaborative environment. He added that the relationships and communication between the two teams have not been affected.
“I feel like our team is functioning and all four teams work very well together. All of our teammates and drivers are still communicating well with each other in meetings and stuff, asking each other questions and getting good answers to help each other out,” he told Bob Pockrass. Larson, who joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2021, said the relationships between the four teams were good during his time with the team.
“I think that’s important to continue to grow as an organization. And I think Hendrick Motorsports has done really well, at least the last three and a half seasons that I’ve been there.
Kyle Larson has three wins this season, and Chase Elliott is leading the standings with one win on a steady streak. Larson also missed the Indy-Charlotte one-two race and is now three points behind his teammate.
Kyle Larson rues inconsistent results amid tight regular season battle
2021 NASCAR Cup champion Kyle Larson emphasized that the regular season championship is a five-horse battle that includes Tyler Reddick, Denny Hamlin and William Byron.
With five points remaining, Reddick is 15 points behind leader Elliott, Hamlin is 20 points behind, and Byron is 57 points behind his HMS teammate. Larson expects a fierce battle for the regular season championship. “William is in the running for the regular season championship with Chase and it’s not far off, to be honest. I think that’s great. It means our team did a good job. Now it’s Reddick and Denny. So it’s very tight up front,” Kyle Larson told Pockrass.
The No. 5 Chevrolet driver regrets missing the opportunity to score points, but hopes to finish the regular season on a good note. “We’ve been inconsistent with retirements and stuff, which is unfortunate, but hopefully we can finish the regular season pretty strong here,” he concluded.
Aside from bragging rights, the regular season champion will get 15 bonus playoff points, the runner-up will get 10, third place will get eight, and the 10th-place finisher will get just one point. Unlike previous years, this year’s regular season will conclude at Darlington Raceway.
