The most decorated team in the Cup Series right now is undoubtedly Hendrick Motorsports. All four drivers have won at least one illustrious trophy. But it’s Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott who are considered the reigning kings of the team. But Larson has left everyone behind and achieved a season-high four wins.
Kyle Larson is probably one of the best racing drivers in the world – a famous F1 driver will tell you that. But the driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet is humble. And obviously, Kyle Larson isn’t shy about giving credit to his teammate for a truly unique start to the race.
Kyle Larson moves the spotlight to teammate
The two greatest Hendrick drivers have the most different origin stories. Kyle Larson was a successful dirt track racer from a young age, but William Byron didn’t have the same notoriety. The No. 24 Hendrick driver had the strangest success. He grew up on iRacing.
Byron didn’t get in a real car until he was 14, which is considered slow compared to his rivals. Nevertheless, his lightning speed has made him a name for himself as one of the most successful NASCAR racers. Even after F1 veteran Alexander Rossi rated Kyle Larson on a par with three-time reigning champion Max Verstappen, Kyle Larson remained humble.
HMS lubricant partner Valvoline hosted a fun session with Kyle Larson and William Byron. Both were a little speechless for a few seconds as the moderator asked a very difficult question: “Who’s better at short distances?” But Byron quickly exclaimed with joy, “Kyle, no doubt about it!”
Kyle Larson actually has a great track record at short distances. He won Richmond and Martinsville last year, and also won the 2021 race at Bristol on his way to the championship title. But Larson has dulled the shine of those wins, putting Byron on a pedestal instead. “William… No. Maybe last year was my course record, but William’s is definitely the course record. I think William’s the best.”
Byron won a race at Martinsville Speedway this year and finished fourth at Pocono, the Tricky Triangle superspeedway that’s closest to a short track. Kyle Larson also acknowledged that his teammate is a speedway champion. He’s not the only one to voice his opinion about Byron’s star-studded cast. After this year’s COTA win, Jeff Gordon had high praise for Byron: “William, that was a really great performance. We’ve seen that confidence from him and the team a lot over the last few years, but this big win shows they started this season off really well in the Daytona 500.” But perhaps the biggest sentiment is expressed by team owner Rick Hendrick, who has followed Byron’s development for years.
Mr. H kept tabs on his future star
The HMS riders may be in top form right now, but they’ve come a long way to get here. Team owner with a keen eye for new legends. After bringing Kyle Larson to the team following a penalty-plagued 2020, Rick Hendrick has started a winning streak. Larson has already racked up 21 wins for the No. 5 team and a top 10 all-time trophy haul in 2021. The same goes for William Byron.
Hendrick followed his development closely over the years through a neighbor who was friends with William’s father. Byron won early championships in the Legend Cars (2012), NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (2014), and NASCAR Xfinity Series (2017). Rick Hendrick has always kept an eye on Byron’s milestones, and in 2018, he praised the speedster’s progress. H said: “What I admire so much about William is what he did in the Late Models, what he did in the Legend Cars, he learned everything so quickly. More than anything, he has the determination, he has a goal, and he goes for it.”
Rick Hendrick also mentioned the unique story that makes Byron unique in the NASCAR Cup garage. “I think it’s an incredible story to have a kid who started on a computer at 14 or 15 years old, who eventually made it through [the Trucks] and [Xfinity], then through the Cup Series, and finish a year with more wins than anyone else,” he said. I think that would be a really great story for NASCAR and a lot of fans.”
William Byron obviously has a lot of respect from the team, and we can only imagine how exciting it will be to have all the HMS drivers facing off in the playoffs.
