NASCAR team rankings: New powerhouse at the top?

NASCAR team power rankings: No. 1 – Hendrick Motorsports

Hendrick Motorsports are still the premier Chevrolet team in the NASCAR Cup Series. After a few down years, they rallied in 2020 with Chase Elliott’s championship, and they made even more improvements in 2021, when they won 17 of 36 races and another championship, this time with Kyle Larson. They can definitely make it three in a row in 2022.

All four drivers had wins after the season’s 11th race, and Elliott and William Byron are tied for second most stage wins with three. Alex Bowman’s win came as somewhat of a surprise in overtime at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and Larson won with a late pass for the lead at Auto Club Speedway. Byron was the first driver to reach two wins and officially punch his ticket into the 2022 playoffs.

Despite not winning in a month and a half, Hendrick Motorsports still have a series-high five wins this year, two more than any other team. They are set to send all four of their drivers to the playoffs for the second straight year.

The team started off the season strong, with Larson and Bowman sitting on the front row for the Daytona 500. Elliott took the pole position at Martinsville Speedway, and Larson got his second at Sonoma Raceway.

Additionally, Byron and Elliott have led more laps than anybody else this season, and Elliott has led the point standings after each of the last 12 races.

While Trackhouse Racing Team have picked a good time to knock on the door of the premier Chevrolet team in NASCAR, the edge still goes to the 14-time Cup Series champions, with NASCAR Hall of Famers Rick Hendrick and Jeff Gordon calling the shots. The team had two drivers in the Championship 4 last year, and the number seems obtainable for the 2022 Championship 4 as well.