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With two Chevrolets and two Toyotas in the NASCAR Cup Series championship round, Tommy Baldwin seemed to have found a favorite. Well, that someone is from Hendrick Motorsports, the winningest team in NASCAR. Baldwin revealed more on the Door Bumper Clear podcast, of which he is a co-host.In Baldwin’s eyes, William Byron, driver of the No. 24 HMS Chevy, is the playoff contender that everyone should be looking out for. 35 races into the season, Byron’s momentum is perhaps the most promising aspect of the No. 24 team. That’s also what got him to victory lane last week at Martinsville. When asked who his favorite was, Baldwin said (1:15),“I think momentum wise there is. I think the 24 is going in with what they know now... they finally closed the race. I think they are the favorite just because of that.”William Byron is currently in his eighth full season driving the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. His first Cup Series victory came in August 2020 at the famous Daytona International Speedway. This season alone, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native has bagged three wins, 11 top fives, and 16 top-10s. He is also the reigning champion of the crown jewel Daytona 500.The other HMS driver still in the playoff picture is 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson. Larson, also a 32-time Cup race winner, sits fourth among the four championship drivers. Topping the list is Chase Briscoe, followed by Denny Hamlin, Byron, and Larson.All eyes are now on Phoenix Raceway, which will host the final race of the season, the NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4. Scheduled for November 2, fans can watch the event on Peacock (3 pm ET) onwards with live radio updates on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.Joe Gibbs Racing president “beats” Hendrick Motorsports legend to “the punch” through post-race text messageJeff Gordon, the Vice Chairman of Hendrick Motorsports, was surprised when he received a text from Dave Alpern, the President of Joe Gibbs Racing. It all happened after William Byron made the Championship 4 alongside his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Kyle Larson.During an interview, Gordon revealed that the text was about how privileged JGR was in landing a fight with a long-time rival. Gordon further mentioned,“He just beat me to the punch; I would have done the same thing. It just goes to show you the respect we have for one another. We're honored as well. I'm really proud to have the relationship that we have with Gibbs.”“Off the track, we say we're teammates, but on the track, we're fierce competitors,” he added.It’s the third time that Hendrick Motorsports has made half of the championship field. There was a time when Hendrick Motorsports supplied engines to Joe Gibbs Racing for its official Cup Series debut. With five Cup Series championships, JGR has also risen to prominence since then.
