In 2022, Hendrick Motorsports fielded a NASCAR Xfinity Collection automotive for the primary time since 2009. After a strong four-race marketing campaign, the crew will convey again the programme for an additional four-start effort in 2023.
“Proper now, we’re dedicated to operating 4 races in 2023,” mentioned crew president Jeff Andrews. “We’re defining what these are proper now. We need to win a Xfinity race in 2023.”
Hendrick competed within the Xfinity Collection from the crew’s inaugural season in 1984 till 1990 and once more for a lot of the 2000s, profitable the 2003 championship with Brian Vickers. Nevertheless, the division was closed after 2009 as JR Motorsports—co-owned by then-Hendrick driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and HMS proprietor Rick Hendrick—successfully serves as HMS’ growth crew.
After a decade away, HMS reformed the Xfinity crew in 2022 by fielding the #17 for his or her Cup Collection drivers Alex Bowman, William Byron, and Kyle Larson. Larson, then the reigning Cup champion, gained the pole at Street America within the #17’s début earlier than being defeated by eventual Xfinity champ Ty Gibbs on a last-lap cross. Bowman scored a runner-up end of his personal at Indianapolis. Byron claimed the Watkins Glen pole however positioned twenty-finish after spinning on a late restart whereas battling Gibbs; mockingly, Larson took benefit of the incident to win in JRM’s #88. Larson returned to the automotive for its first oval race at Darlington, the place he engaged in a late battle with Sheldon Creed and JRM’s Noah Gragson that the latter gained.
The crew didn’t announce a particular schedule or if the #17 will stay the automotive’s quantity. The quantity was utilized by Hendrick’s late son Ricky throughout his driving profession.
HMS shall be busy in 2023 because the aforementioned trio and Chase Elliott return for the Cup season. Along with the Xfinity programme, the crew is getting ready to run a modified Subsequent Gen Cup automotive on the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.
“I feel it’s a tremendous alternative not just for Hendrick Motorsports however for the game of NASCAR to showcase the extent of know-how and the standard of the race automobiles,” Andrews added concerning the Le Mans entry. “The mechanics and the drivers which are on this enterprise are a number of the finest on the earth. For us to have the chance to go over there and be on a world, worldwide stage in France in June is only a super alternative not only for Hendrick Motorsports however for NASCAR.”
