CONCORD, N.C. – Hendrick Motorsports heads to the state of Virginia for the first of four events in the state this season. This weekend, Richmond Raceway will play host to the NASCAR Cup Series.
The event will be the third to utilize the short oval and road course aero package. In 2023, this set of rules has already been featured at Phoenix Raceway (in a race won by William Byron) as well as last weekend at Circuit of The Americas. The package’s goal is to reduce the overall downforce of the cars. Teams will also be permitted to use "wet weather equipment" in the event of damp conditions if NASCAR allows it.
The 400-lap Cup Series race once again occupies the seventh slot on the schedule as it did in 2022. During that race a year ago, William Byron and the No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 paced the field for 122 laps before ultimately crossing the line in the third position. The day also featured three drivers from Hendrick Motorsports - Byron (third), Kyle Larson (fifth) and Alex Bowman (eighth) - inside the top-10 spots as the checkered flag came out. That was the first time in nearly seven years that the organization had three drivers place in the top 10 at the .75-mile track.
Hendrick Motorsports has earned 11 victories at Richmond in their history. Jimmie Johnson and Terry Labonte sit at the top of this list with three wins a piece while current vice chairman Jeff Gordon is next up with two victories. Bowman, Joe Nemechek, and Tim Richmond have each earned a single victory for the team.
RELATED: Short-track success stands as a hallmark of Hendrick Motorsports
Bowman’s two short-track victories are the most of any driver currently in the Hendrick Motorsports stable. Headed into this weekend, Bowman has been on a hot streak. The Tucson, Arizona, native has earned three top-five finishes through six races (tied for the most with three others including teammate Byron) and a series-best five top-10 finishes and 7.00 average finish. On top of that, he is the most recent Hendrick Motorsports driver to win at Richmond, thanks to his 2021 spring race victory (which was the first of a career-best four wins that season). Bowman has regained the points lead following the decision by the National Motorsports Appeals Panel to overturn points penalties assessed following the Phoenix Raceway weekend.
Nearly a year ago, Byron went to victory lane at Martinsville Speedway and that is the most recent short-track win for a Hendrick Motorsports driver. In fact, in his last seven starts on this type of track, the driver of the No. 24 RaptorTough.com Chevrolet has earned five top-five results, six top-10s and an average finish of 4.71. Over that time, these markers are the best in the Cup Series. As for this season, Byron leads the tour in wins (two), stage victories (four), the most laps run in the top-five (774) and is tied for the most stage top 10s, earning stage points eight times this season.
RELATED: Inside the numbers of Byron's fast start to 2023
While Larson has only earned a single short-track victory in his career, the driver of the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet has seen success on these types of tracks in recent memory. In 2022, he earned pole positions for the second races at both Richmond and Martinsville. In fact, Larson is one of six drivers to have a top-10 average finish on short tracks last season. While he has yet to find victory lane during the ’23 campaign, Larson’s 270 laps led at the most in the Cup Series and he will look to break through for his first win of the season at Richmond on Sunday. He does have one win here in the fall 2017 race when he drove the No. 42 for Chip Ganassi Racing.
Josh Berry will drive the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet this weekend as Chase Elliott continues to recover from a successful surgery on a fractured tibia suffered from a snowboarding accident. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ lone trip to Richmond last season, Berry earned a top-10 finish, coming home in the seventh position. In his second start for Hendrick Motorsports with the No. 9 team, the Hendersonville, Tennessee, native earned his first top-10 Cup Series result at Phoenix.
RELATED: See this weekend's paint schemes for Richmond
Here’s what you need to know to catch this weekend’s action.
WHAT TIME IS PRACTICE AND QUALIFYING?
Group practice will begin at 10:05 a.m. ET on Saturday, April 1, with coverage available on FS1. Group qualifying will immediately follow practice and begin at 10:50 a.m. ET with coverage also available on FS1. Berry is in Group A, while Larson, Byron and Bowman are in Group B.
WHAT TIME IS THE RACE?
The 400-lap Cup Series main event is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 2, and will be broadcast on FS1.
CAN I LISTEN ON THE RADIO?
The races will be on MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
CAN I STREAM ONLINE?
Yes. Download the FOX Sports Live app for online coverage. Fans can also keep up with the action on Twitter by following @TeamHendrick.
WHAT CHANNEL IS FS1 AND FS2?
It varies by location, but this link allows viewers to find the channels by entering their zip code and selecting their television provider.
FIVE FAST FACTS HEADING INTO RICHMOND
Data provided by Racing Insights
4: In the last nine races held in Virginia, Hendrick Motorsports has earned four victories.
5: Over the 11 short-track races, the organization has won five times. During that span, all four of the team's current full-time drivers have been to victory lane.
9: The team's nine top-five finishes this season are the most in the series. This mark is also the third-most in team history through the first six races of a season. The previous three instances - 2006, 2007 and 2013 - all came in years where Hendrick Motorsports went on to win the Cup Series championship.
55: The number of short-track wins for the Rick Hendrick-owned team, which is the most of any organization in the sport's top series.
1,200: With a single top-five finish this weekend, Hendrick Motorsports would become the first team in Cup Series history to reach 1,200 finishes inside the top-five.