Clash Of The Titans: Joe Gibbs Racing & Hendrick Motorsports

This year has been full of compelling storylines, but the one rising to the top, is the competitive battle as to which organization is the best in the NASCAR Cup Series this season, and two teams – Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports – are neck-and-neck for the honors. Both organization’s drivers and teams have been outstanding and even dominating in some statistical categories, and this weekend’s showdown at Kansas Speedway in the AdventHealth 400 (Sunday, May 5 at 3 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) looks to be a good one.

For starters, the top four spots in the NASCAR Cup Series driver standings are currently occupied by Hendrick Motorsports or Joe Gibbs Racing drivers – 1. Kyle Larson, 2. Martin Truex Jr., 3. Chase Elliott, 4. Denny Hamlin. In fact, Hendrick Motorsports has all four of its drivers inside the top-10 in points after Dover – William Byron (ranked sixth) and Alex Bowan (ranked ninth).

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin is the most recent winner, taking the victory last weekend at Dover Motor Speedway, tying Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron for the season-most wins at three each. Through the first 11 races of the season, Hendrick Motorsports (five) and Joe Gibbs Racing (four) have combined to win nine of the 11 events - a winning percentage of 81.8%, the two other organizations with wins being Trackhouse Racing (Atlanta) and 23XI Racing (Talladega).

In total five of the seven race winners this season are from either Hendrick Motorsports – William Byron (three wins), Kyle Larson (one win) and Chase Elliott (one win) – or Joe Gibbs Racing – Denny Hamlin (three wins), Christopher Bell (one win).

Through 11 NASCAR Cup Series races this season, 55 top-five finishing positions were up for grabs and Hendrick Motorsports (17) and Joe Gibbs Racing (12) accounted for 29 of them (52.7%). Also, through the first 11 races, 110 top-10 finishes were for the taking and Hendrick Motorsports (23) and Joe Gibbs Racing (21) accounted for 44 of them (40.0%).

Plus, not only have the Hendrick and Gibbs organizations finished well, but their drivers have also been out front leading laps 66% of the time this season. Of the 3,293 laps run this season in the NASCAR Cup Series, Joe Gibbs Racing drivers have led 1,293 laps (39%) and Hendrick Motorsports drivers have led 892 laps (27%).

When it comes to this weekend at Kansas Speedway, expect the two titans of the NASCAR Cup Series, Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing, to continue to battle it out again as they are tied for the series-most wins at the 1.5-mile track with eight victories each:

Hendrick Motorsports: Jeff Gordon (three: 2001, 2002 and 2014), Jimmie Johnson (three: 2008, 2011 and 2015), Chase Elliott (one: Playoffs 2018) and Kyle Larson (one: Playoffs 2021).

Joe Gibbs Racing: Tony Stewart (2006), Denny Hamlin (2012, 2019, 2020, 2023), Matt Kenseth (2013), and Kyle Busch (2016, 2021).