Hendrick Motorsports has an incredibly bright future in NASCAR as the organization continues to see great success year after year. This was on display after the organization won another regular season championship with Chase Elliott.
However, the NASCAR Xfinity Series represents a different story as the plans for the organization were released before Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway.
NASCAR Cup Series represents stable future for Hendrick Motorsports
Hendrick Motorsports has a very stable future in the NASCAR Cup Series as their driver lineup is one of the best. Elliott, Kyle Larson, William Byron, and Alex Bowman are drivers for the team and all have bright careers ahead of them.
Elliott won five races during the 2022 season, which ties his career-high set in 2020, and the regular season championship at Watkins Glen International. However, the driver of the No. 9 car faltered during the playoffs.
Larson was coming off a 10-win, championship season and managed to win three races with a Round of 12 elimination. The No. 5 car still managed to make the Championship 4 in the owner’s championship.
Byron won two races and struggled during the summer months before turning it on for the playoffs. The driver of the No. 24 car showed he has a bright future ahead of him even with some of his struggles.
Bowman came home victorious one time during the 2022 season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and had a rough summer stretch like Byron. The driver of the No. 48 car was good during the Round of 16 but suffered a concussion at Texas Motor Speedway.
All four drivers have seen success and that will only continue. Hendrick Motorsports has employed the winningest driver of the Cup Series the last two seasons with Elliott and Larson. There are no signs that show it could stop either.
Elliott and Larson will only get better while Byron has star potential. Bowman will be paired with rising star crew chief Blake Harris so his ceiling is now higher than ever. Everything seems to be running smoothly in terms of success. There is little drama within the organization too.
However, the NASCAR Xfinity Series represents a different story as the organization jumped back into it for a select number of races during the 2021 season with its Cup Series drivers.
Related: NASCAR Cup Series special awards for the 2022 season
Hendrick Motorsports’ uncertain future in the NASCAR Xfinity Series
Hendrick Motorsports is expected to compete in select NASCAR Xfinity Series races during the 2023 season with its NASCAR Cup Series drivers. It is likely to include both road courses and oval tracks.
The 2022 season represented the first time that Hendrick Motorsports entered the Xfinity Series since the 2009 season when Tony Stewart won at Daytona International Speedway. The organization did not snag a victory but they ran really well.
There were initially no plans to continue the Xfinity Series operation due to JR Motorsports being able to field a fifth car for the Cup Series drivers. However, the sights of the No. 17 car with Ricky Hendrick’s colors on the track were incredible to Rick Hendrick.
Now, the organization could be running in a few more races next season. The No. 17 Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet seems to be on the cusp of returning but the races are to be determined as of now.
What if JR Motorsports finally finds an avenue to jump to the Cup Series which almost certainly appears to be their long-term plan? The Xfinity Series program is bound to downsize if that occurs.
Would Hendrick Motorsports keep the Xfinity Series program around longer or does it not even depend on JR Motorsports? What if the organization decides it wants to keep the No. 17 car out there and run full-time?
It might not seem realistic now but crazier things have happened in NASCAR. No one would have expected Michael Jordan and Pitbull to own winning race teams during the 2022 season a few years ago.
This might just be an avenue to get its Cup Series drivers some preparation for the races on Sunday; however, the uncertainty over the Xfinity Series operation is certainly present.
It is a major situation to follow as Hendrick Motorsports is one of NASCAR’s powerhouse teams. If a team of that caliber decided to join the Xfinity Series on a full-time basis, it would be massive for the sport.
As of now, it is smart to enjoy the organization’s time in the Xfinity Series during the 2023 season because who knows when it could end. But, the possibilities that come to mind can also be very intriguing if they were to play out.