ALATHADEGA, Ala. As the Rick Hendrick Express approaches Talladega Superspeedway, Joe Gibbs Racing is closing the gap between them.
I wish the other drivers in the NASCAR Cup series luck.
2024 appears to be a two-team race for the championship, even at this high-banked madhouse in rural Alabama, which is typically as much of a crapshoot as any track on the circuit.
The Hendrick and Gibbs powerhouses are tied for the top six positions in the standings after nine races. They have also accumulated almost all of the victories; the only race that stood in the way of a perfect sweep was Daniel Suarez’s thrilling victory in Atlanta.
Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron has already claimed three victories, and a week ago at Texas Motor Speedway, teammate Chase Elliott took home the checkered flag. Kyle Larson, a third Hendrick driver, is leading the standings and has won three straight poles before being disqualified from qualifying on Saturday due to an unauthorized modification to his vehicle.
Denny Hamlin, who leads the points with two victories for JGR, believes that no one is going to challenge the leaders.
He said, “Teams just can not make the same in-year adjustments that they used to be able to.” “You can only work with what you have.”
Among the throngs of people falling behind, Brad Keselowski shrugged his shoulders when asked if Hamlin was correct in his assessment.
“I think the current NASCAR formats, which do not allow for testing or practice, definitely contribute to the idea that once someone gains an advantage, it is difficult to catch up,” Keselowski remarked.
There is a chance for the also-rans to leave their mark on the 2.66-mile Talladega trioval, particularly for the struggling Ford teams that have yet to win a race.
Both Daytona and Atlanta, which demand setups similar to Talladega, saw the Mustang demonstrate impressive speed, and Michael McDowell of Front Row Motorsports bolstered that confidence by taking the pole position for today’s race at 182.022 mph.
Two other Ford drivers trailed him: Austin Cindric of Team Penske (181.739) and Todd Gilliland, McDowell’s Front Row colleague (181.401).
“We have a good chance to win this week,” McDowell remarked. “There’s a lot of great Mustangs starting up there with us.”
Talladega is known for its huge wrecks and chaotic finishes, but McDowell said the Next Gen car has taken away some of the randomness at this place. It is no longer true to say that one can take the checkered flag just by avoiding the major collision.
“A balance exists,” McDowell stated. “You do not want to be the guy who takes risks, steps out of his comfort zone, and puts everyone in danger. However, you may lose your track position, so you must battle for it fiercely.”
It appears obvious that one of two teams will emerge as the season’s champion, regardless of what occurs today.
“It’s heavily on my shoulders to perform every week,” Hamlin said, “because I know I’ve got a team that’s capable of winning every week.”
KYLE GETS CLIPPED
Larson’s pole-winning streak was snapped without him cranking up his No. 5 car after NASCAR inspectors discovered an unapproved adjustment to the roof rails.
The car passed through the inspection line without any issues, but officials said the rails were altered while the car was being pushed to the track to make its qualifying attempt.
The rails are designed to disrupt the air flow over the roof if a car spins sideways, preventing it from lifting off the track.
Larson will have to start from the back of the 38-car field.
STRUGGLING FORDS
Ford’s winless streak has become a major storyline in the first quarter of the Cup season.
Sure, there’s still a long way to go, but Keselowski said it’s not unfair for fans and media to focus on the struggles of the historic brand.
“I don’t think you’re making a bigger deal of it that it is,” the Ford driver said. “I mean, outside of Daytona and Atlanta, I’m not particularly certain there’s been a track where I would say Ford has been the fastest car.”
That makes Talladega almost a must-win situation for the Ford contingent.
“It’s definitely a better opportunity for us,” Keselowski said. “We need to capitalize on that.”
