It was a milestone day for Hendrick Motorsports and team owner Rick Hendrick Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway. The team celebrated its 300th victory in the NASCAR Cup Series, thanks to a late-race move by William Byron to secure the win.
With the organization reaching a winning number no other Cup Series team has, it’s only fitting to take a trip down memory lane and recollect some of the historic moments in Hendrick Motorsports’ history.
Win No. 1 (1984, Martinsville Speedway)
Hendrick Motorsports’ first victory came at Virginia’s Martinsville Speedway as Geoff Bodine wheeled the No. 5 Chevrolet to victory.
Previously known as All-Star Racing, the first-year team was struggling to keep its doors open prior to Bodine’s breakthrough.
Win No. 35 (1994, Charlotte Motor Speedway)
The Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway proved to be the start of one of the most decorated pairings in Cup Series history.
Second-year driver Jeff Gordon wheeled the No. 24 Dupont Chevrolet to his first win at the 1.5-mile oval, ushering in a new era which would see Gordon reel off 93 victories and four championships.
Win No. 36 (1994, Indianapolis Motor Speedway)
The inaugural Brickyard 400 at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway was won by Gordon, who grew up in nearby Pittsboro, Indiana.
The driver of the No. 24 led a race-high 93 of the 160 laps before swiping the lead from Ernie Irvan in the closing laps.
Championship No. 1 (1995, Atlanta Motor Speedway)
The lethal duo of Gordon and crew chief Ray Evernham kicked off their dominant reign on the sport in the ‘90’s with their first championship in 1995 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
That season saw Gordon win seven times and notch a staggering 23 top-10 finishes. The driver of the No. 24 took the points lead after the 16th race of the season at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and never relinquished it.
Win No. 50 (1996, Darlington Raceway)
The spring of 1996 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway saw Gordon secure Hendrick’s 50th Cup Series triumph. Starting from the pole, Gordon wheeled his No. 24 to a dominant victory after leading 189 of the 293 laps around the 3.66-mile egg-shaped oval.
Gordon held off a late charge from Bobby Labonte as he crossed the start/finish line 1.4 seconds ahead.
Win No. 61 (1997, Daytona Int’l Speedway)
Arguably one of the most memorable victories in HMS’ history, Gordon led a Hendrick 1-2-3 finish in the season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona Int’l Speedway.
Teammates Terry Labonte and Ricky Craven followed Gordon.
It was a special moment for the organization as Hendrick battled leukemia and did not attend the race.
Win No. 100 (2001, Michigan Int’l Speedway)
In another dominant performance by the No. 24 team, Gordon started on pole and led a race-high 143 laps en route to victory at Michigan Int’l Speedway.
It was Gordon’s second of three wins at the two-mile oval and gave the team its 100th victory.
Win No. 104 (2002, Auto Club Speedway)
With Gordon’s NASCAR Hall of Fame résumé already packed to the brim with four championships, Hendrick’s next great champion broke through at Auto Club Speedway.
In his 13th start, rookie Jimmie Johnson scored his first Cup Series victory in his home state. He’d go on to sweep the series’ two stops at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway aboard the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet.
Win No. 136 (2005, Auto Club Speedway)
Embarking on his first season in the Cup Series, 20-year-old Kyle Busch earned his first victory at Auto Club Speedway in the fall of 2005.
Busch led 95 laps aboard the No. 5 Kellogg’s Chevrolet, including the final 11 circuits.
Win No. 150 (2007, Las Vegas Motor Speedway)
Coming off his first championship the season prior, Johnson kicked off the 2007 Cup Series season swinging, scoring his first of 10 wins of the year at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Johnson led 89 laps aboard the No. 48 Chevrolet. He went on to win the title and continue a championship streak that’d last three more seasons.
Win No. 200 (2012, Darlington Raceway)
The annual Southern 500 at Darlington was a golden moment for Hendrick Motorsports, as Johnson secured the 200th win for the organization.
The Track Too Tough to Tame was no match for the No. 48 team, as Johnson led 134 of the 368 laps. It was Johnson’s third and final Darlington victory.
Win No. 219 (2014, Daytona Int’l Speedway)
Joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2008, Dale Earnhardt Jr. struggled to find consistent success aboard the No. 88 Chevrolet, only earning two wins between ‘08-’13.
2014 saw Earnhardt breakout with the team, starting with the Daytona 500 in February. Earnhardt held on to score his second win in the Great American Race despite late-race restarts.
He won three additional times that season, including a sweep of both events at Pocono Raceway.
Win No. 238 (2015, Martinsville Speedway)
Gordon’s 93rd and final triumph in the Cup Series came during his farewell tour in the dire stages of the 2015 Cup Series season at Martinsville.
The future NASCAR Hall of Famer rose to the lead late as he secured a spot in the Championship Four, where he’d ultimately finish third.
Win No. 245 (2016, Homestead-Miami Speedway)
It was a history-making night at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2016, as Johnson swiped the lead on a restart to win the race and the championship.
The title was Johnson’s seventh, tying him with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the most in Cup Series history.
Win No. 250 (2018, Watkins Glen Int’l)
It took Chase Elliott two seasons to earn his first Cup Series victory, though it wound up being a monumental one as Elliott secured Hendrick’s 250th triumph in upstate New York’s Watkins Glen Int’l.
Elliott led 50 laps at the historic road course, holding off challenges from Martin Truex Jr. during the closing laps to put the No. 9 Chevrolet in victory lane.
Win No. 263 (2020, Phoenix Raceway)
A season plagued by the COVID-19 pandemic, Elliott had a career year and earned the Cup Series championship in the season finale at Phoenix Raceway.
Elliott led 153 of the 312-lap race en route to securing HMS’ 13th championship in Cup Series competition.
Win No. 280 (2021, Phoenix Raceway)
In his first year at HMS, Kyle Larson achieved a lifelong dream in winning the Cup Series championship.
The driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet led a race-high 107 laps en route to victory at the one-mile oval.
The title capped off an astonishing 10-win season, which saw Larson win four of the final five races.
Win No. 300 (2023, Texas Motor Speedway)
In the midst of a breakout season, Byron scored a series-leading sixth victory on Sunday at Texas. It was the 25-year-old’s 10th career win.
The win locked Byron into the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Playoffs.