Through the first six races of the 2026 NASCAR season, Hendrick Motorsports has yet to get in the win column.
HMS has put together a number of strong runs, including Chase Elliott’s runner-up finish at Las Vegas. Yet, they have not been able to turn the speed into victories.
This weekend, the Cup Series circuit heads to the Martinsville Speedway for the Cook Out 400. It is a special track for HMS as the organization has won there 30 times, the most by any organization at a single track.
With their history of Martinsville success, this Sunday’s race could be the day HMS breaks into the win column in 2026. Here, we will take a look at why.
William Byron enters as defending Martinsville winner
In last fall’s Cup Series race at Martinsville, William Byron left no doubt.
The driver of the No. 24 put together a perfect day by starting on the pole, winning both stages, leading a race-high 304 laps, and securing the win in the end. The victory secured Byron’s spot in last year’s Championship 4 race.
Byron is a three-time Martinsville winner and has won the spring race twice (2022, 2024).
It is only a matter of time before the two-time Daytona 500 winner makes it back to victory lane. Do not be surprised at all if it happens this Sunday at “The Paperclip.”
Kyle Larson aims to add to Martinsville consistency
Very few drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series field are as consistent at Martinsville as Kyle Larson is.
In the last seven Martinsville races, the driver of the No. 5 has finished no worse than sixth. In those seven races, the defending Cup champion finished top five six times, including a win in the spring of 2023.
Larson rides a four-race top-five finish streak at Martinsville. Despite only one win, the California native has been a consistent top five car.
With his latest Cup Series win coming at Kansas in May 2025, Larson will seek to put an end to his winless drought on Sunday.
Chase Elliott seeks to add to Martinsville top-five streak
The Martinsville Speedway has proven to be one of Chase Elliott’s best tracks on the circuit.
In the last four Martinsville races, the driver of the No. 9 has posted four top-five finishes. In last year’s spring race, the 2020 series champion led 42 laps on his way to a fourth-place finish.
Elliott has one victory at Martinsville, which came in November 2020. The win ultimately propelled the Hendrick Motorsports driver to his first Cup Series championship the following week.
Elliott enters Sunday’s race fifth in the points standings with two top-five finishes in 2026. His best finish this season was second at Las Vegas. On Sunday, Elliott will look to finish one spot higher at Martinsville.
Justin Allgaier could turn heads at Martinsville
Filling in for Alex Bowman in the No. 48 car, it is difficult to make a case that Justin Allgaier will win on Sunday. The 2024 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion has not raced a Martinsville Cup race since November 2015.
However, the JR Motorsports driver has a solid streak of consistent runs in the O’Reilly car. In the last five Martinsville races in the O’Reilly Series, Allgaier has posted four top-five finishes and a win in October 2023.
If he can translate that success to the Cup car, Allgaier could have an impressive run on Sunday at Martinsville.
NASCAR: Why Hendrick Motorsports Can Break Through at Martinsville