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NASCAR's visit to Martinsville Speedway in the spring of the 2024 season concluded on Sunday, April 7, with Hendrick Motorsports making history at the iconic 0.5-mile-long short track. Cup Series drivers and teams were seen running three consecutive races with the governing body's highly criticized short-track package, with one final running at Martinsville for now.
Rick Hendrick's racing outfit made all the headlines on Sunday as the team locked out the top 3 with William Byron winning the race. He was followed by Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott in P2 and P3 respectively. Hendrick Motorsports became the first team to ever do so at the track in NASCAR history.
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A venue riddled with tragedy as well as triumph for the sport's winningest team, 'The Paperclip' saw one of Cup Series' giants also celebrate its 40th anniversary in stock car racing. This added the finishing touch to the weekend for Hendrick Motorsports.
Winners and Losers from the 2024 NASCAR Cook Out 400
Winner: Hendrick Motorsports
Rick Hendrick's Concord, North Carolina-based racing outfit ended their weekend at Martinsville by making history at 'The Paperclip' with the first-ever 1-2-3 finish by a single team. Their fairytale weekend drew to a close with Alex Bowman also bringing home a top 10 result in P8.
With the 2024 Cook Out 400 victory under their belt, Hendrick Motorsports has dominated the NASCAR Cup season so far. They have clinched four wins in the eight total points-paying races so far.
Loser: Christopher Bell
Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell's Sunday at Martinsville Speedway was riddled with issues. Bell was seen spinning multiple times during the race, at times owing to his loss of control to a flat tire and otherwise to a general lack of confidence.
As a result, the #20 Toyota Camry XSE driver scored his worst result of the season with a P35 finish.
Winner: William Byron
William Byron might be considered an underdog in the company of his teammates. However, the 26-year-old driver has proven his worth at the team, especially during NASCAR's Next Gen era. The North Carolina native has the most number of wins in the seventh-generation car of any driver in the field with 11.
Loser: Denny Hamlin
Denny Hamlin was in position to at least contend for the victory during the final overtime restart which saw the race being decided. However, he lost track position due to a strange call by his team to bring him in for new tires on the last yellow-flag pit stop cycle. This caused the #11 Toyota driver to lose track position, ultimately finishing in P11.
Winner: Bubba Wallace
23XI Racing's Bubba Wallace seems to have turned a corner this season with his consistency in finishing within the top five and top 10. After making the NASCAR playoffs for the first time in his career last year, Wallace finished in P4 just behind the three Hendrick cars.
Loser: Corey LaJoie
Spire Motorsports driver Corey LaJoie's highlight of the year came during the season-opening Daytona 500, where he managed to finish in P4. The #7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 driver has failed to crack the top 30 on four occasions during the 2024 season, including his P32 finish at Martinsville on Sunday.
