The round of 12 in the Cup Series playoff tango is all set to unfold at the 1.5-mile oval in Texas. The goal is to survive till Championship 4, leaving no room for mistakes. Among other conversations, the upcoming battle between the two most sought-after Cup Series teams is just too important to ignore for motorsport enthusiasts.

Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing have had one of the greatest rivalries that NASCAR has ever seen. A lot of anticipation regarding the results of the opening race of round 2 shrouds every media house right now. Some say that Denny Hamlin will get back-to-back wins while others believe Kyle Larson has better chances to take home the trophy.

A battle of strategies and speed; Texas might just be the ultimate HMS and JGR faceoff

Interestingly, if one looks at the Cup Series playoffs standings, there are two drivers each from HMS and JGR in the top four: William Byron, Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, and Kyle Larson. With two Hendrick Motorsports drivers and two Joe Gibbs Racing drivers occupying the top-4 berths, it all comes down to Texas Motor Speedway on September 24th.

The rivalry is just going off the charts. While Kyle Larson showed impressive speed back at the Darlington Speedway, it is important to note that Denny Hamlin also had a successful weekend there. He rounded off his annual tradition of competing in the Xfinity Series race in Darlington by winning, despite leading merely 14 laps of the entire race. But his cup venture became bleak due to a left-rear loose wheel, even after he led 177 laps of the 367-lap-long race.

The next week, despite leading 63 decisive laps of the race in Kansas, Hamlin got distracted by the view of Kyle Larson laying back behind him, hoping to get a better restart, and ultimately finished second after 23XI Racing speedster, Tyler Reddick.

But the way the Joe Gibbs Racing veteran dominated Bristol to snatch his 51st career win makes him an evermore potent opponent. Clearly, he has a faster car than Kyle Larson throughout the Round of 16. Moreover, it is almost certain that if luck does not stand in his way, Denny Hamlin is unstoppable.

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‘Almost’ because, going to Texas, Kyle Larson has led a combined lap of 273 in 2021 and also has a win in the same year, besides six top-10 finishes. So Denny’s run in Texas is probably not going to be without tough competition from his golf buddy.

The inception of the HMS and JGR squabble

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Hamlin has always been a hard racer. And that wreck-and-break game of the 23XI Racing owner has just intensified since the last race at the Tricky Triangle. When Denny rammed Kyle Larson on lap 153 and sent him into the wall through Turn 1.

Following that incident, Kyle Larson gave a slight nudge into the bumper of the number 11 Toyota star with just 72 laps remaining in the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond raceway. Needless to say, Larson was not happy with the way Denny had raced him the week before.

With the need of the hour being qualifying for the round of 8, both these veterans will surely bring out their A-games at Texas Motor Speedway. And just maybe, the fans will witness a sequel to the Larson-Hamlin feud at Pocono.

What do you think will happen at Texas Motor Speedway on September 24th? Do you think it’ll be a win for Hendrick Motorsports or do you think Denny Hamlin will get Joe Gibbs their back-to-back win? Do let us know in the comments below!

Read more: Denny Hamlin Takes a Jibe at Hendrick Motorsports at Kyle Larson?s Expense