Going into the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season, Kyle Larson will have one goal: win the competition for the second time. The driver of the #5 was one of the most consistent racers in all of last year but narrowly missed out to Ryan Blaney in Phoenix. While winning the Cup is a big deal for any driver, certain races on the Cup Series calendar are among the most prestigious in the world of motorsports. Emerging as a victor in those would also be a huge boost to Yung Money’s resume.

Currently, four races are considered to be the crown jewels in the NASCAR Cup Series. These are the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400, Coca-Cola 600, and Southern 500. Larson has won two of these races and will be looking to complete the set in 2024. He will have stiff competition, though, from his teammates.

Kyle Larson sets his sights on marquee races

Hendrick Motorsports recently sat down with all of their drivers to discuss which of the crown jewel race wins they wanted to add to their resume at the end of the 2024 Cup Series season. The choice was pretty simple for Kyle Larson. He won the Coca-Cola 600 in his title-winning year (2021), and last season, he came home to take P1 in the Southern 500. There are only two races he’s left to conquer: the Brickyard 400 and the Great American Race.

“The Brickyard 400 and the Daytona 500 are the only crown jewels I haven’t been able to win in NASCAR. I love winning races, but I love winning the big races. I would love to check those off and add them to the resume,” the 31-year-old said, as per Hendrick Motorsports. Winning the Brickyard will be a lot more significant this year, as NASCAR will race on the Indianapolis Oval for the first time since 2020.

However, other drivers at Hendrick Motorsports want to win the same races. When it comes to the Brickyard 400, Larson will face competition from none other than Chase Elliott. The 2020 Cup Series champion has a personal connection to the event, as it was one of the first races he remembers his father, Bill Eliott, winning.

“The one that is more meaningful to me is the Brickyard because I was old enough when my dad won (in 2002) to just very vaguely remember a few little things about it. To be in the photos and whatnot, I thought was cool. That one really hits closest to home for me,” he said.

There seems to be a lot of hype surrounding the race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but it turns out that Bristol holds a special place in all of the Hendrick Motorsports drivers’ hearts. As per the HMS website, all four of their drivers considered the Bristol night race to be a crown jewel in the Cup Series schedule as well.

Read More: “They Shouldn’t Be Here”: A Chili Bowl Insider Publicly Slams Drivers and Teams Amidst Rising Safety Concerns

Alex Bowman echoes teammates’ sentiments with Bristol admission

Trending

NASCAR Lawsuit: France Family Blocked Michael Jordan’s Acquisition of Tony Stewart’s Ruins After SHR Deterioration

Richard ‘The King’ Petty Comes Clean on Legacy MC’s Cup Struggles With Heartbreaking Admission

“It Terrifies Me”: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Confesses an Unexpected Fear of His Iconic NASCAR Trophies

Joe Gibbs’ Star Ran Out of Talent, Claims Bubba Wallace Insider After Successive Kansas Fumbles

Ricky Rudd Boldly Predicts Shane van Gisbergen to Lose His NASCAR Crown With Cup Series Promotion

The last time a Hendrick Motorsports driver won the Bass Pro Shops Night Race was in 2021. It was Kyle Larson who emerged victorious on that occasion. However, the driver who connects with the Bristol track out of Rick Hendrick’s drivers is none other than Alex Bowman. The driver of the #48 revealed that growing up, he considered the night race to be one of the biggest races of the year.

“Bristol (Motor Speedway) is a special place,” Bowman said. “For me, growing up when I was a kid watching the sport, the Bristol Night Race was one of the biggest races of the year. To me, it still is. Just a cool place to win.”

What would be perfect for Rick Hendrick is if his drivers won all five of the aforementioned races. The team will be looking to win its 15th Cup Series championship in 2024, and they have the drivers and resources to do so. Will HMS go back to their dominating best yet again this year, or will it be another season without silverware?

WATCH THIS STORY: Sarcastic Kyle Larson takes a dig at Clint Bowyer’s infamous personality