Hendrick Motorsports makes notable accomplishment at Talladega for first time in 14 years

Johnson won the 2011 race with Gordon in third, Earnhardt Jr. in fourth and Martin in eighth. Since then, Earnhardt Jr. (2015) and Elliott (2019, 2022) are the only HMS drivers to win at Talladega. 

The closest all four of the organization's drivers have come to finishing inside the top 10 since 2011 at Talladega was in the April 2022 race when Larson was fourth, Elliott was seventh and Bowman was ninth.

Considering the past success and the drivers that have been behind the wheel, it is hard to believe Sunday is only the second time all four HMS cars have finished in the top 10 at Talladega, let alone the top seven.

That goes to show the beast that Talladega is and how the top teams in the Cup Series struggle to put consistent results together at the Alabama track. It is part of what comes with pack racing and the fact that a wrong move from one driver can wipe out most of the field in an instant.

Something to make note of in that 2011 race is that was when cars would use the two-car tandem and it was more about working together that way as opposed to the two- and three-wide racing we see today. If you consider that, Sunday was the first time all four HMS cars finished in the top 10 in a traditional pack race.

HMS may have left empty-handed, but it came away with each of its drivers inside the top 10, which is not something many organizations can say at Talladega.