Phoenix fever is heating up; it’s not just the racers feeling the burn! From pit crews to high-flying team owners, everyone’s gearing up for an adrenaline-packed showdown. Ryan Blaney zoomed past everyone at Martinsville, and guess who’s cheering in the bleachers? None other than the racing royalty himself, Dale Earnhardt Jr.! But wait, there’s more track drama to digest! Team Rick Hendrick is flaunting not one but two speedsters in the championship four—the dynamic duo of Kyle Larson and William Byron. On the flip side, Joe Gibbs’ squad has managed to sneak in just one contender into the top-4 showdown.

And speaking of team owners, the legends Rick Hendrick and Joe Gibbs, who’ve seen more than their fair share of Cup Series finales (we’re talking 20-25, but who’s counting?), are also surprisingly giddy about the Phoenix race. How do we know? Well, thanks to a cheeky video shared by Auto Racing Daily, we got a front-row seat to their playful rivalry.

Joe Gibbs jokingly takes a shot at Rick Hendrick for intruding on his bandwagon

In NASCAR, where high-speed chases are the norm, it’s not uncommon to see drivers from rival teams throwing shade, trading barbs, or even getting into some on-track tiffs. And usually, it’s the drivers stealing the limelight with their theatrical antics. This time, however, the spotlight has swung over to two of NASCAR’s bigwig owners, who’ve decided to give their racers a run for their money in the banter department.

You see, while NASCAR is predominantly a driver-centric sport, owners, being the silent strategists, typically prefer to pull the strings from behind the scenes. If they’ve got beef, they usually dial up the drivers directly, giving them a piece of their mind. Remember the spicy exchange between Ross Chastain and Rick Hendrick? Classic example!

But, in a delightful twist, two of NASCAR’s most renowned team owners have recently dished out some juicy details about their off-track camaraderie, all while playfully jabbing at their teams’ on-track escapades. It’s like watching two seasoned chefs gossip about their secret recipes while roasting each other’s cooking skills. Absolutely delectable!

When the host of Auto Racing Daily gleefully dropped the bombshell that Rick Hendrick would be hopping on to pose a question to Joe Gibbs, Gibbs couldn’t resist tossing out a cheeky remark. With a mock sigh of exasperation, he quipped, “Not Rick! You’re running over and taking all of my time. Now he wants to get on my part.” The room burst into laughter, knowing full well the friendly rivalry between the two. It was all good fun, of course!

The light-hearted banter further revealed a fun tidbit: they text each other pretty regularly, cheering on each other’s successes. Rick, with a mischievous grin, prodded Joe, asking if he’d still send those congratulatory texts if Hendrick Motorsports clinched a win at Phoenix. Joe, with his classic wit, retorted, “I will be forced to. I feel like I need to do that. Yes, I will.”

But Joe wasn’t about to let Rick have the last laugh. He quipped, “The problem is I have been having to text a whole lot more than you have. That’s a problem.” Ouch! And for those keeping score, that’s a sly nod to Rick Hendrick’s drivers bagging a whopping 10 wins this season, while Joe Gibbs Racing trails with 8. Even if Joe’s crew took the Phoenix trophy, they’d still be playing catch-up in the win column this year. The friendly rivalry continues!

During the same interview, Rick Hendrick couldn’t help but tip his hat to his star William Byron. And why not? After all, the lad zoomed his way into the championship 4, all thanks to those precious points. 

Watch This Story: Why Hendrick Motorsports Drivers Won’t Join Dale Jr’s Media Ventures

Rick Hendrick throws it back, expressing his admiration for William Byron, all while playfully hinting at his nostalgia for the pre-2004 system

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Now, it’s quite a rarity to hear someone pining for the old days, especially in this era of next-gen cars, with their sleek aerodynamics and cutting-edge technology, stirring up unpredictability and excitement in every race. The points system that rolled out in 2004 only adds to the thrill. Yet, lo and behold, Rick Hendrick seems to have a soft spot for the good old times. But why, you may ask?

As he was singing praises for young speedster William Byron (seriously, that lad is on fire!), Hendrick dropped this little nugget: “I think William is very mature for his age and he has come a long way in a short period of time and to become a champion it is age or won more races than anybody has this year shows his talent and talent of that team. I guess this is not fair to say, but I like the old system better where you can win a race before the end of the year and you don’t have to go down to one race before cars. But we know that we are having a battle with a really good team with a lot of momentum.”

So, who’s got your cheer? Whose colors are you proudly donning? Let us know in the comments, race fans! 

Read More: “This Is Not Fair to Say” – Motorsport Giant Rick Hendrick Admits His Disapproval of NASCAR’s New Championship Setup