With #48-Jimmie Johnson seeking his fourth win this season and #24-Jeff Gordon atop the Nextel Cup standings, Hendrick Motorsports holds the series’ hottest hands. And though streaks are difficult to maintain at the sport’s highest level, owner Rick Hendrick’s stable is working on one with potentially historic ramifications. Johnson has back-to-back wins once already at Las Vegas and Atlanta. He’s also the series most recent victor at Martinsville. Should he or any teammate triumph at Texas, Hendrick Motorsports would become the first team since Petty Enterprises in 1971 to win five consecutive races. That’s a feat accomplished only five times previously four times by Petty Enterprises with seven-time series champion Richard Petty. Hendrick Motorsports’ current four-in-a-row includes Johnson’s three wins and teammate Kyle Busch’s Bristol victory three weeks ago. If the team goes five-for-five, next up is six consecutive wins, accomplished twice by Petty in 1962 and ’63. Petty also won 10 consecutive races in 1967; the all-time record is 16 [for a team], by [car owner] Carl Kiekhafer in 1956.(NASCAR PR)(4-13-2007) MORE: Hendrick Motorsports can accomplish a feat this Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway that hasn’t been achieved in over 30 years and has happened only five times — five consecutive wins by a team. The last time that happened was 1971, by Petty Enterprises. Here’s the list: 1971 Petty Enterprises 5 wins in a row from 7/14 to 8/1 1967 Petty Enterprises 10 in a row from 8/12 to 10/1 1963 Petty Enterprises 6 in a row from 4/14 to 5/5 1962 Petty Enterprises 6 in a row from 8/5 to 8/21 1956 Carl Kiekhafer 16 in a row from 3/25 to 6/3 (NASCAR)(4-15-2007)
