DOVER, Del. -- Has Joe Gibbs Racing caught up to Hendrick Motorsports?

“

I don't feel like we've caught or passed Hendrick Motorsports. I feel like we've just gotten our stuff better where now we're competitive week in and week out. That's the way we should be.

”

-- KYLE BUSCH

As outrageous as that question may have seemed just a few short weeks ago, it seemed to be gaining momentum as Sunday's Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway approached. Team owner Joe Gibbs was blunt with his answer when it was posed to him outside the NASCAR Hall of Fame earlier in the week.

"No, I don't think we've caught 'em," Gibbs said. "We've been fortunate over these last six or seven weeks. But my focus -- and the focus of everyone else at our place -- is that you've got to be there every week. We're just getting started."

Well, that may be. But Rick Hendrick, owner of the other organization that is part of the equation, certainly has been taking notice.

"They're doing a great job over there [at JGR]," he said. "I think it's pretty obvious they're coming on and giving us all we can handle. I think this is shaping up to be a very competitive, interesting year."

The question has cropped up because of recent developments on the race track. Four of the past six races have been won by JGR drivers, including three by Denny Hamlin. Kyle Busch, the other JGR driver to grace Victory Lane during the stretch, sits third in the Cup Series point standings behind leader Kevin Harvick and four-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson. Hamlin is sixth in points and Joey Logano, the third JGR driver, is 19th.

By comparison, each of the four Hendrick drivers, including Johnson, reside in the top 12 in points heading into Sunday's race. Jeff Gordon is third, Mark Martin 10th and Dale Earnhardt Jr. 12th. But only Johnson has graced Victory Lane this season, with his three wins tying Hamlin for most in the series. (Continued)