Copyright Essentially Sports
Hendrick Motorsports’ 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season was another powerhouse year defined by speed, teamwork, and resurgence. Kyle Larson and William Byron led the charge, with both advancing to the Championship 4. At the same time, Chase Elliott reclaimed top form with multiple victories after his injury comeback. Alex Bowman also found renewed consistency late in the year, delivering several top-10s despite midseason struggles. Collectively, Hendrick drivers earned more than 30 top-five finishes and maintained an average team finish inside the top 12, making it one of the organization’s most balanced campaigns since 2021. Rick Hendrick seems quite happy with it, but believes that he has the fire to win more. ADVERTISEMENT Rick Hendrick eyes more When you’ve built an empire like Hendrick Motorsports, with 15 NASCAR Cup Series championships and more than 300 wins, it’s natural for people to wonder how long the fire keeps burning. But Rick Hendrick made it clear during his 2025 season address that his competitive spirit hasn’t faded one bit. “I still have the fire to go out and perform,” Hendrick said to the media at the NASCAR awards, reflecting on his team’s strong campaign. Mr. H’s assessment of the 2025 season started with Chase Elliott’s resurgence. “I think Chase Elliott’s been running the best he’s run in a while. He’s been super competitive at every racetrack, and we were one, two, three in the points there for a long time,” Hendrick said. Elliott’s rebound has been one of the year’s biggest storylines. After a winless 2023 and a rough injury comeback in 2024, the 2020 champion returned to form in 2025 with multiple victories and a top-ten points finish. The team owner also spotlighted Alex Bowman’s late-season surge. “Alex had a rough summer, but then he’s been running really good and, in some cases, one of our fastest cars,” Hendrick noted. Bowman, who endured midseason struggles after mechanical setbacks and DNFs at Richmond and Pocono, bounced back with multiple top-10 finishes in the fall stretch. ADVERTISEMENT Bowman’s playoff performance at Texas and Martinsville underscored his speed, even if Victory Lane eluded him. The No. 48 driver’s three-year contract, signed in 2023, keeps him in Rick Hendrick’s team for the near future. And as Mr. H implied, it’s his ability to finish strong that restored confidence heading into next season. ADVERTISEMENT Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports Hendrick reflected on the organization’s collective success, emphasizing that the winning culture extended well beyond the Cup garage. “This year, in the shop, we won 28 races,” he said. Those victories spanned Hendrick’s footprint across NASCAR, including Cup, Xfinity, and development programs, marking one of the team’s most productive years since 2021. Kyle Larson and William Byron carried the Cup banner with multiple wins and Championship 4 appearances, while Elliott and Bowman contributed top-tier consistency. The dominance reaffirmed Hendrick Motorsports’ position as NASCAR’s most successful modern organization. Still, Hendrick made it clear that what excites him most isn’t just trophies. “Keeping the people together and learning together, the young people coming in, but keeping the core and the culture there,” he said. That “Hendrick culture” has produced NASCAR’s brightest minds, from Chad Knaus and Cliff Daniels to engineers now leading manufacturer initiatives. ADVERTISEMENT Vice Chairman Jeff Gordon has been instrumental in maintaining that leadership pipeline, with Hendrick crediting Gordon’s hands-on mentorship for ensuring continuity at the top. As Hendrick told FOX Sports earlier this year, “You can’t build a legacy on cars alone. It’s the people that keep it running.” “But I really love to see the people, all the crew chiefs and engineers that grow up in your organization.” His message reflected what’s long defined Hendrick’s approach: building not just race cars, but people. That philosophy has been central to his success since launching Hendrick Motorsports in 1984, a team that has since become NASCAR’s gold standard. Looking ahead to 2026, Hendrick’s words carried both confidence and renewal. With NASCAR’s horsepower increase set to test every team’s adaptability, Hendrick says his group is ready for the challenge. “We’ve got a great group, and I think next year’s gonna be even better,” he said. ADVERTISEMENT His statement aligns with the team’s investment in engineering advancements, from improved data analytics to mechanical grip optimization under the new rules package. For a man approaching his fifth decade in the sport, Hendrick’s message is simple but powerful: passion never retires. The fire that built a dynasty still burns, and he’s not stepping back anytime soon. Hendrick’s fire fuels the team, and Larson’s family feels the glow. Larson shares joy as kids get the win The 2025 Cup Series champion, Kyle Larson, is the proud father of three children. One of the most significant parts of his championship celebrations after lifting the trophy at the Phoenix Raceway last Sunday was getting the chance to share the moment with them. Talking on the Stacking Pennies podcast this week, he detailed how the experience was and how the kids took his achievement. Owen Larson, his eldest, is just 10 years old. Audrey, the second child, is seven. And the youngest, Cooper, is just two. All three were present at the track with their father. Larson said that they don’t really get to watch him race since they have their own activities to focus on. So, it was extra special and memorable for him that they were there when he won his second championship. He said, “I don’t think I’ll ever forget Audrey. I could tell that Owen was shocked. He got it. He understood how shocking of a win that was. I could see it in his face. And then Audrey, you know, she ran down to me. She’s like, ‘Dad, finally you won again.’ And I was like, ‘Well, kind of. Not really. I still didn’t win, but yeah.’ Cooper wasn’t even born yet the last time we won the championship.”
