The preparations for the Championship 4 race have reached a feverish pace in Phoenix. But one Hendrick Motorsports team has been maintaining this intensity for an entire year, simply because the 2022 elimination of Kyle Larson was simply unacceptable for the 2021 champion’s crew chief.
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Two days before the test of the #5 team’s grit and mettle, Cliff Daniels detailed the meticulous process that began in the off-season last year.
Crew chief Cliff Daniels recorded the wins and losses of Kyle Larson with equal precision
Hendrick Motorsports’ #5 crew chief Cliff Daniels met Kyle Larson when Larson was suspended for violation of NASCAR’s code of conduct in 2020. True to his core, the HMS driver spent the year honing his craft in various dirt and sprint races across the country. The former crew chief of Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson knew he had met another future champion when he diligently studied the racer’s technique and form until he was reinstated as a Cup driver.
The effort paid off, and the duo were ready to conquer NASCAR’s premier series in their very first year together. Cliff Daniels matched the #5 driver’s ambition and driver from day one and was equally dejected when they could not recreate that success the following year. To rectify that, Daniels decided to revisit the tool that worked for them prior to their championship year- a journal. In an interview with Sirius XM, the #5 team’s hardworking crew chief explained,
He'll drive anything, anywhere, anytime. @KyleLarsonRacin | #Championship4 pic.twitter.com/ocVjQm506g
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 31, 2023
The #5 Hendrick Motorsports team does not stop till they are 10/10
Kyle Larson is undoubtedly one of the most talented drivers of his generation. Regardless of whether he wins the race at the Phoenix Raceway this Sunday, Larson proved his exceptional skills in the Round of 8 itself. The HMS driver won the High Limit Sprint race series, aced in the Indy 500 rookie test, and won the playoff race in Las Vegas to qualify for the Championship 4 within a single week.
Watch This Story: Kyle Larson: A Racing Prodigy’s Dream Journey
However, the #5 driver will be the first to admit that all the talent in the world cannot single-handedly garner success. The crew working round the clock behind the scenes contributes as much, or even more, to the eventual outcome of the race. Cliff Daniels acknowledged that the entire #5 team found a place in his notebook as a constant source of inspiration.
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It is now time for that relentless dedication to pay off and Kyle Larson will not stop till he is a perfect 10 in his pursuit of the checkered flag this weekend.