Those were the days when ‘Iron Man’ took NASCAR by storm. Right from his debut in 1993 to his retirement in 2015, Jeff Gordon racked up 93 Cup Series wins, four championships, and three Daytona 500 wins, all while redefining what it meant to be a superstar on the track. With his record-breaking feats like five Brickyard 400 wins and six Southern 500 victories, Gordon wasn’t just dominating laps; he was changing the game. And now he shapes NASCAR’s future as Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman; however, his colleague has doubled down on finding the next Jeff Gordon…

Bubba Wallace had raised eyebrows about the decline in NASCAR’s star power and issued concerns about the global reach of NASCAR. He even drew parallels to F1, stating how everyone knew of Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, but due to the lack of recognition in NASCAR, the organization seems to be lagging. However, Chas Knuas, the Vice President of Competition, believes that the sport is in good hands with emerging raw talent.

Speaking to RacingAmerica, the veteran crew chief has a list. When asked about finding the next “Jeff Gordon,” Knaus simply replied, “That is something that you just don’t make. That’s something that is. And if you look at guys  — let’s just go back, Richard Petty  — you will never find a person cooler than Richard Petty. This is true. People try, they want to emulate, you’re not going to beat it. Jeff Gordon, he rolls in, he’s got that thing, he’s got that it. And we’ve got a lot of young drivers that are coming up with the it. And Kyle Larson has it. Chase Elliott has it. You’ve got Connor Zilich has it. There’s a lot of those folks.”

The recognition is not fully and only based on the global reach but also on how a driver chooses to extend his legacy and is focused on being the best. Chad Knaus didn’t hesitate to pick two drivers from his own Hendrick Motorsports camp. Kyle Larson, who won the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series championship with HMS, is definitely still in the mix, despite his recent slump in 2025. Known for his versatility and calm demeanor, Kyle Larson has emerged as a fan favorite. Larson has excelled on all types of tracks, including road courses, short tracks, and dirt tracks. This type of raw talent exists and isn’t created.

His ability to perform under pressure and his genuine personality have endeared him to fans. As of 2025, Kyle Larson has secured 32 Cup Series victories, including a dominant win at Bristol Motor Speedway this year, where he led 411 of the 500 laps. And that is the type of it factor that Chad admires.

Similarly, pointing to Larson’s teammate Chase Elliott, who has followed in the footsteps of his Hall of Fame father, Bill Elliott, but has carved out his own legacy. Chase secured the 2020 Cup Series championship, marking Hendrick Motorsports’ 13th overall title. Beyond his own track success, Elliott’s consistent engagement with the fans and his approachable nature stand out. As of 2025, he has accumulated 21 Cup Series wins and was named NASCAR’s most popular driver for seven consecutive years.

And looking at NASCAR’s newest entry for 2026, Chas’ eyes are on Connor Zilisch, who has absolutely stormed the Xfinity Series. The 19-year-old rookie has achieved remarkable feats. With his win at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Zilisch won his 10th NASCAR Xfinity win of the season, something drivers would kill for in their entire racing careers. His blend of raw talent, determination, and charisma has garnered attention, positioning him as a future star in NASCAR.

As of now, he leads the Xfinity Series and looks to join Trackhouse Racing next year. Zilisch, however, knows what it takes to jump from Xfinity to Cup and has recently admitted the difficulties of Cup racing, but isn’t backing down from the challenge.

These drivers do not ask for attention but are just concentrated on their work and the need to be fast on the track. And that type of resilience to show up again and again is what makes them the best and earns them a shelf with the sports’ greats.

Knaus recognizes that “it” factor and looks hopeful at the future of racing: “So we have so many guys in the industry right now that are young in their 20s or maybe early 30s that are going to be the ones that are like Jeff Gordon. But I think there’s a lot of guys that have that it factor and they’re going to continue to drive the sport forward. ” 

But as drivers look to create their own legacy and keep the sport going, it is safe to say that there is no one like Knaus, and recently he just added another building block in his legacy as he joined the sport’s elite…

Chad Knaus creates his own legacy amid NASCAR drivers

Hendrick Motorsport’s top brass added another trophy to its already glittery résumé, taking home the coveted 2025 Smokey Yunick Award just before Sunday’s Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The award, named after the iconic mechanic and innovator Henry “Smokey” Yunick, celebrates those who start from humble beginnings but leave an outstanding mark on motorsports through ingenuity and daring. Since its inception in 1997, it has honored some of NASCAR’s brightest minds, from Dale Inman to Rick Hendrick, and now Chad Knaus joins their ranks, a fitting nod to a career defined by pushing boundaries and rewriting the playbook.

Presented by Speedway Motorsports president and CEO Marcus Smith at the very track where Knaus and his No. 48 team dominated for two decades, that moment was more than ceremonial. Gleaming with nostalgia, Chad Knaus said, “This means a lot to me. I have been a Smokey Yunick fan for my career, quite honestly, and the biggest reason is because of the stemming of invention and pushing the boundaries – that if there’s not a rule, try to exploit that opportunity. When I was a young man, the stories, and the lore of Smokey Yunick, was there. That was a bit of a fuel for me – it was something that I wanted to try to create. That was something that was really cool for me. It’s unfortunate I never got the opportunity to meet [Yunick].”

A seven-time Cup Series crew chief champion and the 2024 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, Knaus’s 20-year career reads like a highlight reel. With 81 wins with Jimmie Johnson, one with Charlotte native William Byron, eight points-paying victories, and four All-Star triumphs at Charlotte alone, he is a man whose mark on NASCAR is both immense and incredible. The Smokey Yunick Award now cemented him among the sport’s most innovative and impactful figures, a reminder that genius often starts with curiosity, boldness, and a willingness to break the mold.