The way Kyle Larson has grown on the NASCAR scene is no joke. Larson, since his debut, has been racking up wins and making everyone else look like amateurs. Since he rolled up to the Cup Series in 2014, he’s snagged 32 wins. What’s worth mentioning is that one can never count him out during the playoffs. He bounced around with a couple of teams, but once he landed at Hendrick Motorsports, he just took off. That No. 5 Chevy ZL1 is straight-up legend status. At one point, Larson led over 2,500 laps in a season. 

What’s interesting to note is Larson’s not even from one of those racing dynasties. No famous last name, no “my grandpa was a champion” backstory. The whole thing started because he and his dad saw some neighbor ripping around in a go-kart one day and thought to give that a shot. They bought a random orange car, didn’t even bother to change the number on it. And since then, the making of a NASCAR star began.

Kyle Larson hustled his way up, from sprint cars, open-wheel, whatever he could get his hands on. The guy just kept proving himself. Rookie of the Year in 2014, which still sounds wild considering where he came from. That old orange No. 1 car is history now, but it’s basically the origin story for a boy who went from taking an interest to totally owning the sport with his No. 5. 

Kyle Larson continued to make No. 5 proud in NASCAR

When Kyle Larson joined Hendrick Motorsports, his immediate success wasn’t a lucky break—it was a plan. The strategy began at Millbridge Speedway in Salisbury, N.C., where his future crew chief, Cliff Daniels, went to observe him. Daniels wasn’t just there for fun; he was there to study Larson’s every move during a Midget race. Daniels’ goal was to understand Larson on a deeper level. Daniel noted the language Larson used to describe his car’s handling to how he interacted with his crew chief. By observing these small details, Daniels hoped to build a strong, effective partnership on the No. 5 Hendrick team.

That day, Daniels was deeply impressed. He noted Larson’s incredible feel for the car, his precise communication, and his unique ability to read the track. Larson even went on to win one of the main features that night. What stood out most, though, was Larson’s immense talent, which until that point hadn’t fully shone in his NASCAR career. That day at the dirt track was the first step in unlocking the potential that would lead to nine wins and a championship run.

Since its debut in 1984 as All Star Racing, the No. 5 car has been a cornerstone of Hendrick Motorsports, collecting a total of 55 victories over its decorated history. Following a brief hiatus, the No. 5 made a triumphant return to the track in 2021 with driver Kyle Larson. 

Kyle Larson explained on a recent podcast experience how he came to drive the No. 5 car for Hendrick Motorsports. He stated, “ They gave that to me. Uh, so. Rick Hendrick, my owner, his son Ricky Hendrick used to race a little bit and uh, he unfortunately passed away in a plane accident. So my paint scheme number, all that. Uh, well the five and the 17 that we use in Exfinity is uh, like his numbers. So it’s kind of a cool touch on, you know, Ricky Hendrick.”

Kyle Larson has an impressive resume that includes victories in some of NASCAR’s most prestigious events. He won the Coca-Cola 600 in 2021, the Southern 500 in 2023, and the Brickyard 400 in 2024. His success began early in his career, as he was named Sunoco Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2013 before earning the same title in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2014. Larson’s winning record also extends to other NASCAR series, with 17 wins in the Xfinity Series and four victories in the Craftsman Truck Series.

Kyle Larson honors Ricky Hendrick with the No. 5 Car

The No. 5 car, a number with deep roots in the history of Hendrick Motorsports, took on profoundly personal meaning in 2021 when Kyle Larson was behind the wheel. For much of the season, his car sported a HendrickCars.com livery that closely resembled a paint scheme Ricky Hendrick drove in the Busch Series decades earlier. For team owner Rick Hendrick, a victory with this car was more than just a win—it was a powerful, emotional moment. He described it as “This win today in the #5 car, with my son’s paint scheme on it, was probably one of the most special races that I’ve ever watched.” Rick Hendrick added, “My wife and I were watching. It was emotional, it was joy, it was so many things. That meant a ton to me and to my family, today. Kyle made us proud today.”

This powerful connection to the past isn’t unique to that one special win. It’s a recurring theme in NASCAR, celebrated most prominently during the annual Throwback Weekend at Darlington Raceway. During this event, teams and drivers honor the sport’s heritage by decorating their cars with iconic, retro paint schemes. For Kyle Larson, this tradition carries the same weight of responsibility and pride, even years after his first emotional win. As he explained, these races are a key opportunity to honor the legends who came before.

Speaking about the significance of these events, Larson noted the team’s passion for honoring past drivers. He said, “Well, so like at Darlington, we have like a throwback race. So, we—I wouldn’t say the whole sport, but a majority of the sport now—we’ll all have different throwback paint schemes, like from the beginning of time, NASCAR, or whatever works for your team. So, like for us, we’ve done Terry Labonte the last couple of years. The Kellogg’s car was fire. Yeah, Kellogg’s, dude. It’s sick. Like, it’s such a cool paint scheme, and yeah, we had Terry out at the race and all that. So, yeah, I would say that weekend especially is when you want to like, do them proud.”

NASCAR’s rolling into Watkins Glen this weekend, and it is going to be a full-on motorsports buffet with Trucks, Xfinity. Everyone’s got their eyes glued to Kyle Larson. He will be looking to rediscover his winning form at the road course, a track where he has a recent history of both triumph and challenge. After back-to-back victories in the No. 5 car in 2021 and 2022, Larson’s performance has cooled off over the last two seasons. Despite consistent success in individual race stages, he has been unable to secure a top-10 finish since his last win. As the series returns to Watkins Glen, the focus will be on whether Larson and his No. 5 team can once again find their winning rhythm.