Kyle Larson’s 2025 season has been a thrilling rollercoaster for Hendrick Motorsports and his legion of fans. The year started strong for him, as he racked up three wins, including dominant performances at Homestead and Bristol. If not a win, then Larson consistently pushed himself near the top of the points standings in each race. He appeared poised for another deep playoff run led by resilience and consistent excellence.

However, as summer rolled in, the No. 5 team hit an unexpected slump. Over the past two months, Larson has struggled to find the dominant pace that marked his early season. But now, Larson feels the tide might finally be turning. With only five races left before the playoffs, Larson isn’t just focused on surviving. Instead, he’s plotting a full-blown redemption arc. So, what sparked this shift in mindset? And can Kyle Larson and Hendrick Motorsports reclaim their swagger just in time for the postseason push?

Kyle Larson is optimistic after summer slump

For Kyle Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports team, the heart of summer proved especially brutal in 2025. Over a two-month stretch, Larson endured some of the toughest races of his Cup Series career. “Definitely was a struggle there for a couple of months,” Larson explained. Just take a look at the trio of nightmare results during this period.

A crash left him 37th at the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte. He finished 36th in NASCAR’s debut in Mexico City after early race trouble. Then, Kyle Larson managed only 35th at Sonoma despite arriving with a strong road course reputation. These back-to-back struggles were striking for a driver accustomed to challenging up front. The team’s spirit, too, was repeatedly tested as they wrestled through crashes, mechanical woes, and just plain bad luck.

Dover, however, brought a much-needed change in momentum. “But, it was good to go to Dover, a track where we all really were confident at and execute from start to finish,” Larson summarized his Dover weekend. Starting 25th after a rain-soaked weekend forced the field to line up by metric rather than qualifying speed, Larson methodically carved his way through the field at the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400. By the end of Stage 1, he’d broken into the top 10. But that’s not all. He maintained that form throughout, securing fourth at the checkered flag. This was his best finish in nearly two months.

The Dover race was not without drama, though. With just seven laps to go, Kyle Larson narrowly avoided a chaotic crash on the front stretch involving Christopher Bell, allowing him to maintain his charge and avoid another disaster. “I was happy to finish where we did and avoid that wreck on the front stretch with Bell,” Larson explained on the NASCAR Live podcast.

With his Dover performance, Larson retained second place in the Cup Series standings, right behind William Byron. He remains one of only four drivers with at least three wins on the season. As the regular season heads toward its critical final stretch, Larson’s renewed confidence and strong points position offer hope that this Dover breakthrough is the start of a much-needed resurgence. “Hopefully, it’s the beginning of a good stretch of run for us now,” Larson concluded, as the No. 5 garage gears up for a playoff charge.

It’s not just Kyle Larson

Following a strong start to 2025, Hendrick Motorsports (HMS), on the whole, has entered a frustrating mid-season slump. Naturally, this has sparked concern among fans and insiders alike as the playoffs approach. After an electric first half that featured four wins (including three from Kyle Larson and one from William Byron) and impressive consistency with all four HMS drivers in the top 10, the past two months have been markedly difficult.

Alex Bowman, once a steady contributor, has endured a rough run with multiple finishes outside the top 30, triggering fan backlash and raising questions about his future with HMS. Chase Elliott and William Byron have also experienced mixed results, with Elliott’s dominance at Dover not translating into a win and Byron crashing out late in the race despite strong performance.

HMS legend Jeff Gordon underscored the importance of teamwork and communication amidst adversity. He emphasized how the four teams push each other to improve even during setbacks. However, the urgency is clear. With just over a month left in the regular season, Hendrick Motorsports must resolve inconsistencies. They must also capitalize on opportunities to secure strong playoff positioning.

As Larson leads the HMS charge from second in points, the question remains. Can the powerhouse organization turn the tide in these final races and prevent their mid-season slump from defining their 2025 championship hopes? What do you think? Do let us know in the comments below.