Kyle Larson’s Championship Hopes Under Fire as Fans Blame Chevy & HMS Woes

Kyle Larson, early in the year, said, “Obviously you’d like to win the most races and win the championship and all that.” However, those hopes are falling short. The 33-year-old admitted during a media day that while his team has a lot of strength and speed to compete, the summer stretch has tested them, and the shorter, flat tracks like Gateway and New Hampshire aren’t exactly in his comfort zone, even if the package has improved. However, a bigger issue looms, and the broader NASCAR community has dropped the hammer on Larson’s championship hopes.

Kyle Larson’s dream season hit a wall, literally and figuratively, after his daring Double attempt at the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600. Once riding high with three wins and championship momentum, Larson’s campaign unraveled when he crashed out of both marquee events on the same day; the fallout was brutal. In the eight races that followed, the No. 5 car managed just one top five and a pair of top tens. Fatigue, loss of rhythm, and reliability woes are all part of the conversation as fans and analysts wondered if the Indy-Charlotte gamble had torpedoed his Cup title push. And the playoffs aren’t making it easy for the wheelman.

When the playoffs rolled around, the Hendrick Motorsports ace did enough to survive the Round of 16. At Darlington, he grounded out and finished, which kept him third in the standings, starting fifth but taking one on the chin with a 19th-place finish. However, at Gateway, Kyle Larson showed flashes of speed, nearly winning the pole before settling in behind Denny Hamlin. The strategy, however, shuffled him back into 12th place. But Bristol was a survival test  — no-win, no fireworks, just enough points to squeak through to the Round of 12. The No. 5 driver avoided disaster and finished 32nd, after a strong fifth-place showing in the qualifying session.

And as the Chevrolet struggled, Joe Gibbs Racing smelled blood. They didn’t just win races; they swept the table. Chase Briscoe claimed Darlington, Denny Hamlin owned Gateway, and Christopher Bell sealed the deal at Bristol. Three playoff races, 3 JGR trophies, and a clear statement: Toyota had the edge, while Chevy and Hendrick Motorsports were on the back foot. Suddenly, Larson’s playoff run isn’t about dominance; it’s about survival in a championship chase where his rivals are firing on all cylinders.

As Hendrick Motorsports scrambles to survive, a driver must be sharp every way: short tracks, flat ovals, and high-banked speedways. Every team has its trends and blind spots, and for Hendrick Motorsports, the spotlight has fallen squarely on flat, mile or shorter tracks where they have worked to close the gap. That’s exactly the type of venue they will face at New Hampshire this coming weekend. For Larson, Byron, and Elliott, the Round of 12 and beyond is dotted with similar challenges, from Martinsville to Phoenix.

While explaining how Larson outsmarted his rivals on a tricky track like Bristol, he admitted, “I think we’ve gotten our package better on that style of track, for sure. I wouldn’t say that we’re as dominant or as good as we want to be, but I do believe that we’re better than we were. Hopefully, keep fine-tuning it and we’ll get even better.” And here’s the proof: Byron’s win at Iowa, Bowman nearly stealing one at Richmond, and Larson charging from 30th to 6th in that same race.

It’s clear HMS is grinding forward, but whether that’s enough against powerhouse rivals like JGR is the looming question. And the NASCAR community has penned its verdict.

NASCAR fans sound off on Kyle Larson’s 2025 title hunt

People in the NASCAR world haven’t been shy about expressing what they see when it comes to Hendrick Motorsports’ slide, especially Kyle Larson’s recent troubles, as a fan wrote, “All of Hendrick hasn’t been doing too well for the last few months. I think Chevy in general has fallen behind Toyota.” HMS, once synonymous with raw speed, seems to be lagging, and supporters are pointing fingers not just internally but across the manufacturer divide.

A third view puts it simply, saying, “Drivers go through slumps. It happens. Larson’s not immune to it. HMS has also been noticeably slower, granted larson’s slump started before it. For a few weeks the 9 (Chase Elliott) and 48 (Alex Bowman) looked faster than the 5(Kyle Larson) and 24 (William Byron) then all 4 started to look like crap.” Chase Elliott may not be qualifying well, but his race results have propelled him into the Round of 12.

At Darlington Raceway, he started 21st but could only manage a 17th-place finish. The Gateway race tested him even more; qualifying a low 19th, Elliott carved his way up to a hard-earned third, snatching vital points along the way. Bristol, however, proved to be a cruel finale. After starting 16th, Elliott’s run was shot by the crash, resulting in a dramatic DNF. Still, thanks to his previous heroics and a little luck from competitors’ misfortunes, Elliott managed to squeeze into the Round of 12. But his calm demeanor is what his fans are counting on.

Alex Bowman’s Round of 16 run was an uphill battle. At Darlington, he rolled off 29th and never recovered, finishing 31st. Gateway offered little relief, as he started 25th and ended the night 26th, leaving him buried in points heading into the cutoff race. Bristol finally showed signs of life, with Bowman rallying into an impressive eighth-place finish from 15th, though his early struggles proved too costly and he was ultimately eliminated from the playoffs despite the late push.

The comparison to his teammates is especially potent; when your rivals in the same garage are flat-out outrunning you, the focus shifts from external competition to internal adjustments, and none of them look spectacular right now, according to this comment. However, many fans blame the double-duty effort that derailed Kyle Larson.

Another voice adds, “Hendrick hasn’t been great since the spring, bit are still good. Larson definitely took the Indy 500 deal really hard and it clearly got to his head. And Toyota is lights out right now.” That comment strikes at Larson’s mental state and suggests the burden of expectations may have gotten heavier after the ambitious double-duty effort. And comments like “I truly think got his bells rung at IMS and it’s been swept under the rug. The fall off since the 500 has been kind of crazy for him to have this significant of a slump,” really emphasize the diabolical effect of the double duty.

It also reinforces the idea that while HMS is capable, it has been visibly less aggressive and less consistent, especially against Toyota’s surging form. And now with New Hampshire around the corner, all eyes will be on Rick Hendrick’s team to see if they can make it to the Championship 4.