There was a time this season when Kyle Larson seemed unstoppable! And there’s no perfect example of this than the Kansas race in May. From blistering lap times to record-setting runs, his performance at the 2025 AdventHealth 400 reminded everyone why he’s one of NASCAR’s most complete drivers. Leading 221 of 267 laps and sweeping both stages, Larson looked every bit the championship favorite.

But since that dominant victory, things haven’t quite gone according to script for Rick Hendrick’s star. From heartbreak in Indy to early exits and near-misses in the summer stretch, well, let’s just say, Larson’s momentum hit an invisible wall. The slump is there even now, when we are in the last leg of the season.

As fans began to question what went wrong, Rick Hendrick stepped in. Not to make excuses, but to offer perspective on what he calls a “temporary dip,” not a decline. And his defense paints a revealing picture of resilience and trust.

Rick Hendrick shows his faith in Kyle Larson

As we head to the 2025 Championship race, Rick Hendrick addressed questions about Kyle Larson’s recent winless stretch in the 2025 season, saying, “I don’t know that that’s a slump, but he did have some; it was a downer in May.” Well, Hendrick was referencing Larson’s grueling double-duty weekend, attempting the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600.

“He comes back to Charlotte and loses it on the first or second lap,” Hendrick recalled, describing an emotional rollercoaster for Larson and the team needing to regroup after setbacks. As you might remember, during the Charlotte race, Larson was caught up in a wreck on Lap 246. This was after crashing out at the Indianapolis 500 on Lap 91, resulting in a disappointing day for Larson.

Things only went from bad to worse since then. Larson has been winless since his Kansas win before the Double Duty weekend, despite leading over a thousand laps (1,106 in total) in the Cup Series. Hendrick explained, “He was in a position to win the race where we haven’t had a lot of success… and he ended up running out of gas.” 

Rick Hendrick was referring to the Talladega playoff race, where Larson ran out of gas on the final lap. This cost him a potential win and forced him to coast to a 26th-place finish. Similarly, other races saw Larson leading, only to have cautions or incidents disrupt his chances.

Despite these setbacks, Rick Hendrick expresses confidence as Larson (along with Byron) heads to Phoenix for the championship race. “I’m excited about going to Phoenix with both cars. I think he’s got the bit in his teeth right now,” he said. Larson is the only former champion in the final four, having won the title at Phoenix in 2021.

It will be interesting to see if ‘Yung Money’ can channel all the frustration and lessons from his midseason heartbreaks into one final statement run at Phoenix. With Hendrick’s faith unwavering and a proven track record under pressure, the stage is set for redemption. Will this be the moment Kyle Larson silences every doubt and reclaims his crown?

Rick Hendrick reflects on the 2025 season

Rick Hendrick reflected on the challenge of winning a NASCAR Cup Series championship as Hendrick Motorsports gears up for the 2025 finale at Phoenix Raceway. “It’s pretty special,” Hendrick said, admitting that even after four decades of success, winning never gets easier. The last time Hendrick won the Championship was with Kyle Larson in 2021, and the title has eluded them ever since, with Penske claiming the stakes since.

With Kyle Larson and William Byron both in the Championship 4 this year, Hendrick remains optimistic yet realistic. “If nobody else cares about the championship, we do… it’s going to be a hard-fought battle.” The Hendrick drivers face Joe Gibbs Racing’s stars, Chase Briscoe and Denny Hamlin, another favorite to win the championship.

Hendrick also praised both drivers for their remarkable 2025 campaigns, noting they’ve each led over a thousand laps, Byron leading the charge with 1,278 laps. “We won the regular-season championship, and for a while, we were 1-2-3 in the points. That’s all you can ask – to be competitive.”

The consistency, teamwork, and preparation have kept both cars in contention from start to finish. Still, with everything on the line in a single-race finale, Hendrick is focusing more on pride than pressure.“Whatever happens, happens. It’s a race, but we’ll have a lot of momentum going into next year,” he said, crediting Jeff Gordon and the entire Hendrick organization for keeping the operation sharp and motivated.

Looking ahead to Phoenix, Rick Hendrick’s message to his drivers is simple: stay loose and trust the work. “The best thing I can do now is stand back… I’m proud of you. We got two cars out of the four, and let’s go get it done.” With a possible 15th Cup title up for grabs, Hendrick Motorsports heads into the desert fueled by confidence, experience, and a burning drive to finish what they started.