Kyle Larson’s calendar reads like two separate seasons stitched together, one written in horsepower and aero on Sundays, and the other in mud and adrenaline on Friday nights. Off the asphalt, Larson’s dirt resume remains staggering, claiming the 2025 Chili Bowl Nationals A-Main victory in January, adding a string of marquee dirt accomplishments with Knoxville Nationals successes among them that keep his race craft in wheel-to-wheel chaos. In the Cup Series paddock, he has been relentless through 24 races, posting 3 wins, 14 top-10s, 11 top-5s, and has led 873 laps this year, sitting comfortably inside the top five in the regular-season standings. The aggression, car control, and throttle feel he honed in sprint cars show up when the Cup pit stops and restarts get tight.
On the other hand, Hendrick Motorsports’ playoff picture amplifies every one of those performances and every small mistake. As an organization, HMS sits among the leaders, but the internal calculus is delicate with William Byron, Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, and Larson all fighting near the front. Pit-lane calls, stage points, and mid-race strategy swings can reshuffle the packing order in an instant. Records suggest that Larson has been one of the team’s most effective short-track scorers and has logged serious laps at Richmond in the Next-Gen era, but even he concedes the sport’s volatility. The team’s three other drivers have had streaks of both brilliance and bad luck this year, and Larson knows how much this has cost.
Inside Kyle Larson’s unfiltered take on recent struggles
Talking to NBC Sports’ Dustin Long in a pre-race interview at Richmond Raceway, Larson opened up about HMS’ collective hopes for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. “I mean, obviously, we would like to get a couple good runs in before the playoffs,” he said. “Just any bit of good momentum would be great.” Larson’s team has shown that it can produce signature weekends this year, even while the broader package sputters at times. His own Kansas victory, where he led 221 of 267 laps, and his dominant Bristol performance aren’t just trophies; they are proofs that when HMS gets a clean weekend, the No. 5 car can convert speed into control.
But those moments have been interspersed with procedural and executional setbacks for HMS. Pit-road miscues at Martinsville hampered multiple HMS cars in March, and inspection headaches, including Larson’s car failing initial pre-race inspection twice in late June, briefly threatened to erase those gains. On the other hand, Larson’s ill-fated “Double” attempt produced crashes and a 37th-place finish at Charlotte after an Indy spin, wiping away any momentum that might have carried into the next week. Reflecting on such incidents, Larson said, “But, the sport, especially the Cup Series, is so up and down for a lot of teams…Yeah, it doesn’t concern me, I guess, that we’ve had some bad results here lately.”
Surprise winners, sudden mechanical gremlins related to the Next-Gen era cars, and race-to-race rule sculpted outcomes that kept the standings fluid. But statistically, Larson remains one of HMS‘s most productive drivers in 2025. But internally, Hendrick’s engineering pipeline and pit crews have repeatedly demonstrated the ability to regroup between events. For example, the team tightened single-lap pace and long-run speed after mid-season setup trials, producing stronger qualifying positions and race pace in subsequent races. “I think our car speed has gotten better,” he continued. “Just haven’t had quite the luck or whatever you want to call it here in the last couple of years.”
#NASCAR … Kyle Larson explains what he is looking to accomplish before the regular season ends and what has stood out to him lately even as the results haven’t always been stellar pic.twitter.com/8xBlvxATcM
— Dustin Long (@dustinlong) August 16, 2025
HMS has long established Richmond Raceway as one of its strongest tracks, boasting 12 wins, 19 poles, 69 top-5s, 128 top-10s, and 4,643 laps led all-time, the most by any team. In 2025, the dominance has continued with 6 wins, 5 poles, 32 top-5s, 52 top-10s, 2,328 laps led, and 16 stage wins through 24 races, tying for the most stage wins this season. With an average Richmond finish of 11.5, the team remains one of the most consistent forces on the short track, keeping its reputation as a benchmark of performance intact. But despite its historic success at the .75-mile track, HMS hasn’t been immune to errors. At the 2023 Toyota Owners 400, both the No. 24 and No. 48 teams were hit with penalties after Richmond when NASCAR found modifications to the greenhouse area of their cars, resulting in 60-point deductions, loss of five playoff points, $75,000 fines each, and crew chief suspensions for each team.
So, if HMS can limit these external stumbles, Larson’s assessment suggests the raw speed will translate back into the consistent results their stats indicate are possible.
Kyle Larson shrugs off venue speculation with a calm response
For nearly four decades, the NASCAR All-Star Race has been the sport’s ultimate showcase. As a no-points, high-intensity battle for ride and payouts, it has captured the attention of many. After moving between Charlotte, Bristol, Texas, and most recently North Wilkesboro, the event’s identity has always been tied to its venue. Now, rumors suggest the 2026 edition could shift to Dover Motor Speedway, with North Wilkesboro potentially regaining a points-paying Cup race for the first time since 1996.
Kyle Larson wasn’t rattled by the talk of change. “I mean, the first time I read it was today, so I don’t really have an opinion … I don’t know. I’ll race wherever we got to,” he noted. His relaxed take reflected a driver unfazed by logistics, more focused on performance than speculation, a trait that has carried him well in high-stakes races.
That cool confidence has fueled Larson’s All-Star dominance. He is a three-time winner, capturing victories in 2019 in Charlotte, 2021 in Texas, and 2023 in North Wilkesboro. The 2023 win tied him with Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon for the second-most history, showing his adaptability to any format or venue. Whether Dover takes the spotlight in 2026 or not, Larson’s presence ensures the All-Star remains a must-watch showdown.
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