Despite leading the Cup Series in wins, Kyle Larson failed to qualify for the Championship Four. It continued the pattern of Larson alternating years when he makes the season finale with a chance at the title. If the pattern holds, then Larson and the 5 team should be a shoo-in for Phoenix this year. As long as the team can stay out of its own way, then that should be the case. As there are only 35 Days to Daytona left, what can fans expect out of the Hendrick Motorsports #5 team this season?
The #5 Team
Driver: Kyle Larson
Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels
Sponsors: HendrickCars.Com, Valvoline
2024 Statistics: 6 Wins, 15 Top-5s, 18 Top-10s, 2 Poles, 12.9 Average Finish
2025 Season Preview
Leaving Wins on the Table
Although Kyle Larson led the Cup Series with 6 wins, there were plenty of races that he could have won last season. When a driver leads 1,700 laps, there were definitely more than 6 races where Larson could have won. Whether it was the pit crew or Larson’s over-aggression behind the wheel, the 5 team got in their own way plenty of times. Fairly easily, Larson could have bagged at least 10 wins. For 2025, can the team limit the mistakes to put together another dominant season?
Best Motorsports Driver?
During last year, the conversation around who the best driver in all of motorsports sparked after Larson’s Indy 500 start. The argument boils down between Larson and F1’s Max Verstappen. While Verstappen is a tremendous racer in his own right, it is difficult to argue against Larson. Not only is Larson the top driver in NASCAR right now, his mastery of dirt along with his impressive IndyCar race gives him more success in a wider variety of vehicles. With another Indy 500 start on the horizon, Larson can further cement his legacy with a strong run.
Second Chance at The Double
Due to weather, Kyle Larson’s attempt at the Indy 500/Coca-Cola 600 double turned into a nightmare. The delay in the start of the Indy 500 meant Larson would be late for the 600. Then, damp weather in Charlotte halted (and finished) the race before Larson had a chance to get into his car. This year, Larson will hope for better luck with the weather. With how well Larson ran in the 500, there is a great chance that he sets the record for best combined finishes between the two races. If he can avoid speeding penalties, could there be a trip to victory lane in Indianapolis on the agenda?
Daytona 500 Outlook
Almost every race weekend, you can pencil in Kyle Larson as one of the favorites. However, the Daytona 500 is one of the few races where you would not. Larson’s history at superspeedways is terrible. When Larson survived the big one at Talladega last year, he was as surprised as anyone that he managed to go unscathed through it. Now, Larson still flashes great skill in working the draft. However, bad luck always seems to strike.
In terms of speed, Kyle Larson and Hendrick Motorsports have it in spades during qualifying. Larson has been on the front row twice for the Daytona 500. Although the Fords swept the front row last year, Larson could be a threat to return to the front for the 500. Will being upfront early help Larson out in the end? Unlikely; either the big one will find him or something else unlucky will happen. Kyle Larson’s season truly will not kick off until COTA in the third week.
Days to Daytona Countdown
40 Days: Team Penske #22; 39 Days: Team Penske #12; 38 Days: Hendrick #24;
37 Days: 23XI Racing #45; 36 Days: Joe Gibbs Racing #20
