Hendrick Motorsports Cements Legacy With 15th Cup Championship
30 years after Jeff Gordon first delivered Hendrick Motorsports a NASCAR Cup Series championship, Rick Hendrick's organization celebrated its 15th title on Sunday, a milestone that only further cements the team's place atop stock car racing's all-time pinnacle.
While Kyle Larson's second career championship marked a comeback at Phoenix Raceway, it also extended the legacy of NASCAR's winningest team.
In his team's humble beginnings, Hendrick doubted they'd ever win one championship, let alone 15. As a result, Sunday's moment was both surreal and symbolic for the 76-year-old team owner.
"15 is unbelievable," Hendrick said in his post-race press conference, "and we're just excited for the company and all the people that work so hard. Never thought we'd win one. I thought I'd go to New York and watch Richard Childress and Dale Earnhardt get a trophy every year. It feels good to get 15 of those things."
For Gordon, the 2025 championship rekindled memories of the organization's first title in 1995, and just how far the team has come since those early days at their shop in Concord, NC.
"Once you know you can win one, then you feel like you can win it every year," Gordon said. "We did that for a few of 'em, between Terry [Labonte] and me, then later with Jimmie [Johnson]. Just unbelievable to me that over the 30 years, it's been 15 of 'em. That's a pretty good percentage, boss. I know you like the math. I think you like those odds."
Grit Through Adversity
Crew chief Cliff Daniels called 2025 "the toughest year yet" for the No. 5 team, marked by struggles on and off the track, including the loss of Jon Edwards, a longtime public relations member of the Hendrick organization. Daniels feels it was that adversity that forged their resilience, and ultimately, it's what propelled them to the title.
"In the rearview mirror, there was just no other way for us to get toughened up, gritty enough, determined enough to show that level of perseverance that is what the team showcased today," Daniels said.
Daniels credited his engineers in Hendrick's Concord, NC, war-room for pushing bold pit strategy calls, including the two-tire decision that gave Larson track position in the restart prior to the race's chaotic final restart.
"There was a lot that was powerful in the communication and the way that we went through that to make those calls. They were bold, but they were probably proper for the situation, and Kyle had enough belief in it to go drive his butt off and get it done," Daniels recalled.
Culture Drives Success
Even amid the latest triumph, Hendrick and Gordon emphasized what has always driven the Hendrick Motorsports organization. It's the people who make up the team.
"It's respect among people," Hendrick said. "Cliff's an awesome leader. Jeff [Gordon] and Jeff [Andrews], Chad [Knaus]. We're in the people business. I don't care what kind of business you're in, if you can get everybody to pull together and believe we're stronger together, it's hard to break that down."
The winning culture at Hendrick Motorsports extends far beyond race-day decisions. After securing his second championship as a crew chief, Daniels revealed that his team reads leadership books together, including Acres of Diamonds, which has taught the team that success often comes from within your own circle.
"You don't need to go elsewhere to find diamonds. You can find diamonds in your own dirt," Daniels said. "That's what we do really well at Hendrick Motorsports and the 5 team. That's not going to stop anytime soon."
Future of the Hendrick Dynasty
With Larson now a two-time Cup Series champion, just the third driver to win multiple titles with Hendrick Motorsports, Hendrick sees no signs of the driver and his team slowing down.
"I think Kyle will win a lot of championships," Hendrick said emphatically.
But Hendrick also has faith in his other three teams going forward, especially as the championship race is set to move away from Phoenix Raceway, a track where they've struggled, in 2026.
"I think William's going to win a lot, and I think Chase is coming. He is really coming on. Alex was really good here today," Hendrick said. "I think we're bringing four really good cars to the track."
As the organization shifts its focus to the future and a new car for 2026, Hendrick's dynasty looks every bit as powerful as it did when a 24-year-old Gordon first hoisted the trophy three decades ago.
"From Jeff to Jimmie to Kyle," Gordon said, "this place just keeps finding ways to win."
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Toby Christie is the Editor-in-Chief of Racing America. He has 15 years of experience as a motorsports journalist and has been with Racing America since 2023.
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