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Rick Hendrick believes Kyle Larson can keep adding championships. But after Larson’s third title Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the team owner said today’s car makes a run like Jimmie Johnson‘s much harder to repeat.
Asked whether Larson could one day challenge Johnson’s seven championships, Hendrick pointed to the difference between their eras.
“Jimmie had an unbelievable run, and it wasn’t in this car. So I think that’s a big difference,” Hendrick said, in comments shared by The Athletic’s Jeff Gluck.
https://x.com/jeff_gluck/status/2119593924625137900
‘We Can’t Do Very Much in This Car’
Johnson won his seven titles between 2006 and 2016 with Hendrick Motorsports, including five straight from 2006 to 2010. Larson’s three have come since he joined Hendrick in 2021, with two of them coming in the Next Gen era, which began in 2022.
The Next Gen car uses more standardized parts and tighter limits on development than past cars, which leaves teams less room to find an engineering edge.
“We can’t do very much in this car. We could do a lot with the car we had before, but I think it’s very possible, as talented as he and Cliff are together, for him to string them together,” Hendrick said.
Hendrick did not call for the car to be replaced. He was describing why Johnson’s streak would be hard to match under today’s rules.
‘Two in a Row Is Pretty Awesome’
Hendrick said Larson and crew chief Cliff Daniels have what it takes to win more.
“I don’t know we can win five in a row, but they sure have a chemistry to do multiple wins,” Hendrick said. “I couldn’t believe we did five in a row, but I think two in a row is pretty awesome right now.”
Larson won back-to-back titles in 2025 and 2026, the first driver to win consecutive Cup championships since Johnson finished his five-title streak in 2010.
Larson Locked In Through 2031
Hendrick has already made a long-term commitment to the No. 5 team. In February, the team announced a five-year extension that keeps Larson in the No. 5 Chevrolet through 2031. Daniels also signed a multiyear deal to remain his crew chief.
Larson won titles in 2021, 2025 and 2026, all with Daniels as his crew chief.
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