Strong legacies exist in NASCAR, especially in teams like Hendrick Motorsports. The endeavor Rick Hendrick started over four decades ago is being carried on by the golden stars on his team. They include Kyle Larson, possibly at the top of the list. The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion recently extended his contract into the next decade. But he assured everyone that he will be around for the following decades, too, like Jeff Gordon.
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Kyle Larson is in it for the long haul
“I don’t need the contract to know that I’ll hopefully be there for the rest of my life. Uh, I don’t ever foresee a reason for me to even want to entertain, you know, being a part of another group. I know what I have at Hendrick Motorsports,” Kyle Larson said in a press briefing. “Maybe a lifetime contract would be the next one, but I’m not too worried about it. I’m pretty confident in where I’m at and don’t have any plans ever to think about going anywhere else.”
These lofty plans are no surprise coming from Hendrick Motorsports’ ‘golden boy.’ Since his HMS tenure began in 2021, Kyle Larson has won two championships and 26 race trophies. The journey ahead is a longer one, as Larson plans to undertake it as Jeff Gordon did. The latter fetched 93 race wins and four championships, all under Hendrick’s umbrella. What’s more, Gordon is still on the team, as he was appointed the vice chairman of HMS in 2022.
Kyle Larson also seems eager to be going down a similar route. His recent contract fixes him in his role until 2031, which was an easy decision after he fetched the second title for HMS in 5 years. Larson’s identity with the blue-and-white, HendrickCars.com car and team is constant in an era when sponsors and paint schemes seemingly change by the week.
“A really similar answer for me,” Kyle Larson’s No. 5 crew chief, Cliff Daniels, added. “We’re trying to be excellent on the racetrack now, but we’re also looking into the future of people, talent, resources, of what it’s going to take. So, that’s really exciting to be a part of.” He added, “It’s inspiring, and I’m certainly happy to be a part of it and hope to be a big part of it for a long time.”
“I think these two guys, I want them to retire with me,” Rick Hendrick said.
The camaraderie is ever stronger between the No. 5 HMS team and Rick Hendrick. However, that may not be the case for another team in HMS.
A possible seat change incoming?
Kyle Larson is not alone in retaining stability in HMS. Chase Elliott’s contract, signed in 2022, secures him for the No. 9 ride through 2027. William Byron signed a four-year extension in May 2025 to remain behind the wheel of the No. 24. However, questions swirl around Alex Bowman‘s No. 48 – as he has won just one race since March 2022. His contract will expire at the end of 2026, although his primary sponsor, Ally Financial, has locked in until 2028.
So will HMS witness a driver change? No such indication is available yet.
The last time Rick Hendrick’s fold had to change drivers was when Jimmie Johnson retired in 2020. Bowman moved from the No. 88 Chevrolet to Johnson’s No. 48 Chevrolet. Kasey Kahne was replaced by Byron in 2017, who actually took the No. 24. Bowman began competing for HMS in 2018, the same year as Byron. Elliott is currently their longest tenured driver, having competed full-time since 2016.
Hence, the HMS fold does not guarantee a seat to every driver currently under its umbrella. Nevertheless, Kyle Larson and Co. are drumming up excitement for 2026 – let’s see how they perform.
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