Kyle Larson and his crew chief Cliff Daniels enjoyed a triumphant 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship, securing their second title together. As the 2026 season approaches, both Larson and Daniels are eager to begin preparations to chase a third championship, with hopes of making history by becoming back-to-back champions in a format that returns to emphasizing consistent performance.
Anticipation Builds for the Upcoming Season and Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium
Larson expressed his eagerness to resume competition this weekend at Bowman Gray Stadium, where the Cup Series will host the Cook Out Clash. The offseason followed an unusual schedule, with the NASCAR Awards banquet taking place immediately after the season finale, compressing the transition period. This shift made the offseason feel longer for Larson, even though it began with a hectic week of celebrations and events.
Offseasons are fun and all that to get refreshed,
Larson said Thursday at Hendrick Motorsports,
but then as it approaches the new season, I just get really antsy and ready to go and look forward to being around everybody again and getting into the meetings and preparation and race weekends and all of that that goes into it.
This year, it was crazy hectic for a week,
Larson added,
but then once that week was done, it was like, boom, you’re moved on to the next year. So it’s made the offseason feel longer, I think, for me, and that’s been something I’ve enjoyed.
Larson’s Diverse Racing Experience During the Break
During the offseason, Larson remained active by participating in dirt-racing events such as the Chili Bowl and competing in Australia. Now, with the focus shifting fully to 2026, Larson is determined to build upon his previous successes while adapting to the revamped NASCAR format. He aims to become the first driver since Jimmie Johnson’s streak from 2006 to 2010 to win consecutive championships in the Cup Series.
Cliff Daniels Reflects on the Team’s Journey and Challenges Ahead
Crew chief Cliff Daniels praised the team’s resilience throughout their championship campaign but emphasized the fresh challenges that every new season brings. The reception of the Goodyear gold replica of their title-winning car at Hendrick Motorsports symbolized the 2025 achievement, but Daniels insists their approach remains future-focused rather than celebratory.
That accomplishment is great to have, but at the same time, every year presents its own set of challenges and circumstances,
Daniels said.
And of course, with The Chase format this year, it’s all kind of a different look. So what we can take from one year to another is how we build our daily process, how we execute, how we perform, how we communicate, all of those things, and apply it to whatever comes our way this season.
Comparing the 2021 and 2025 Championship Campaigns
The team’s first NASCAR Cup Series title in 2021 was marked by a dominant performance that included 10 wins and an All-Star Race victory, creating a clear path toward the championship. By contrast, Larson’s 2025 season was less straightforward. He won three races before Memorial Day but finished third in regular-season standings. During the playoffs, the team advanced through the elimination rounds without claiming a postseason win, eventually securing the championship by finishing third at Phoenix Raceway.
NASCAR’s Return to The Chase Points Format and Its Impact
For 2026, NASCAR reinstates The Chase, a 10-race points-based championship, emphasizing consistent stage and race performances across the final stretch of the season. Cliff Daniels views last year’s experience as valuable preparation for this format, highlighting how their ability to accumulate stage points kept the team competitive despite setbacks like mechanical issues or crashes.
Even thinking back to our season in 2025, a lot of what kept us in the hunt for the regular-season title fight was the fact that we had some really good races going until a mechanical failure or a late crash, where we did score a lot of stage points, and that kind of kept us in the hunt,
Daniels remarked.
So we’ve lived it a little bit. We’ve seen it. And now, of course, it’s going to be more of a highlight of that, where you’ve got to be there during the stages and put a whole race together.
So again, I think it’s going to benefit our team, and we’ve just got to make sure that how we strategize our races, how we execute, that we’re getting those points along the way. And of course, now with extra points for the race winner, I think that’s a pretty big deal as well of just boosting what that points momentum can be.
Increased Value of Winning and Larson’s Confidence Moving Forward
NASCAR’s adjusted points system rewards race winners with 55 points instead of the former 40, heightening the importance of outright victories even within a points-based championship. Larson enters the new season on a 24-race winless streak, his longest since joining Hendrick Motorsports, but remains confident that the team’s momentum will return, particularly with the larger sample size that The Chase format offers.
I think probably all of us were happy to hear of the format change,
Larson commented.
I mean, I think your championship contenders in the playoff format are gonna be the same championship contenders in this format. It’s just a larger sample size is gonna be much nicer. A lot can happen in a three-race mini-series that can take you out of it. And then, yeah, from the championship to come down to Phoenix, it’s just there are some teams that are better equipped for that style track. So, yeah, just the larger sample size is gonna be better, and I think would suit Hendrick Motorsports better.
Looking Ahead to the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Season
As Kyle Larson and his team gear up for the 2026 NASCAR season, the shift back to a longer, points-based playoff format could better suit their strengths and steady approach. Their focus on consistency, strategic race execution, and communication will be critical to navigating the revamped challenges. Larson’s determination to forge a legacy alongside iconic competitors like Jimmie Johnson sets an ambitious tone for the season, one that promises to be competitive and full of high stakes on and off the track.
