The 2025 NASCAR season has been full of fast starts and second chances. At the center of it all is a team many expected to be here—but one that still carries the weight of three seasons without a title. As the playoffs approach and pressure builds, this powerhouse organization may finally be ready to settle unfinished business. But as past years have proven, nothing comes easy when the trophy is on the line.
Key Highlights
Hendrick Motorsports drivers currently hold the top three spots in the Cup Series standings
William Byron, Chase Elliott, and Kyle Larson have each scored at least one win
Alex Bowman remains inside the playoff bubble despite being winless
Hendrick leads the series in combined points, but hasn’t won a title since 2021
Postseason execution and closing strength remain the biggest unknowns
Hendrick’s Drought and 2025 Resurgence
For most teams, a three-year title gap wouldn’t be a drought—it would be a highlight. But Hendrick Motorsports is not most teams. Since 1984, the team has racked up 14 Cup championships, but since Kyle Larson’s triumph in 2021, the organization has watched Team Penske and Joe Gibbs Racing steal the sport’s biggest spotlight.
The 2024 season stung deeply. Larson won the regular season title, but it was Christopher Bell who hoisted the championship trophy. That near-miss left a mark, and Hendrick entered 2025 determined to finish what they started.
Halfway through the season, the standings tell a powerful story:
| Position | Driver | Points | Wins | Top 5s | Top 10s |
| 1 | William Byron | 632 | 1 | 7 | 10 |
| 2 | Chase Elliott | 619 | 1 | 6 | 10 |
| 3 | Kyle Larson | 613 | 3 | 9 | 12 |
| 10 | Alex Bowman | 480 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
Three Hendrick cars are stacked at the top. All have wins. All are playoff-bound. And behind them, Alex Bowman sits firmly in the top ten—just one breakout drive away from turning Hendrick’s playoff trio into a quartet.
Driver-by-Driver Report Card
William Byron has emerged as the most complete driver on the team. With one win and more consistent points than anyone else, Byron has led the standings by staying out of trouble and executing every week.
Byron’s only weakness? A need for more playoff points. His lead is solid now, but once the reset hits, he’ll want more cushion.
Chase Elliott, once mired in a long winless streak, turned things around with a clutch victory at EchoPark Speedway. Since then, he’s been one of the most reliable drivers in the series, avoiding crashes, penalties, and poor finishes.
Road courses ahead favor Elliott, and if momentum counts for anything, he might be peaking at the perfect time.
Kyle Larson remains Hendrick’s hammer. His three wins are the most among his teammates, and he leads the organization with 23 playoff points. When Larson is on, nobody is faster. But his aggressive driving style can be a double-edged sword.
Larson is a proven closer, but his challenge this year will be stringing together clean runs in the high-pressure playoff rounds.
Alex Bowman has done everything but win. His consistent top-10 performances have kept him relevant, but without a victory, he’ll enter the postseason as an underdog.
A Bowman win would turn Hendrick from a three-headed monster into a four-car playoff juggernaut.
What Hendrick Must Fix
Hendrick’s strength is clear, but postseason pain in recent years has come down to the same handful of issues. Execution, flexibility, and error control.
First, they must improve playoff point totals. Larson’s 23 give him a cushion, but Elliott and Byron need more to survive the early rounds. Without them, a single bad race could spell disaster.
Second, Hendrick needs to close races better. Several wins have slipped away in the final laps—either through strategy missteps, restarts, or on-track mistakes.
Third, they need Bowman to step up. With a win, he becomes a real weapon. Without it, he’s a wild card—someone who might help, or just survive.
And finally, there’s the matter of adaptability. The playoff schedule includes short tracks, intermediates, superspeedways, and road courses. Hendrick can’t afford to be one-dimensional. Success in 2025 means being great on all surfaces.
News in Brief: Hendrick Motorsports’ Pursuit of a Cup Title
Hendrick Motorsports has all the tools for a title run—top-tier drivers, fast cars, and deep experience. With Byron, Elliott, and Larson already in the win column and leading the standings, the regular season has set the foundation. But recent history shows that the real test starts in September. If Bowman can break through and the team sharpens its playoff execution, Hendrick’s three-year drought might finally end. Until then, every lap is a step closer to either glory—or more heartbreak.
ALSO READ: Only 2 Points Separate NASCAR’s Final Playoff Spot—And One Big Name Is in Trouble
