Jeff Gordon has addressed the intensity of playoff competition as Hendrick Motorsports mounts a comeback after a rocky start to the postseason. The topic of Jeff Gordon playoff pressure has taken center stage with HMS pushing to keep its championship hopes alive, following early setbacks and a clutch victory by Chase Elliott at Kansas Speedway.
Hendrick Motorsports Rebounds from Darlington Disappointment
During the playoff opener at Darlington Raceway, none of the Hendrick Motorsports drivers—Chase Elliott, William Byron, Kyle Larson, or Alex Bowman—managed to finish inside the top 16, marking a low point for the team in modern NASCAR history with an average finish of 22.0. This result was their poorest collective showing at Darlington and prompted questions about whether the powerhouse organization could recover as the playoff rounds progressed.
Rick Hendrick’s squad, which has long been a dominant force, found itself on the back foot entering the next legs of the chase for the NASCAR Cup. Despite this tough setback, the team slowly regained traction in subsequent races. Jeff Gordon, serving as HMS vice president, has closely watched the team’s battle to return to top form throughout the high-stakes playoff weeks.
Elliott’s Overtime Triumph at Kansas Signals Turnaround
The scene shifted dramatically at Kansas Speedway. Chase Elliott delivered a determined performance, surging from 10th place to first during a thrilling overtime finish, narrowly defeating Denny Hamlin by a margin of 0.069 seconds. This marked Elliott’s second win of the 2025 season, securing vital momentum for HMS as three of its drivers climbed into the top ranks of the playoff standings.
Post-race, Jeff Gordon emphasized the mounting playoff intensity, saying,
Yeah, I mean, these guys are just in, you know, grinding it out week in and week out. I mean, there’s so much pressure on them in the playoffs. And I think, um, you know, obviously, the Fords… and the Toyotas have you know so you saw that today they were very strong on the longer runs and but I love just you know the fight that our guys have and… the way they work together to try to learn from one another and just keep pushing the envelope and, and putting themselves in position and yeah I think we realize we’re on our heels a little bit.
— Jeff Gordon, HMS Vice President.
Gordon’s remarks underscore how much the team desires to be in championship contention. William Byron and Kyle Larson have also advanced to the Round of 12, demonstrating HMS’s determination to recover from early adversity. Kyle Larson and Byron finished strong in New Hampshire, both achieving top-10 results, while Elliott clawed his way back from 27th to a notable fifth-place finish.
Mixed Results and Strategic Adaptations
In the Round of 16 at Gateway, HMS’s performance was uneven. Chase Elliott led the Hendrick camp with an impressive third-place run, William Byron took 11th, and Kyle Larson, despite a promising start, dropped to 12th by race end. These variable outcomes showed the razor-thin margin for error in modern NASCAR, where minor adjustments can have dramatic effects on race results.
Jeff Gordon reflected on the challenges, stating,
And it just doesn’t take much to miss it. And you know, I think that you know that’s what we’re dealing with is just inconsistencies there because you’re just playing with hairs, and when you miss it, it can really make you look like you’re having a bad, I mean, it’s the 24 (William Byron) is a good, you know, example of that. I mean, you know they they tried a couple things, and all of a sudden, they look like the car just came to life all of a sudden out of nowhere.
— Jeff Gordon, HMS Vice President.
With efforts focused on maximizing collective knowledge, HMS continues to evolve its approach in a heated playoff environment, learning from each race and applying new insights to strengthen its charge.
Competition Heats Up with Toyotas and Fords Surging
While HMS has been able to claw back into contention, rival manufacturers remain a significant threat. Team Penske’s recent performance at Loudon, with Blaney scoring a victory and Logano taking fourth, illustrates Ford’s formidable pace on certain tracks. Even Gordon acknowledged Penske’s dominance at Phoenix, which hosts the decisive season finale.
The Toyotas, led by Denny Hamlin, pose another major challenge. At Kansas, Hamlin led a commanding 159 laps and, despite losing power steering late, nearly claimed his 60th Cup win before Elliott’s dramatic pass in overtime. Hamlin’s effort stands out for both its resilience and heartbreak, but the result means HMS drivers move forward into the later rounds with a points buffer and renewed confidence.
Playoff Standings Solidified Ahead of Charlotte Roval
Chase Elliott’s Kansas victory didn’t merely punch his ticket to the Round of 8—it also provided breathing room for HMS’s lineup. Kyle Larson’s composed drive to sixth puts him on the doorstep of advancement, holding third in the standings with a solid 41-point edge above the elimination line. William Byron finished ninth, also more than 40 points clear of danger, reflecting the effectiveness of the team’s recent strategic shifts.
Byron, while not featuring in the lead pack consistently at Kansas, navigated a tactical race, pitting alongside Bubba Wallace and Austin Cindric around lap 120. The race’s main battles remained between Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, and Wallace, but Byron’s top-10 finish adds to HMS’s cushion in the playoff race.
As the field trims from 12 to 8 after the upcoming event at the Charlotte Roval, Chase Elliott stands securely advanced, while both Larson and Byron look poised to join him barring major setbacks. With Team Penske capturing recent wins at New Hampshire and HMS prevailing at Kansas, the motorsports world’s attention now shifts to see which powerhouse will set the tone at Charlotte and carry momentum deeper into the postseason.
The ongoing playoff narrative highlights the relentless pressures drivers face and the critical adjustments made by teams like Hendrick Motorsports. With Jeff Gordon openly discussing the weight of expectations, the stage is set for a dramatic conclusion as top contenders push for NASCAR’s ultimate prize.
