'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
NASCAR legend and Hendrick Motorsports vice president Jeff Gordon delved deep into Kyle Larson's commendable work ethic during an interview in 2021. Larson moved to HMS in 2021 and registered a historic campaign that same season.
Before taking up the role of the Vice President for HMS, Jeff Gordon was interviewed by WCNC Charlotte in the 2021 post-season, weeks after Kyle Larson's historic campaign. Larson, in his first season with HMS in 2021, clinched a total of 10 victories leading to a memorable championship win at the Phoenix Raceway.
The win meant it was the first time since Jimmie Johnson in 2007 that a NASCAR driver had secured 10 wins in a single Cup campaign. It was also the first time since Dale Earnhardt in 1987 that a driver had won three consecutive races twice in a single season.
Trending
These accolades cemented Larson's position at the pinnacle of stock car racing, leading to critical acclaim all around. Gordon, in the aforementioned interview, highlighted Larson's work ethic that resulted in the title victory that season. He told WCNC:
"He's talented, he's super talented. But, when you get to the Cup level, it takes a lot more than a talented race car driver behind the wheel. It takes the total team. It's a grind to do it over 36 weeks," Gordon said (4:06 onwards).
"I am so impressed with the work effort that Kyle Larson puts in. Usually the guys that I've been around, I'll throw myself in this category. I'm not as talented as he is, I'm not gonna throw myself in that category. I'm saying that, there were times where I probably didn't work as hard as I could have to have more success," he added.
After retiring from full-time racing back in 2015, four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon has taken up off-track racing duties within the Hendrick Motorsports organization. A former analyst and broadcaster, the three-time Daytona 500 winner has been serving as the vice president for Hendrick Motorsports since 2022.
Jeff Gordon commented on Cliff Daniels' significance in Kyle Larson's success
During the same interview, Jeff Gordon also highlighted the importance of the team dynamics and the leadership behind Larson’s success. Emphasizing the role of crew chief Cliff Daniels, Gordon said:
"You know how Cliff Daniels works," Gordon explained. "He is very detailed, he covers a lot of ground, and puts a lot of information in the whole team's hands. You know, it's hard to sometimes manage all that." (4:57)
Kyle Larson, according to Gordon, embraced this process wholeheartedly. The 53-year-old commented on Larson's 'impressive' willingness to work in tandem with the team besides his talent.
"Kyle Larson was completely invested in all that. He believed in the process, believed in his team, and put all the effort into it. That is what it took to be a champion, and that's equally as impressive to me as his talent behind the wheel."
Kyle Larson finished sixth in the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season while Joey Logano of Team Penske clinched his third Cup title in the campaign.
