Hendrick Motorsports Leaders Call for Improvement After Tough Southern 500
DARLINGTON, S.C. — Hendrick Motorsports left Darlington Raceway with more questions than answers following a challenging outing in the Cook Out Southern 500, the opening race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Team executives and crew chiefs acknowledged the struggles but stressed there are reasons for optimism moving forward.
Vice President of Competition Chad Knaus, along with crew chiefs Cliff Daniels (No. 5, Kyle Larson) and Rudy Fugle (No. 24, William Byron), all admitted Sunday night that the organization wasn’t at its best at Darlington.
“It wasn’t the day we wanted,” Knaus said. “The Southern 500 is always a grind, and we’ve had some great runs here in the past, but today we were just a step off. We’ve got to regroup and make sure we’re sharper heading into the next round of races.”
Daniels echoed that sentiment, noting that execution and adjustments simply weren’t enough to keep up with the competition. “We’ve had the speed all year, but Darlington exposed some areas where we need to improve,” he said. “The good news is we know what we’re capable of, and we’ll take this and learn from it.”
For Fugle, the message was similar: disappointment balanced by confidence. “Nobody’s panicking,” he said. “We’ve got fast cars and great people. This one race doesn’t define us. We just need to tighten things up.”
While none of the Hendrick drivers scored the result they were hoping for, all three leaders emphasized that the foundation remains strong. With playoff positions still within reach and upcoming tracks that historically suit the team’s strengths, there’s optimism that Darlington will serve as a wake-up call rather than a lasting setback.
The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs continue next weekend, where Hendrick will look to rebound and reassert itself as a championship favorite.
