Getty
Jeff Gordon has made strong comments about Corey LaJoie.
The NASCAR Cup Playoffs are always a challenging time, and at Kansas Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports demonstrated how difficult the path might be. Even as Jeff Gordon has recommended, he has eulogized the work of his drivers in being resilient despite the team struggling with inconsistencies.
As all of them, William Byron, Kyle Larson, and Chase Elliott are still in the hunt, the postseason life is becoming heated. In the case of Gordon, the strength of Hendrick is never to give up, even when the cars are not perfect on a certain day.
Jeff Gordon on Hendrick’s Fight for Consistency
“I mean, our guys are just grinding it out week in and week out,” Jeff Gordon said. “There’s so much pressure on them in the playoffs. I think obviously the Fords have some real strengths, especially the Penskes at certain tracks, and the Toyotas have, we saw that today, they were very, very strong on the long runs.”
For Jeff Gordon, Hendrick Motorsports’ competitive edge comes not only from talent but also from teamwork.
“I love just 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 putting themselves in position. I think we realize we’re on our heels a little bit.”
“Days like today make it even sweeter because it’s a team victory. It’s just never give up, and you put yourself in a position all day long. Then you’ve got to have some things go your way.”
Kansas Speedway Highlights Hendrick’s Mixed Day
While Hendrick celebrated a strong finish at Kansas Speedway, Jeff Gordon admitted that not everything went smoothly.
“They were pretty far off,” he said of one car. “They come out of here with a top 10 because they didn’t give up either. That one’s got our heads scratching, and we’ll go back and diagnose kind of what they went through and why they were in that position. Just glad they pulled a good finish together there to get the points they needed.”
Jeff Gordon emphasized how delicate the balance can be in the NASCAR Cup Series.
“I just think in general this carries you’re talking thousandths of an inch that make the difference sometimes between qualifying in the top 5 and qualifying 15th to 20th. It just doesn’t take much to miss it. I think that’s what we’re dealing with is just the 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 day.”
The No. 24 team, led by William Byron, illustrated this challenge. “The 24 is a good example of that. They tried a couple of things, and all of a sudden, they look like the car just came to life all of a sudden out of nowhere.”
Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, and William Byron Lead the Charge
“I feel like the (24) has kind of been in championship form several times this season, winning the regular season points,” Jeff Gordon said of William Byron. “Today was uncharacteristic of them. But to see them fight back, that keeps the momentum on their side as well.”
At the same time, Chase Elliott has quietly built momentum by capitalizing on small breaks and maintaining consistency, while Kyle Larson remains one of Hendrick’s biggest weapons thanks to his raw speed and playoff experience. Gordon believes these three drivers can still push Hendrick deep into the playoffs.
“This late in the season, this stage and round in the playoffs, it’s so important to get some things to go your way to give you that extra incentive or just extra motivation to go win a championship and believe that you can do it,” Jeff Gordon said.
As Larson, Elliott, and Byron proceed, and Hendrick Motorsports is committed to continuing to learn through each of the setbacks, the team stands squarely in the championship race.
Dogli Wilberforce is a sports writer who covers NASCAR, Formula 1 and IndyCar Series for Heavy Sports. With bylines at Total Apex Sports and Last Word on Sports, Wilberforce has built a reputation for delivering timely, engaging coverage that blends sharp analysis with accessible storytelling. Wilberforce has covered everything from major football transfers to fight-night drama, bringing readers the insight and context behind the headlines. More about Dogli Wilberforce
More Heavy on NASCAR
Loading more stories