Kyle Larson, last November, became only the 18th driver in history to win multiple Cup Championships in NASCAR and just the third from Hendrick Motorsports to achieve this feat. But there was a weird feeling in the aftermath of his win. It failed to register as the prime point of his career, which to almost everyone, came in 2021 when he won title number one. However, for his crew chief, Cliff Daniels, both championships held distinct meanings and stirred opposing emotions.
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During a recent scrum interview, Daniels shared what it meant to be a two-time Cup Series champion crew chief and how he had different feelings this time around.
Daniels shared, “The first one was almost a little bit selfish for me of like the validation of having the accomplishment. And now that it’s been several years since the first one, we have new team members now. And just a different perspective of life for me. This one was way more about the team and especially some of the new guys than it had anything to do with my accomplishment as a crew chief.”
“I was so proud of the new people on our team and even the guys on our team that were able to be part of it again, and just the journey and the growth of that. That was a cool moment for me to kind of step back and watch some of the guys celebrate either for the first time or for many times. That was a cool part of the journey.”
Cliff Daniels shares what it’s like to be a two-time Cup Series champion crew chief, and how he embraced a different feeling for it this time around and celebration: pic.twitter.com/Lgma0y6xDZ
— Kelly Crandall (@KellyCrandall) January 30, 2026
But now, like anything in sports and life, one enjoys a brief window to celebrate, then they have to flip the page and press forward again. So the No. 5 team is operating with that mindset now and heading toward the new season. Last year’s accomplishment stands as what it was, and now a fresh set of obstacles awaits this season, and Hendrick Motorsports is relishing the prospect.
Despite the team mastering how to thrive in both environments, Larson has claimed both his championships exclusively under the elimination framework. Yet his crew chief believes the revamped Chase format will serve Larson and the team exceptionally well this year.
He contends the reintroduced format will favor their operation, but they must ensure that they strategize their races and execute positions to accumulate those points throughout the campaign.
With this year’s format changes, certain teams will definitely arrive better positioned to seize the ultimate prize. With a larger sample size, the new format is expected to produce better outcomes, enabling drivers to make their mark throughout the year rather than in a single race.
