“Almost A Little Bit Selfish for Me”: Kyle Larson’s Crew Chief Admits Big Difference in Winning Second Cup Title

Neha Dwivedi | 31/01/2026
NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson (5) crew chief Cliff Daniels looks out of his pit box Sunday, July 27, 2025, during the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

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.

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.”

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.

Post Edited By: Somin Bhattacharjee
Cliff Daniels Hendrick Motorsports Kyle Larson NASCAR Cup Series

About the author

Neha Dwivedi

Neha Dwivedi is an experienced NASCAR Journalist at The SportsRush, having penned over 5500 articles on the sport to date. She was a seasoned writer long before she got into the world of NASCAR. Although she loves to see Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch win the races, she equally supports the emerging talents in the CARS Late Model and ARCA Menards Series.. For her work in NASCAR she has earned accolades from journalists like Susan Wade of The Athletic, as well as NASCAR drivers including Thad Moffit and Corey Lajoie. Her favorite moment from NASCAR was witnessing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. win the championship trophies. Outside the racetrack world, Neha immerses herself in the literary world, exploring both fiction and non-fiction.

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