NASCAR Cup Series
Kansas Speedway
Team Chevy Driver Quotes
September 26, 2026
Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, met with the media in advance of the NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying session at Kansas Speedway.
Media Availability Quotes:
There was a lot of talk before The Chase started that there might be a different feeling when it comes to pressure with no eliminations. I’m curious, has it felt much different than a year ago?
“Well, we’re only three races in, which was a round in the past, so we’ll see as it builds deeper into The Chase. I can definitely see how the pressure just lingers longer. I feel like in the previous format, you would have a lot of pressure, for sure, but then you would get a reset and a deep breath. There’s no reset or deep breath here, so you have to keep plugging away and really focus on executing good, solid races. I would say it’s been equal pressure to this point and it’s going to continue to build, especially if you’re in the hunt.”
Is it surprising and/or frustrating to see a guy like Carson Hocevar, who doesn’t seem to have the greatest respect from the other drivers, get so much love from fans?
“No, because he’s different than all of us. He acts different, talks different, dresses different. He’s just different. I think that’s refreshing for fans. He drives more aggressive and willing to do crazier things than the rest of us probably are. No, I mean, it’s not frustrating at all on that aspect. I’m not jealous of any exposure he’s getting from it because he’s doing a good job with it. He’s just different and people like different. You have to keep your eye on him when you’re on the racetrack, but as a fan, I can see why he’s likable in that aspect.”
I’s been nearly three months since the last mile-and-a-half track. How fair is it to expect the Toyota’s to still be the ones to beat this weekend?
“We’ll see, but I’m looking at it as — yeah, they’ll for sure be the ones to beat. I just felt like they were always a large step ahead of everybody on the mile-and-a-half stuff, so even if that gap has closed, I don’t expect us to have surpassed them on speed. But we’ll see . These three tracks are good for us, as well, and I felt like we were the next best to the Toyota’s at these three earlier in the year. Maybe not Vegas, but at least here and at Charlotte, from what I remember. Hopefully, we’ve closed the gap a lot. I definitely think we’ve probably closed it some, but they were really, really good, even dating back to last year.”
From your standpoint, does a one-point lead really mean anything different from, say, if it was a one-point deficit in the sense that, hey, we’re there now and now we just need to hold it? Do you feel a sense of adrenaline knowing that you’re there at least?
“Well, I would always rather be one point ahead than one point behind. But even going back to after the win, I think we were nine points back, and I was like, okay, we’re there… we have a shot. If we can just keep having good finishes, we’ll get the points lead and all that. Now that you’re leading, nothing really changes, other than you’d like to not fall back. But even if you do, you still have time to make up for it.
We’ll just keep plugging away. I’ve been really happy with the speed and, especially, the execution in these first three. I think they’ve gone pretty flawless for our team Now we have some tracks that we probably are even more confident at than the first three, outside of Bristol. But yeah, it’s just tough. It’s a lot of racing, a lot of tough competitors, and just a tough, tough series.”
So much was made during the offseason and during the process of landing on this postseason format. Do you think that three weeks in, the sample size is small, but this format is rewarding the things that it should to create an eventual champion come Homestead?
“There’s not ever going to be a perfect format that I think that everybody in the world will agree on, but I think this has definitely been a much better format for crowning a –every champion is deserving, but crowning a deserving champion. I think now that we’ve been into it — I don’t know if it was you or somebody else a few weeks ago asked about stage points, I feel like stage points feel even more important than they’ve ever been, which you can argue is a good thing or a not so great thing. And, you know, we’ve scored the most stage points all year, I believe, now. But I feel like, if you really want to talk about I guess consistency, you can say, yeah, you need to be consistent all race.
But I feel for the guys like Ryan Preece. He’s put together a really, really solid Chase to this point, yet he’s still maybe over 100 points out because he hasn’t been able to score hardly any stage points. If we didn’t have stage points, I bet he’d be three to five positions ahead of where he’s at in points right now. So, yeah, that’s the only thing I would look at being different, maybe.”
Before The Chase started, there was this invisible line that teams wanted to hit of being fifth or higher in points. Now, three races into The Chase, we have three drivers in the top-four who started outside the top-five in The Chase points. Do you feel that there will be a different viewpoint next season where you should stack up prior to The Chase? And did you think your climb through three races was going to happen this fast?
“I would say I looked at our 55-point deficit as, not that we were out of winning the championship in any form, but I definitely did not think that was a deficit that we could overcome in two races. That’s what I’ve realized is that the points can swing a ton in this format, especially if you win. I look at (Ryan) Blaney for having two DNF’s and he’s in the 40s or something behind us, and in two races, he could be leading the points if he gets a win. Not even two wins, he could just take one win and good stage points and he could be leading.
So, yeah, I think with seven races left, if you’re 80-something or more points back, you still have a shot, the way I look at it with this format and wins being so much more important. That part of it’s been nice.”
Kyle, how does this track challenge you?
“Yeah, I don’t know. It’s not the most challenging mile-and-a-half, but it’s really kind of fast-paced, I feel like. It can change time to time here, depending on which way the wind is blowing. I feel like this place is really wind sensitive, depending on which direction it’s blowing. So that’s something that I always try to pay attention to when I’m here because it can affect your balance significantly. Restarts are crazy, as always, but here especially. It’s a pretty straightforward kind of mile-and-a-race, but one where if you don’t execute and you get yourself buried, it’s hard to overcome that track position.”
What’s crazier about the restarts than anywhere else?
“I wouldn’t pinpoint this as the craziest, but just like every track, even if it doesn’t fit four wide, we’re going to try. Often you see people four wide, middle of the pack, or fanning out to everywhere because you need clean air. It’s fun because you feel like you have an opportunity every restart.”
It’s been a bit of a slower year for Hendrick Motorsports, compared to their normal traditional numbers. Despite that you still find yourself first in the point standing, does that mean something to you a little bit more than it traditionally would have been in the year that you might be a little bit down or a little bit, not as much in victory lane as you normally are, but yet you’re still ahead in the field?
“Well, I just think it really, in a way, just shows the resilience of Hendrick Motorsports. I think it’d be easy, as an organization, to get down and, not give up, but lose hope a little bit. But I feel like at HMS, nobody ever lost hope. You know, it’s a long season and we all kind of felt like if we keep working hard, eventually it would turn around. We’re still not to where we want to be, but it is nice to say that a Hendrick Motorsports car has led the points at some point of the year, just for how challenging it’s been. So, yeah, now it’s just about keeping it up there and giving ourselves a chance as we approach the end of The Chase. I’ve been very, very proud of not only our 5 team, but every man and woman at Hendrick Motorsports. As you said, it’s been a tough year, but nobody’s slowed down.”
You mentioned the Toyota’s and the speed they had earlier. But Cliff (Daniels) and your team have been aggressive throughout The Chase and it’s panned out for the most part. Do you feel that if the Toyota’s are fast again, you guys are going to have to find a way to be aggressive to find another way to beat them in terms of strategy?
“Yeah, that’s a good question. I don’t know. I guess, yeah, we have been aggressive when you look at it with strategy calls; staying out at Darlington, getting a little bit off sequence at Gateway, and then staying out at Bristol last week. I didn’t even really think about it like that, but we’ll see. You don’t really know what the race calls for on Saturday’s, so we’ll see. Once you get in the race, you kind of see where your speed’s at, what position you’re in and things. And then, you can get an idea on what you want your strategy plan to be if a caution comes out on a certain lap.
Again, I feel like our team has just executed great in these first three race. Our pit crew has been solid. The strategy’s been solid. The car’s been solid. I feel like I’ve done a good job behind the wheel. Our spotter’s been great. We just have to stay focused, locked in and keep going.”
What are you able to take from a practice session this early? I know the temperature differences may not be as different as a typical weekend, but is there much you’re able to work on?
“Yeah, you try not to pay attention to the lap time as much, but just more so feel your car and feel its balance. That can always be a little bit different, as well, once you get to Sunday with the race starting later and it being a little bit hotter. But you can still get some sense of your balance.
And then, yeah, you just try to focus on qualifying; what that balance you feel in practice and what you need for qualifying. Also, what the lines feel like because I feel like it’s always changing, for sure, with the grip level on the track and what parts of the track feel grippier than others. So, yeah, you just try to learn that here in practice. And also, not over-read anything, I think, is good.”
Through the first three races, 13 Chase drivers have been involved in incidents. Last year, through the first three races of the Playoffs, only six drivers were involved in incidents. Do you feel like that’s the level of aggressiveness of The Chase that’s made drivers more aggressive?
“Yeah, I’m not sure. I mean, at Gateway, there was just a lot of brake failures, so I think that can kind of sway those stats a little bit. I’m just trying to think of Darlington and Bristol, I don’t know. I don’t really remember who got involved in anything in those races. Obviously, you know, the Blaney thing was unique, as well.
But I’m not sure. I don’t really feel like the racing has been any different all year. I feel like we’re always aggressive, and you’re going for every position that you can, while being smart about it. So yeah, it’s probably just coincidence, I’m guessing, but I don’t know.”
Starting here at Kansas, we head into a stretch of three mile-and-a-half intermediate ovals. How important is it to find speed here tomorrow when setting up success for the next few weeks?
“Yeah, I mean, with three mile-and-a-halves, we’d love to come here and be solid and have speed because I think that will give you more confidence as you go to Vegas and Charlotte. But, I mean, the cars haven’t changed, really, so if you were good there the previous time, you’re probably going to be pretty good when you go back again. We were good here. Just good, not great, at these next three, but I think we’ll be better. So, yeah, just show up and see what you got.”
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