"I don't want him hurt": When Rick Hendrick made peace with Kyle Larson's relentless racing lifestyle

When Kasey Kahne joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2012, Rick Hendrick drew a hard line - no Sprint Cars, no Midgets. No dirt ovals. Nothing that could jeopardise his NASCAR investments. But somewhere between Kahne's sacrifices a decade ago and Kyle Larson's maverick 2021 arrival, that line softened.

The shift didn't come overnight. When Larson, fresh off his exit from Chip Ganassi Racing and a prolific dirt-racing redemption tour, entered talks with Hendrick Motorsports in 2020, he was ready to trade sprint car racing for a shot at Cup Series glory. What he got instead was complete backing.

"I think he's (Larson) happier and I want him happy. I don't want him hurt. I've kind of given up on these guys wanting to drive other cars. The crew chiefs and I have talked about it. They think it's good for them. The safety is better. I've told them all they can drive what they want to," Hendrick told FloRacing.

Rick Hendrick's stance flipped after Hendrick Motorsports' Vice-President Jeff Gordon and crew chief Cliff Daniels, both veterans in dirt racing, concluded that racing more made Larson better, not worse.

Kyle Larson and Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick following the 2024 Brickyard 400. Source: Imagn

Since then, Larson has balanced a full Cup schedule with 47 starts across dirt, Late Models, and Midgets, pocketing 14 wins outside NASCAR in 2022–2024. He even juggled a six‑hour overnight haul from Waynesfield Raceway Park to Nashville for a Cup team test, with his team owner's full blessing.

"I've let Chase (Elliott) do races, and Alex (Bowman) too. I've basically told them, if you get hurt, I got to put somebody in the car... The one thing that Cliff has told me is that Kyle spends as much time or more as any other driver at the shop. If he wants to race and he still has this as a priority, racing is all he thinks about and he digs, and digs and digs. I'm fine with it," Hendrick added.

And still, Hendrick stands as perhaps the strongest pillar of support behind a driver who lives, breathes, and obsesses over racing in every form.

---

Four years on, Rick Hendrick still backs Kyle Larson through a gruelling Double 2025

Rick Hendrick and Kyle Larson during the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series Indianapolis 500. Source: Getty

Rick Hendrick's progressive policy isn't stopping at dirt ovals. The 74-year-old team owner hasn't wavered, even as Kyle Larson's schedule in May 2025 became a nonstop, coast-to-coast gauntlet. Between Kansas, Kokomo, and Indianapolis, then back to Charlotte, all in less than 15 days, Larson barely had time to breathe.

But, Hendrick didn't just allow it, he co-signed the entire project. Through Amazon's Prime Video, the team also co-produced a feature-length documentary around Larson's Double attempts in 2024 and 2025. Named the Hendrick1100, the 2021 Champion will race in the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.

"We're excited to welcome Prime Video to the effort, showcase their brand on such a big stage and collaborate on what will be an incredible documentary project. The film is going to show Kyle like people have never seen him. His preparation, his mindset and what it takes to pursue such a daunting challenge," Hendrick said in a team statement.

Despite the build-up, both of Larson's Double attempts ended in frustration. In 2024, rain denied him a start at Charlotte. In 2025, he crashed out of the Indy 500 after 91 laps and got collected again in Stage 2 at the 600. Of the five drivers to ever attempt it, only Tony Stewart completed all 1,100 miles (in 2001).

Rick Hendrick congratulates Kyle Larson after the NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400. Source: Getty

Still, Rick Hendrick hasn't flinched. Because at the end of the day, for Hendrick Motorsports, the reward is a driver who races like his soul depends on it, and shows up every Sunday to prove it still does.