Hendrick Motorsports has been knocking on the door of NASCAR Cup Series titles, but the final step at Phoenix Raceway keeps tripping them up. In 2023, Kyle Larson made the Championship 4 and led laps but couldn’t match Team Penske’s long-run speed, finishing third in the standings.

In 2024, William Byron carried Hendrick’s hopes with six regular-season wins but faded late at Phoenix as Ryan Blaney and Christopher Bell stole the show. Hendrick’s cars dominate intermediates and road courses, with Larson, Byron, and Chase Elliott firmly locked in the playoffs. Still, Phoenix—the site of the championship—remains their Achilles’ heel.

Now, in 2025, with the playoffs heating up at World Wide Technology Raceway’s Enjoy Illinois 300, Larson has laid out Hendrick’s weak spot and a plan t

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