Kyle Larson took a big step towards claiming his second Cup Series title with a dominant victory on Sunday. The #5 Hendrick Motorsports driver swept the stages and held off a stern challenge from Christopher Bell to get the job done. The entire Hendrick Motorsports team is proud of his achievement, including HMS vice-chairman Jeff Gordon. The former Cup Series driver’s assessment of his title contender was interesting as he admitted to a bittersweet truth.

In the round of 12, Kyle Larson was nowhere to be seen. The drive of the #5 did not finish in the top 10 in either of those races and just barely qualified on points. The 31-year-old got the job done in the first round of 8 races and his focus will be on the championship race a few weeks later. It will be a huge relief for the 2021 Cup Series champion as there will be absolutely no pressure on him to deliver in the next couple of races.

Four-time Cup Series champion heaps the praise on Kyle Larson

Kyle Larson has always been a highly skilled and efficient driver. He might suffer a slump or two in a season but everyone knows that he will get his form back, it’s always just a matter of time. The #5 driver was a dominant force on Sunday as he swept the stages to take the victory. It was a much-needed result for Larson after a forgettable round of 12 displays.

Now, the HMS superstar is well and truly on track to claim his second title, and vice-chairman Jeff Gordon could not be prouder. But first, the four-time Cup Series champion was asked if Kyle Larson was a better driver than he was. His answer was flattering to the driver of the #5 and a certain seven-time Cup Series champion.

“Yes. I’m glad I didn’t have to race him. I got my b**t kicked by one guy (Jimmie Johnson) at Hendrick Motorsports as my teammate, I didn’t need to have two of them, so, you know, you take a guy like Kyle and his capabilities and his talent and he has impressed me with his work ethic too you know,” he said in the post-race press conference in Las Vegas.

Jeff Gordon also admitted to his uncertainties about the 2021 Cup Series champion. That is not to say that he doubted Kyle Larson’s race craft. What he was worried about was how Larson would work with his crew chief Cliff Daniels. As per Gordon, Daniels is an intense crew chief who gives drivers a lot of work to do at home. Sometimes, it can get a bit too much.

“I wasn’t sure how he approached the Cup Series, especially with Cliff and all the data and all the homework that Cliff gives him, you know, and the meetings that they have. Cliff’s an intense guy and he brings a lot to the table so that’s a lot of information that you have to absorb but he stopped up to the plate and has done everything that the organization could possibly ask out of him,” Jeff Gordon added.

Cliff Daniels’ intensity and will to win was on full display after the race at Las Vegas. His driver has confirmed his spot in the championship race but the 35-year-old crew chief still wants to win in the round of 12.

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HMS crew chief set his sights on multiple wins ahead of the Phoenix showdown

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While Kyle Larson said that he was happy about not taking stress in the rest of the round, his crew chief had other ideas. According to the crew chief, any kind of slacking off would take them out of their groove ahead of Phoenix. It would be a disaster if the #5 team was to lose its edge ahead of the big race.

“If we just say, ‘Hey, we’re going to cruise for the next two weeks,’ then you are not operating with the edge that I think you’re going to need to win it in Phoenix,” crew chief Cliff Daniels said as per ESPN. “There’s two more races to win, and the way I see this now is that we’re in the position, we get to play those races to win.”

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The next Cup Series race will take place at one of Kyle Larson’s strongest tracks, Homestead-Miami. Will the driver of the #5 win yet again in the round of 12? Let us know your thoughts.