Rick Hendrick’s keen business mind and ability to take the right decisions at the right time have paid off.. Again. For those who noticed, Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s victor, the No. 5 Chevy of Kyle Larson was coated in a papaya-blue color. Yes, it’s the same car that Larson got his heart broken in at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Initially, the team had decided not to opt for the paint scheme, given that they didn’t have fond memories of it. However, team owner Rick Hendrick had other ideas, as he wanted everyone to overcome the mental hurdle.

Sharing the idea behind running the same car, crew chief of the #5 team, Cliff Daniels, explained, “That paint scheme was almost the paint scheme that Kyle Larson never raced if we didn’t bring it back here, but Mr Hendrick wanted it back here. Hendrick cars wanted it back here, Chevrolet liked it. To do that, and through all of that, to have Mr Hendrick and Jeff Gordon here and Mrs Hendrick to see, touch, kiss the bricks, be a part of this. When they left here in May, it was a very low, low of disappointment, and to have the high of today. Man it’s extra special.”

It has to be noted that Larson and his team had to undergo an arduous process of waiver requests after Larson forced the Coca-Cola 600. Usually, NASCAR has a history of handing out waivers within a day or two, but it took almost a week for them to let the HMS driver off the hook. Despite the disappointment of the double attempt and the lean patch that surrounded the team for a week or so, this win certainly is a huge turnaround for the driver and the whole organization. And to make up for it, there has been no dearth of cinematic moments for HMS so far.

Notably, the team owner served as the pace car driver for the 40th anniversary of Hendrick Motorsports and the 30th anniversary of the Brickyard. As a self-proclaimed “gearhead” Hendrick’s love for race cars began at a young age. Did you know he built his first race car, a 1931 Chevrolet, at just 14? He also served as a crew member for his father and former NASCAR driver Ricky Hendrick, and travelled to racetracks around the country.

So it’s only natural that for a veteran like himself, the IMS would be a special place. “Any time you come to Indianapolis, it’s almost like sacred ground,” Hendrick said. “Reading about it and growing up in racing, I never thought I’d ever go to a race here, but to have an opportunity to win this thing, it’s just phenomenal. It doesn’t get any better than this. I still get chill bumps when I walk out Gasoline Alley and see all the people on both sides of the track.”

Hence, as the team kissed the brick that adorns The Brickyard, the rarity of the moment shined through.

Kyle Larson was on good terms with Lady Luck at the Brickyard 400

Larson wasn’t among the favorites at the start of the final stage run, as he found himself mired in traffic outside the top 15 place. However, multiple cautions and wrecks allowed him to make gains, and he was good on fuel in mounting pressure on the leaders. Despite the efforts of Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin, he found himself on the tail of Ryan Blaney.

With Brad Keselowski leading the charge on an empty fuel tank, Blaney was supposed to take the lead on the final few laps. But the tides turned in Larson’s favor with a late-race restart. Keselowski’s decision to pit after the pivotal choose presented the HMS driver with an opportunity to win the race after restarting on the front row. And as the field went back to green, the No. 5 Chevy outmuscled the No. 12 car.

However, there was a final twist in the tale with yet another crash with 2 to go. Ryan Preece, driving the No. 41, spun and stalled on the racetrack. Although he did try to fire up, he couldn’t get going. In the meantime, NASCAR decided not to throw the caution until Kyle Larson took the white flag. This was a big controversy from the race, but again, a lucky break for the No. 5 team.

Later, the 2021 Cup Series champion was evidently short of words as he said, “I just can’t believe it. It’s just surreal to win here.” The driver loved the experience so much so that he even made an impromptu announcement to come back next year in May for a double attempt: “I love you, Indiana fans, and I know you love me, too. How about we come back next May and try to kiss the bricks in the Indy car?”

While the team owner to yet to sanction that plan, do you think the Bricks might call them back next May? Let us know in the comments if you would like to see that!