In 2020, Kyle Larson’s NASCAR career hit rock bottom. Just months into the COVID-era shutdown, while participating in a live-streamed iRacing event, Larson uttered a racial slur over the mic. The moment went viral. Within days, his career crumbled. After massive backlash, Chip Ganassi Racing fired him. Sponsors left in droves. Larson was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR and publicly shamed. His talent was never in doubt—but his future in the sport was.
“I made a mistake. There’s no excuse for that,” Larson had said in a heartfelt video apology. He owned the moment, but many wondered if he would ever race again at the highest level. That’s when Rick Hendrick stepped in. The team owner gave Larson a second chance. That year, Larson didn’t just return—he won the Cup Series title. Behind his dominance on the track was Jon Edwards, who managed everything behind the scenes in guiding Larson to find grace and redemption.
Fast-forward to 2025. Hendrick Motorsports entered the Bristol weekend heavy-hearted. Jon Edwards had passed away days before the race. The team’s spirit was crushed. For Jeff Gordon, now vice chairman of HMS, it was personal. Edwards had been his right hand for nearly 30 years. But when Sunday came around, Kyle Larson delivered a drive for the ages. One that had Jeff Gordon openly tipping his cap in admiration.
Kyle Larson lifts HMS in their darkest week
Kyle Larson didn’t just win the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway—he dominated it. Driving the No. 5 Chevrolet, he led 411 of 500 laps. He swept both stages. Traded paint off the wall late, but it didn’t matter as he crossed the line with a 2.25-second lead over Denny Hamlin. And the moment he stepped out of the car, it wasn’t about him. “This one’s definitely for Jon. Wish he was here to celebrate, but I know he’s with us in spirit,” Larson said.
However, after his win, Hendrick Motorsports’ vice president Jeff Gordon also bowed to his iconic performance. Speaking about his dominant run, he said, “I’ve seen them race all kinds of cars and dominate, but what are the records he (Larson) can break next? That’s what excites me. I’m just glad he’s with us. He and Cliff Daniels make a great pairing. And with everything going on, the loss of Jon, this was meaningful. I’m really proud… Our organization has always been able to rise in tough moments. This was another one. I’m proud of how they answered the call.”
Hendrick vice chairman Jeff Gordon on Kyle Larson’s dominating Cup win at Bristol, a win that came with a new pit crew for Larson (Larson and Haley swapped crews a week earlier) and a win that came a few days after the death of Hendrick PR executive Jon Edwards. @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/F7ezHjwKW1
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) April 14, 2025
The stats speak volumes. Larson now has back-to-back wins at Bristol. This latest one marked his second Cup victory of the 2025 season and the 31st of his career. He also nearly swept the weekend, winning the Xfinity Series race and finishing second in the Truck race. While he dominated the cup race, he had some competition from Denny Hamlin. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver came off back-to-back wins and was trying to close the gap on the lead in the final stage.
His Progressive Toyota had the speed, but the No. 5 Chevy was practically untouchable. Now, both Hamlin and Larson have finished 1-2 seven times competing against each other, but for the first time, the HMS driver tasted victory. Despite their on-track rivalry, the JGR veteran driver had nothing but respect for Larson and his team. “You’ve got to give that team their due. Just a flawless day,” Hamlin admitted. Meanwhile, for Gordon, this win was about more than racing. It was about remembering a friend. He spoke deeply about the man who helped build his public image and later helped Larson find his way back.
“Jon was the best. He loved this sport, and he gave everything to it. He helped connect us with fans, sponsors, and media while letting us stay focused. I was lucky to work with him. So was Kyle. And now others he mentored will carry his legacy,” Gordon said. Notably, Edwards didn’t crave the spotlight. But everyone who worked with him knew who he was and what he meant. So, when Larson crossed the finish line, it wasn’t just a win—it was a sendoff. It was a fitting tribute by HMS, and it couldn’t have been done better. But, Gordon wasn’t fully satisfied with the Bristol race weekend.
Gordon slams Goodyear over Bristol tire setup
While Sunday’s win was emotional and dominant, not everything about the Bristol race sat well with Jeff Gordon. After the dust settled, the Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman didn’t hold back in critiquing Goodyear’s tire performance. “I’m a little disappointed in today with the tire, I’ll be honest. There was no fall-off and no wear. Everyone thought there would be tremendous wear, and there wasn’t,” he said post-race.
It’s not that Gordon was nostalgic for the chaos of past Bristol races. He was vocal last year, too, when drivers had to manage extreme tire wear and slow their pace significantly just to avoid blowouts. But this year’s race felt like the opposite extreme—too predictable, too few cautions, and almost no tire degradation. Gordon acknowledged Goodyear’s challenge, but he also made clear that the current direction still isn’t right.
“We’ve got to find a middle ground. You want drivers to manage their tires—but not to the point where they’re running two seconds off pace, like last year. But you also don’t want a tire that feels like it never wears,” he added. However, he also admitted that the bigger issue might not be tires at all but aero. The Next-Gen car struggles in dirty air, especially on short tracks like Bristol. Fixing that may take more than rubber.
“Tires help a little, but they’re just Band-Aids. We might need to look at horsepower and car design to really fix this,” Gordon admitted. Fans have voiced similar frustrations. While Kyle Larson’s performance wowed, the overall race lacked the grit and unpredictability that Bristol is known for. Without tire wear, strategy diminishes. Passing becomes harder. As a result, we get stale short-track racing action, which has sort of become a theme in the Next Gen era.
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