“We Want to Make Him Happy”- HMS President Reveals Internal Pain of Letting Rick Hendrick Down That Rescued Collapsing Season

Hendrick Motorsports president Jeff Andrews revealed the team felt immense pressure and guilt over failing to satisfy owner Rick Hendrick during a difficult 2026 regular season. The organization produced only two victories across 26 races, both won by Chase Elliott, while Kyle Larson, William Byron, and Alex Bowman struggled. A key conversation from Hendrick urging the team to focus on doing their best helped relieve the internal burden.

The organization successfully rebounded during the postseason, sparked by a major surge from Kyle Larson. Larson snapped a 51-race winless streak at Gateway, added playoff wins at Kansas and Talladega, and opened up a 73-point lead over Denny Hamlin with two races left, moving close to another championship.