Hendrick Motorsports struggles continue after Kyle Larson wrecks teammate at Iowa

By John Damon | Just The News Iowa

Iowa Speedway was supposed to be a turning point for Hendrick Motorsports. Instead, it became another chapter in what is shaping up to be a nightmare season for NASCAR's most decorated team. Kyle Larson, the defending Cup Series champion, crashed his own teammate Alex Bowman during Sunday's race, leaving both drivers with a DNF and raising serious questions about the team's competitiveness in 2026.

Larson qualified second and finished Stage 1 in third, looking like a genuine contender to snap his winless streak at Iowa. But after a restart on lap 149, things went sideways. Larson got loose trying to check up, made contact with Bowman's No. 48 car, and both Chevys slammed into the outside wall. Bowman was out immediately. Larson went 16 laps down before eventually being eliminated.

Bowman's frustration boiled over on the radio. We're f--- destroyed, he said, according to team audio.

Larson, however, blamed John Hunter Nemechek for shoving him up the track and creating a four-wide moment. On the radio, Larson asked, Did someone jam it in on him or could he not hold it down like normal? His spotter replied that Nemechek said he downshifted and it got stuck in neutral. Larson responded with a sarcastic jab: Cool. Cool. Professional.

The result leaves Hendrick Motorsports with just two wins all season, both by Chase Elliott. Through the five races that made up NASCAR's in-season challenge, HMS drivers combined for only four top-10 finishes. A week earlier at Indianapolis, not a single HMS car finished in the top-10. Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson both suffered tire-related issues at Indy, finishing 37th and 39th. Alex Bowman and William Byron managed 19th and 21st.

By late July, even after announcing his 2027 retirement, Bowman was the only HMS driver with multiple top-10 finishes in that five-race stretch.

Is the new Chevy body to blame?

Chevrolet introduced an updated Camaro ZL1 body this season with a redesigned front grille, a larger power dome, and more aggressive rocker panels. The goal was to improve front-end downforce, aerodynamic efficiency, and stability. But the change appears to have thrown Hendrick for a loop.

Kevin Harvick broke down the issue plainly. The new body appeared to have thrown Hendrick for a little bigger loop than everybody anticipated as far as the balance goes, Harvick said. I don't know that we have ever gone this far into a season and them not being in contention to win these races by dominating an event.

Even Denny Hamlin, who drives for rival Joe Gibbs Racing, expressed disbelief. I looked at their graphic after the race. Stewart-Haas, they were getting beat like a drum in their comments the last year of their existence. The old Hendrick bros, they're starting to get in there. They need to have a Snickers. They've not been themselves in a while, Hamlin said on his Actions Detrimental podcast. When I see William Byron in 12th in points, that's mind-boggling to me.

Joe Gibbs Racing dominates 2026 season

While Hendrick struggles, Joe Gibbs Racing has turned the 2026 season into a masterclass of consistency and speed. JGR drivers Denny Hamlin, Chase Briscoe, and Ty Gibbs have been regular winners and are top-three contenders in the standings.

Ty Gibbs won his second race of the season at Iowa, recovering from a bad pit stop to hold off teammate Christopher Bell by 0.253 seconds. It just took us a little bit to figure out what I needed and what I needed in the team, and now we got it, Gibbs said in his post-race news conference.

JGR's Toyota package has been more stable and predictable over long runs, allowing them to manage tires and balance better than many rivals. Hamlin leads the points standings with a 100-point buffer. Ty Gibbs sits second.

Ford makes a comeback too

Ford has also made a strong comeback. After years of catching up to Chevy and Toyota, Team Penske and Ryan Blaney have overcome early-season jitters. Blaney opened his 2026 victory account with his 18th career win at Phoenix, defeating Ty Gibbs and Christopher Bell. He followed that with a win at Atlanta, securing Ford's 750th Cup Series victory. After Iowa, Blaney sits third in the points standings, just below the JGR Toyotas.

Spire Motorsports outshines Hendrick

Perhaps the most surprising development is that Spire Motorsports, which relies on Hendrick through their alliance, is outperforming the powerhouse. Spire has two wins each for Carson Hocevar and Daniel Suarez. At one point, Hocevar was the lead Chevy driver in the points tally. For some reason, Spire has figured out how to make speed with the new Chevy body. Hendrick is still searching for answers.

How the Chase format change affects Hendrick

NASCAR returned to the Chase format used from 2004-2013, with new stage break rules implemented from the last race at Iowa. These changes affect how teams approach the season. Teams that relied on a win-and-you're-in system to rescue a bad regular season can no longer count on that. For HMS, poor race execution and DNFs hurt even more because every point matters for Chase eligibility.

In contrast, JGR's consistency of wins, top finishes, and strong stage results makes them perfect for the Chase. The top seed heading into the Chase will have a 25-point advantage, and that advantage shrinks further down the pecking order. Apart from Chase Elliott, none of the HMS drivers looks like a genuine championship contender.

All hope is not lost. With three regular-season races and the entire 10-race Chase coming up, HMS has time to turn things around. Consistent top-10 speeds and better execution could see them get back into title contention. But even for the most optimistic HMS fans, it is hard to see them bounce back in such a short span of time.

For Iowa racing fans, the lesson is clear: NASCAR's hierarchy has shifted. The dominant team of the past decade is now an underdog, and the competition is better for it.