CONCORD, N.C. - Coming off a 15th NASCAR Cup Series championship, there's certainly plenty to be thankful for around Hendrick Motorsports these days.
Its ever-successful engine department is certainly near the top of any such list.
And even by the lofty standards the group continues to set for itself, 2025 was a banner year for the organization's motors. Across the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series, Hendrick engines powered teams to 28 overall victories, the second-highest total in the team's history (32 in 2014). Along the way, the group also surpassed the 550-win mark, notching yet another benchmark victory as its total reaches ever higher.
Of course, it all culminated with Kyle Larson claiming his second career Cup championship.
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"It's one of the very best years that we've had," said Scott Maxim, director of powertrain. "When you think of September of 2023, we were at 500 wins, so we've had 55 in basically two years and two months. Twenty-eight is amazing, especially only in two series.
"We measure success based on a high level of service and contribution to our race teams and meeting every challenge put before us and in that regard, I knew we had a great season, regardless of how things wrapped up. But it is sure nice to validate the effort and the full season's contribution with a championship and we're extremely grateful for that."
While 2025 was a standout year, it also just continued a long string of sustained excellence. Hendrick Motorsports engines have visited victory lane 10 or more times every year since 2003, averaging 19.5 per season over that time span. Just in the last five, the department has picked up 121 victories, an average of just over 20 per season.
And yet, while piling up wins is obviously never a bad thing, it does present a unique set of challenges for Maxim and other department leaders. It can be a fine balance between appreciating an achievement in the moment while also thwarting off complacency.
"I try to be present and aware," Maxim said. "If I sense we are taking anything for granted, then we all need - as well as myself - a healthy reminder to appreciate and to recognize the wins. We always have to guard against immediately going from mission accomplished from one race, one weekend, to just having our sights set on the next battle and stop and take a moment to appreciate the moment."
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Luckily, life in NASCAR never goes too long with its own set of curveballs. In 2026, those changes will come in the form of a horsepower hikes from 670 to 750 at all tracks under a mile and a half in length. An initial test of the new package was held at Bristol Motor Speedway earlier this month.
Change has long served the organization, and Maxim said his team are relishing the opportunity to attack a new set of parameters in order to optimize performance.
"It's a healthy increase over what we've had and I think for us, from an engine perspective and speaking from an engine department perspective, we love to be able to produce more horsepower and put more power into our driver's control for which they and our race teams will go to work to harness all they can," Maxim said. "We certainly enjoy that. I like making motors more prominent in motorsports and we look forward to that increase.
"As Hendrick Motorsports as a whole and our engine department as well, we've always done well when there's been change, we have to adapt to. I'm excited about this opportunity and that we have some change, that we get an opportunity to put our efforts and all our folks' passion to work to be able to put that on the race track and compete."
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Even as the accolades have rolled in and each victory is another mile marker flashing by, the Hendrick Motorsports engine department has continued to ensure that its teams have everything they need to do just that - compete. And as far as Maxim is concerned, that isn't about to stop anytime soon.
Citing leadership from the top with team owner Rick Hendrick, Maxim said the drive for more is easy to sustain thanks in large to the example that has been set for over four decades.
"We're all very competitive, but there is no greater competitor I think I've ever met in my life than Mr. Hendrick." Maxim said. "He's a caring and compassionate person but he's also driven to compete. That passion is easy for us to follow. That path for which he sets, we're all cut much of the same cloth, but he sets that tone and makes it a lot easier for us to have that same passion and follow."