CONCORD, N.C. – In the grueling 38 weeks of racing that is the modern NASCAR Cup Series schedule, it can be easy to let team culture and a positive attitude slip. Between the hot days and long nights of work, it’s common to see inconsistent morale throughout the garage.
This problem is a main concern for crew chief of the No. 5 HendrickCars.com team, Cliff Daniels. And over the course of the season, he implements different tactics to keep his team in the fight.
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From leading the group through tragic circumstances to setting aside time to laugh on the paintball field, Daniels’ leadership is one of the driving forces keeping the No. 5 team in contention at the front of the pack.
How exactly is this done? Daniels himself tries to model the leadership he preaches. By leading from the front.
“You’ve probably heard this quote, ‘lead from the front’. I always believe that the leader needs to be the first to lead his troops into battle, to pave the way, to be the one who’s brave enough to go down a new path,” Daniels said.
As it turned out, 2025 was a time when the No. 5 team needed this leadership at several points throughout the season.
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Early on, team morale was high. A victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway locked the team into the postseason. However, tragedy struck when team’s PR Representative and Hendrick Motorsports director of racing communications, Jon Edwards, unexpectedly passed just two weeks later.
“(Jon) was a big part of our team," Daniels said. "I know he was very important to me and Kyle (Larson) and to the whole team. Very tragic his passing and even since his passing, I would say his legacy still lives on."
With heavy hearts, Hendrick Motorsports loaded up for Bristol Motor Speedway. Despite the group still being in shock, Jon's passing became a rallying point. The team entered Tennessee with extra motivation to perform.
Come race day, Larson was not to be stopped. After starting fifth, he quickly captured the point position and remained there for the majority of the 500-lap main event. By the checkered flag, he had paced the field for 411 circuits on his way to a dominating victory. And while Daniels certainly knew his group was capable, he too was impressed by the performance.
“It’s hard to put into words. You never know how things are going to work out," Daniels said. "The week before was Darlington, which was just a miserable weekend for us. And again, we had the pit crew swap and some other personnel changes, all at the same time. And with the passing of Jon so sudden, there was a lot thrown on us at one time. And you just never know how fate is going to go.”
After the emotional Bristol win, the No. 5 HendrickCars.com team continued its run of form with three top fives in a row, highlighted by a victory at Kansas Speedway. However, results took a hit over the summer. With on-track results fading, Daniels dedicated time to members of the team in an effort to ensure the group continued to grow comfortable with each other.
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“Part of where the activities and fun ideas came from, we had the pit crew change early in the season, we had a couple other team personnel changes and quickly by May, I realized the group we had done our preseason huddles with and all of our preseason work with in January, was a very different group,” Daniels said. “At some point, we need some more family moments and fun moments to see each other laugh and play and have a good time.”
The result was several activities to lighten the mood and encourage bonding between the new members. From go-kart racing to paintball and even a weekly book club, Daniels worked hard throughout the season to bring his core group closer together. And throughout these activities, Daniels saw moments he believed would directly translate to the racetrack.
During the final round of the paintball outing, Daniels noted one of these moments that stood out to him. Before the game began, the No. 5 team (evenly split into two groups) each employed questionable tactics to gain a positional advantage before the referee started the game. During the match, Daniels noted that the “honor system” seemed to take a back seat as players fought hard for victory.
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“Both teams in the final match disqualified themselves,” Daniels said after the team had dinner together. “But that to me was a big moment for the 5 team because everyone — the entire match — did whatever it took to win … Jesse (Saunders, No. 5 car chief) and I looked at each other and said, ‘That is the team we want for the Cup playoffs because everyone sacrificed whatever they had to do to help their team win.'"
There was not a better example of this mindset than in the championship finale at Phoenix Raceway. Despite an early race flat tire and equipment malfunction on pit road, Larson stayed in the fight, hoping a late-race caution could turn his fortunes. And when a yellow flag prompted an alternate strategy, Daniels jumped on it.
The result? A second championship for Larson. This one coming in dramatic fashion.