According to Kyle Larson’s Crew Chief Cliff Daniels, Hendrick’s “open book” approach to data sharing is key to his current success in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Hendrick Motorsports is the most successful team of all time in the Cup Series, boasting 316 races of victory and 14 titles.
This year, all four Hendrick drivers sat in the top eight of the rankings, earning their third victory in the season in Kansas last weekend, Kyle Larson led from teammate William Byron.
While other teams on the grid have also achieved many successes, Hendrick was able to provide a car that allows all four drivers to consistently compete in front of them.
Daniels believes this depends on the philosophy established in 2017 by team owner Rick Hendrick.
In reality, this involves open communication between all drivers and their respective crew, and data is shared openly within the team.
“For me, it was all 2017. Hendrick asked us to split the building together with two teams from different buildings and bring us all together,” explained Daniels.
“We say that a lot, and that’s one thing to say, but practicing how all four teams actually work is another thing. There are no hidden notes. There are no secret notes.
“It’s all actually open to the public with the engineering squad, the chief group of crews. Our meetings are all together. We do everything as a combination of four teams. There are no specific meetings or conversations that occur between several groups.
“If you talk about engineering and setup theory, then you’ll end up with all four teams that exist in the same room.
“It was Mr. Hendrick’s vision of how he led the company, and I think he saw communication, teamwork, all the cliches.