Kyle Larson Secures Spot in NASCAR Championship Finale
After an impressive display of skill and determination, Kyle Larson has secured his spot in the NASCAR Championship Finale. The Hendrick Motorsports driver delivered a magnificent mid-race save, followed by a lightning-fast pit stop from his crew, to take the win at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This victory has made Larson the first driver to secure a place in the championship finale, which will take place on November 5th.
Larson’s win in the opening race of the round of eight in NASCAR’s playoffs not only marked his fourth win of the season but also provided Hendrick Motorsports with the opportunity to shift their focus towards preparing for the finale at Phoenix Raceway. Last year, Joey Logano won at Las Vegas and utilized the two weeks of prep time to clinch the championship at Phoenix. Larson and his team are aware that they cannot afford to rest on their laurels if they want to win it all.
Crew chief Cliff Daniels emphasized the importance of maintaining their competitive edge in the upcoming races. He stated, If we just say, ‘Hey, we’re going to cruise for the next two weeks,’ then you are not operating with the edge that I think you’re going to need to win it in Phoenix. There’s two more races to win, and the way I see this now is that we’re in the position, we get to play those races to win.
Larson’s victory at Las Vegas was hard-fought as he led 133 laps and held off Christopher Bell by a mere 0.082 seconds at the finish line. However, it was a spectacular mid-race save by Larson that truly demonstrated his exceptional driving skills. The momentary wobble of his Chevy could have ended disastrously, but Larson expertly regained control, with only a dent in the rear corner of his car as evidence of the close call.
The pivotal point of the race came during a caution with 57 laps remaining when Larson’s crew executed a flawless pit stop, enabling him to claim the lead on pit road. Although Bell initially had control of the race, Larson’s swift pit stop allowed him to take charge and ultimately secure the win.
Despite Bell’s best efforts to catch up with Larson in the closing laps, he was unable to overtake him. Recognizing Bell’s clean and respectful racing, Larson praised his longtime sprint car rival, saying, I could see him coming in my mirror, for sure… Thank you to him for racing with respect there.
Finishing third in his hometown race was Kyle Busch, followed by Brad Keselowski in fourth place and Ross Chastain in fifth. All three drivers had been eliminated from the playoffs the previous week.
The next five spots in the race went to playoff drivers. Ryan Blaney finished sixth, followed by Larson’s teammate William Byron in seventh, Tyler Reddick in eighth, and Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin in ninth and tenth, respectively. Chris Buescher, the lowest-finishing playoff driver, came in eleventh.
As we look ahead to the remaining races in this round, it’s important to note that a victory in any of the three playoff races will guarantee a place in the championship finale. The final slots will be filled based on points standings.
This win marks the culmination of an eventful week for Larson, who also won a sprint car championship and began his preparations for next year’s Indianapolis 500. Larson plans to race in both the Indy 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 next May, and he recently completed the rookie orientation program at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Truex, who won the regular season title, has been struggling in the playoffs and is barely hanging on to his chances of winning a second Cup title. His ninth-place finish at Las Vegas was his best showing in the playoffs so far, following a string of disappointing results. Truex admitted to struggling with his Toyota in traffic but was able to salvage a decent result towards the end of the race.
Looking ahead, NASCAR will head to Homestead-Miami Speedway for the next race in the round of eight. Larson, the defending race winner, will undoubtedly be hoping to continue his winning streak and solidify his position in the championship finale.
