Kyle Larson found himself grappling with frustration and disappointment last Sunday, after narrowly missing out on what would have been his third NASCAR Cup Series win of the year. Competing at the highest level and in contention late in the race, Larson surged to the front during several late caution restarts, but ultimately crossed the finish line in fourth place, trailing Joey Logano, Ross Chastain, and Ryan Blaney. With his playoff berth already secure, the result does little to jeopardize Larson’s championship hopes, but the day left him reflecting on missed opportunities and lessons learned.
The 2021 Cup Series champion openly expressed his vexation, particularly disappointed with how the critical restarts unfolded.
“[Michael] McDowell just did a really good job of timing the restarts,”
Kyle Larson shared in a post-race interview.
“He left pretty much when I did, and he had a push behind him. He got clear to the lead and I just lost control of the race there. It was a bummer to do that. If I could have kept the lead, we would have been hard to beat in clean air like that.”
Despite falling just short of victory, Kyle Larson found solace in the positives the event offered. The No. 5 Valvoline chevrolet/”>Chevrolet performed well throughout, giving the team a solid points day, and strengthening their confidence heading into future races.
“Just a little frustrated with myself, but all-in-all, it was a good points day for us today. The No. 5 Valvoline Chevrolet team did a great job today. The car was good. We’ll just study it and try to do a better job next time,”
Larson concluded.
In addition to his Cup Series contest, Larson stepped into an Xfinity Series car over the weekend, taking over for Connor Zilisch and capturing his second victory in that series this season. Reflecting on that race, he noted,
“Yeah, there was a lot of survival throughout that race. Just dodging some wrecks, and the balance – we had to work on (it) quite a bit. It was fun. I felt like my car – if I could ever get to the lead, I could stretch out.”
Looking forward, the events of the weekend offer both promise and challenge for Kyle Larson. With the playoffs already on the horizon, Larson’s focus will surely sharpen as he seeks to build on recent momentum, address areas needing improvement, and chase that elusive next victory. His resilience and passion continue to galvanize both his team and fans, making him a key driver to watch as the season unfolds.
