The NASCAR Cup Series championship engines policy required drivers to compete with previously used engines during the season’s final race, as highlighted in a recent press conference with top contenders. Kyle Larson revealed surprising familiarity with the origin of his engine at the event, sparking reactions from fellow drivers and shedding light on the process behind the championship run.
Drivers Discuss Origins of Their Championship Engines
Kyle Larson amazed his peers at a Saturday press conference when he explained where his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet’s engine came from for the title race. He stated the unit powering his No. 5 car was repurposed from a teammate’s vehicle at a recent event, demonstrating his awareness of technical details that drivers do not always share. According to NASCAR’s regulations for the season finale, teams are mandated to use previously run engines rather than new builds.
“I think mine came out of Chase (Elliott’s) Martinsville car last week,”
Larson explained during the press conference, revealing a detail about his team’s preparation.
“So, yeah, (crew chief) Cliff (Daniels) and everybody had a long night Sunday night getting it out and getting it ready,”
Larson added, indicating the work required by Hendrick Motorsports to ensure the engine was prepared for the high-stakes race. Cliff Daniels, serving as crew chief, was mentioned for his role in this process.
Competitors React to Engine Assignment Awareness
Denny Hamlin, the pole winner for the race, was surprised by Larson’s attention to engine detail and voiced his reaction at the event. Hamlin commented, “I can’t believe he knows,” highlighting that awareness of engine history is uncommon among drivers. Larson responded,
“but Cliff called me Sunday night,”
crediting Daniels for keeping him informed about the car’s preparation process.
Chase Briscoe, also present at the conference, joked about not using the prior week’s engines.
“I know Denny and I do not have our last week’s engines,”
Briscoe remarked, referencing problems with both his and Hamlin’s engines at Martinsville, which had failed during that race. The exchange provided a moment of levity for the assembled media and drew attention to the unpredictable aspects of competition in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Engine Policy’s Impact on the NASCAR Finale
Requiring used engines for the NASCAR Cup Series championship engines adds an extra element of strategy and preparation for drivers and teams, ensuring that no new components provide an advantage at the most critical race. The acknowledgment from Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, and Chase Briscoe illustrates how teams must balance reliability and performance under the watchful guidelines of NASCAR, with crew members like Cliff Daniels playing key roles behind the scenes. With both the drivers and their teams adapting to such rules, the finale’s outcome often hinges on both technical choices and the resilience of the equipment sourced from previous events.
