The Hendrick Motorsports driver, who was eradicated from the playoffs after the spherical of 12 at Charlotte, was in scintillating type and accomplished a clear sweep of stage victories.
Regardless of a run-in with Martin Truex Jr. on the 246th lap of 267 as each entered the pits underneath yellow-flag circumstances, Larson was in a position to reclaim the lead from Denny Hamlin on the restart and held off advances from AJ Allmendinger after which Ross Chastain over the ultimate 16 laps. Larson in the end held off Chastain by 1.261 seconds to assert the victory.
With the victory, Larson’s #5 Hendrick Motorsports group advances to the homeowners’ Championship four and Larson may have the chance in two weeks to win the proprietor’s title for his group.
“Undoubtedly the most effective run we’ve had all yr lengthy. We’ve been able to it I really feel like many weekends, we simply haven’t fairly put all of it collectively,” Larson stated. “Cliff (Daniels, crew chief) gave an incredible speech this morning and received us all able to go and targeted and I did my greatest to maintain it out of the wall. I received within the wall a couple of occasions however I may nonetheless make velocity doing that.
“Superb race automobile. I knew that that final run was going to be brief sufficient the place I used to be going to be in some form of bother there, however fortunately A.J. and Ross had been racing laborious behind me.
“Glad for our group, and we get to go race for an proprietor’s title in Phoenix in a pair weeks. We’re nonetheless technically not out of it. I can’t win the (driver’s) championship, but it surely means extra to me to win it as a group. We’re going to go to Phoenix and attempt to get one other championship.”
Whereas the tip of the race supplied drama, Larson left little unsure who had the most effective automobile a lot of the race.
As soon as he made his method into the lead for the primary time on Lap 27, there have been few who may take care of Larson and his No. 5 Chevrolet. His intent was signalled all through the early phases and at one level held greater than nine-second lead, in the end successful the primary stage with an eight-second benefit over polesitter William Byron.
Larson then held the lead by the opening pitstops throughout the transition to Stage 2, and was barely threatened all through as the center portion of the race ended underneath a warning.
He confronted extra obstacles within the closing stage, together with shedding the lead throughout the closing spherical of green-flag pit stops as a result of an premature warning produced by Tyler Reddick – and the run-in with Truex on his closing pit cease when it appeared the Joe Gibbs Racing driver all of the sudden slowed dramatically in entrance of him.
Larson received into the rear of Truex’s #19 Toyota and spun him into his pit stall. Truex was in a position to full his pit cease however misplaced a number of positions with the prolonged cease.
Race winner Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet Camaro
Photograph by: Ben Earp / NKP / Motorsport Images
“I used to be simply going behind him, and he had a tough left and was laborious on the brakes on the identical time, and I ran proper at the back of him,” Larson stated. “My group stated he was late turning into his stall, however I don’t know. If it was my fault, I’m sorry. I do not assume it was.”
Chastain had battled for the lead seeking a second win of the season, however in the end fell brief – however remained forward of Allmendinger in third.
Regardless, Chastain closes in on high spot within the championship race, and can search to cement his place within the Championship four relying on outcomes at Martinsville.
Austin Dillon was fourth, with Brad Keselowski rounding out the top-five forward of Truex and Hamlin.
Getting into the ultimate race of the semi-final spherical of the playoffs subsequent weekend at Martinsville, the 4 drivers lowest in factors with no win and in peril of not advancing to the title race are Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe.
Nevertheless, Hamlin is tight on factors with Byron, who moved up into the highest 4 regardless of ending behind the #11 JGR Toyota driver.
Joey Logano is already locked into the Championship four because of his win final weekend at Las Vegas.
NASCAR Cup Homestead outcomes – 267 laps
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