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The Next Gen car has completely flipped the script on NASCAR over the past three years. Another reminder of the sport’s massive changes came on Sunday, May 5, at Kansas Speedway.
Most of the focus, rightfully so, was on the finish. Kyle Larson edged out Chris Buescher by just 0.001 seconds in the closest finish in NASCAR history. The naked eye could not determine the winner. The scoring transponder got it wrong, too. After reviewing the final few frames like it was the Zapruder film, officials determined that Larson was the winner.
As wild as the finish was, it was just the cherry on top of the sundae. The race itself was another masterpiece. Like a Vincent van Gogh painting brought to life, drivers were dancing around Kansas like wild horses. In terms of the on-track product, it doesn’t get much better than Kansas.
For the longest time, intermediate tracks on the NASCAR schedule were not ideal. Short tracks and superspeedways were oozing with excitement and drama, while the 1.5-mile tracks were putting fans to sleep. The tables have turned.
The last five races (COTA, Richmond, Martinsville, Texas, Dover) have been strenuous to get through. The biggest concerns were issues with tires, strategy and the inability to pass, creating a train of cars playing follow-the-leader.
Clean air is king for the Next Gen car, and everyone knows it. The multiple grooves at places like Kansas make the racing a thrill. Cars going four-wide is common, and the five-wide battles were invigorating.
Sunday’s race had a little bit of everything. The first stage was filled with battles all over the track. The television cameras couldn’t keep up with all of the action. Strategy began to creep in during the second stage, as several different options were available. Most tracks are conducive to one or two strategies, and everyone ultimately does the same thing.
Not at Kansas.
As the old saying goes, “Cautions breed cautions” and that was certainly the case at the start of the final stage. Drivers were getting more aggressive and less patient. Tire wear played a big factor, but it opened up the playbook for teams to get creative. Looking at the entire package, what more could you ask for?
Tracks losing races has become the norm over the last few years. Maintaining two races per year is considered a badge of honor these days. The finish to this Kansas race will be played millions of times. If there is any track that deserves to have a third race, it would be Kansas.
More Miami, Darlington & Charlotte Oval
While Kansas has been the best stage for NASCAR to showcase its product, there are others worthy of similar praise. It begins with Homestead-Miami Speedway, which used to be the season finale before it was moved to Phoenix. That is a travesty that needs to be corrected. Darlington has always been a place to watch great racing, and that should not change.
The oval at Charlotte is another grand display of racing, far better than the infield road course experiment. That second stop in Charlotte needs to take a page from Indianapolis and get back on the oval. Fortunately, these are the next two points-paying races on the schedule.
The resurgence of 1.5-mile tracks could save places like Chicagoland and Kentucky. They are still in great condition, but Kentucky would have some work to do in terms of traffic to/from the track. A return to Chicagoland would likely come at the cost of the Chicago street race.
Kansas Kyle Delivering Drama
Drama seems to always have a home at Kansas, and for the second year in a row, it involved Larson. The last trip to this race track saw Kyle and his good friend Denny Hamlin battling it out for the win. On the final lap, Hamlin got into the rear bumper of Larson’s car, sending him into the wall. It ruffled quite a few feathers, but it made for some electric entertainment.
This time around it was Larson who got the last laugh, clearing Buescher by an inch at the line. It was a double gut punch for the RFK Racing driver, as he nearly had the first win of the season for Ford. Buescher had no ill will against Larson, as the two came together on the front stretch.
Larson will be driving for Arrow McLaren in the Indianapolis 500 later this month. It was a perfect start to the month for both parties, as McLaren won the Formula One race earlier in the day with Lando Norris in Miami.
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