Getty Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports
When Kyle Larson crossed the finish line at Las Vegas, he also crossed one big item off his to-do list. The Hendrick Motorsports driver earned his first victory of the NASCAR season, essentially locking himself into the Playoffs.
Having a Cup win in his pocket will help ease Larson’s mind as he embarks upon a monumental year of racing.
This is the third win for Larson at Las Vegas, tied for the most among active drivers. He won the Playoff race there last season, which advanced him to the Championship 4 in Phoenix. He came up one spot short in that final race, as Ryan Blaney finished ahead of him to capture the title.
That race in Phoenix left a sour taste in Kyle’s mouth, and he had been in the shadow of his teammates the first three weeks of this season. William Byron won the Daytona 500, with Alex Bowman right behind him. One of the biggest storylines coming into this year revolved around Chase Elliott getting back to victory lane.
Needless to say, Larson did not lack any motivation. It showed in Las Vegas, as the 31-year-old led 181 of the 267 laps and swept all three stages of the race.
The last time Larson won the Spring race at Las Vegas, he went on to win 10 races en route to his first career Cup championship.
With 33 races remaining, it is feasible for Larson to make a similar run this year.
That being said, NASCAR is nowhere near Formula One in terms of one driver absolutely dominating the sport. The latter is more about the team dominance of Red Bull Racing, rather than Max Verstappen being that much better than everyone else.
Larson is arguably the most diverse driver in NASCAR. Some would even say one of the greatest in history. The fact is, he can win anywhere. The obvious caveat there is superspeedways, but two of those are already in the rearview mirror.
The strong start for Larson means nothing in the moment. If he continues at this pace though, he could potentially have one of the greatest years the motorsports world has ever witnessed.
Indy 500 and High Limit Racing
Larson has long been the focal point of the motorsports world, ever since he announced that he will try to run “The Double” this year. If he successfully qualifies, he will aim to become the fifth driver in history to run the Indianapolis 500 and the Coke Zero 600 at Charlotte later that same night.
Larson will be driving for Arrow McLaren at Indy, in partnership with Hendrick Motorsports. He passed his Rookie Orientation last October, and will take part in the two-day Open Test for all drivers on April 10-11. He has the guidance of 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan, as well as teammates Pato O’Ward, David Malukas, and 2016 winner Alexander Rossi.
Chad Smith PhotographyKyle Larson, Indy 500 ROP
There was another test on February 5 at Phoenix Raceway, where Larson had the track to himself. The following week he was asked about his preparation for the Month of May, and how he feels about running the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
“I think everybody assumes I should be thinking about the Indy 500 every single waking moment of my life,” Larson said during a media availability. “I’ve got way too much other stuff going on to get too far ahead of myself. I really just get focused on whatever is the next thing in front of me.”
What Larson was really saying is that he doesn’t look too far ahead. He competes in roughly 100 races every year, and he only wants to focus on what is in front of him right now. His respect for the event and his open-wheel background will surely earn him a warm embrace at Indianapolis.
Speaking of his open-wheel background, Larson also has his fingertips on running the High Limit Racing Series. The race schedule is certainly more flexible than the World of Outlaws, but it still requires a ton of time and commitment. Larson is keen to do whatever it takes to make it a successful venture, as he balances the roles of co-owner and competitor.
Hendrick Motorsports Dominance
Hendrick is the top dog once again, and Larson behind the wheel is one of the reasons why. This was the 10th win for the organization at Las Vegas, and they have won the last four Spring races at the track. They have won two of the three races so far this season, and will certainly be adding to that total.
Byron won a series-high six races last year, and began this season winning the ultimate prize. Byron and Larson both advanced to the Championship 4 last season, giving Rick Hendrick a 50-50 shot at the title. While they came up short in their quest, there is no doubt Hendrick is the team to beat again this year.
All of the talk has been about the Ford Dark Horse and Toyota’s new body, but the fact is Chevrolet has a strangle hold on the manufacturer battle. The bowtie has won all three Cup races, and eight of the nine events when you factor in Xfinity and Trucks.
This is a team sport, and while several drivers had issues on pit road, Larson was thankful for his team’s performance. “All in all, such a great, great job by this No. 5 Hendrickcars.com Chevy team,” Larson told FOX Sports after the race. “Just their execution, restarts, pit road. All of that was great. Cool to get a win here in Las Vegas again, back-to-back, and swept all the stages. Can’t ask for much more than that.”