When you’re good you’re good and Kyle Larson was very good today. Larson dominated the NASCAR Cup Series field on his way to the checkered flag in the Pennzoil 400.
Just when you thought Tyler Reddick would catch up to Kyle Larson and make a pass, the 5 car just kept it going and held off the Toyota driver. The last five times Larson has swept both stages, he has won the race.
After a couple weeks of drafting tracks, Las Vegas was a breath of fresh air. Pit stops mattered, tires and fuel were important, and we had a strung-out field allowing the best driver and car to win.
Big victory for Kyle Larson early in the year. He will once again be a Championship 4 favorite.
Kyle Larson wins Stage 1
While the Fords started up near the front with Joey Logano on the pole and Austin Cindric in the second row, it didn’t stay that way. As the run went on, and amid a few caution flags, the Toyotas and Chevys moved up to the front.
This stage was put on hold with Chris Buescher hitting the wall early. Safety crew members had to come out and repair the wall, bringing out a red flag for a short period of time.
Eventually, we had Kyle Larson out in front with Tyler Reddick chasing him down as the stage came to an end. Martin Truex Jr. was strong, finishing third in the stage. Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Ty Gibbs, and Corey LaJoie followed. Big race for LaJoie and Spire as a whole.
Larson won the stage and picked up where he left off in Stage 2.
Stage 2 finishes in a restart
After green flag pit stops in the middle of Stage 2, Christopher Bell found himself spinning out and bringing out a caution late in the stage. A few caution laps later, and it was a mad dash to the finish line for the stage win. Once again, it was a Larson and Reddick battle.
One driver who had early speed in this race, Bubba Wallace, found himself multiple laps down in the stage. His team failed to remove one of his wheels due to a stuck lug nut. Having to pit multiple times, Wallace fell back in the field.
Just as he did in the fall playoff race at Las Vegas, Larson went on to sweep the first two stages. Just as it was in Stage 1, Reddick finished second, chasing the No. 5 car but never reaching it.
Another dominant afternoon for Larson in the desert. Those Toyotas were chasing but just couldn’t match his speed.
Larson holds off Reddick to win
Lots of green flag racing today. There wasn’t a huge multi-car incident. We did have blown tires and a few spins, speeding penalties on pit road. Through it all, Kyle Larson just kept his car in the front and kept putting distance on the field.
By the time Reddick
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