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Kyle Larson Turns Darlington Setback Into Gateway Playoff Advantage

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Samriddhi Jaiswal | Last updated Sep 5, 2025 3:50 AM ET

Kyle Larson may not have left Darlington Raceway with the finish Hendrick Motorsports expected, but the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion actually strengthened his Playoff position heading into Gateway.

Larson’s 19th-place run in the Cook Out Southern 500 looked underwhelming on paper, especially with Hendrick teammates Chase Elliott (17th) and William Byron (21st) finishing around him.

But thanks to stage points and the misfortune of others, Larson gained ground in the standings. He now sits third overall, 38 points above the elimination line heading into Sunday’s Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway (3 p.m. ET, USA, MRN, SiriusXM).

Gateway hasn’t been a Hendrick stronghold, but Larson has shown consistency at the 1.25-mile oval. In three starts, he’s finished 12th, fourth, and 10th, while leading laps in the past two races.

Most importantly, Larson participated in a Goodyear tire test at Gateway earlier this summer — making him the only Playoff driver to log laps there. That could prove critical as Goodyear introduces a new tire combination for the first time at the track.

“We had a great test at Gateway earlier this year that led us down a different path with our short-track program,” Larson said. “We feel like we’ve improved, and this weekend is a good chance to show that.”

Our playoff drivers grow up so fast.

Kyle Larson | William Byron pic.twitter.com/ohk2aNGmUo
— NASCAR Classics (@NASCARClassics) August 25, 2025

Team Penske looms as the biggest threat, with Joey Logano (2022 winner) and Austin Cindric(2024 winner) both carrying momentum at Gateway. Meanwhile, Joe Gibbs Racing has unfinished business after Denny Hamlin finished runner-up in the last two races at the track.

For Larson, the equation is simple — turn a modest Darlington result into confidence at Gateway, and keep building toward another shot at the Championship 4.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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