NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson. Lily Smith/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Kyle Larson turns in career-best superspeedway effort with runner-up finish

By Samuel Stubbs | Last updated Apr 27, 2025 7:30 PM ET

Historically, superspeedway racing has been none too kind to Kyle Larson. That includes Talladega Superspeedway, where Larson's races usually end with a mangled race car or a disappointing result.

But that wasn't the case in Sunday's Jack Link's 500, as the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion won Stage 1, was third in Stage 2 and finished second after two disqualifications, scoring a total of 52 points and earning a career-best finish at Talladega.

Larson's fantastic points day was enough to move him up to second in the Cup Series points standings, 32 points behind William Byron.

While Larson didn't have the opportunity to make a move for the win, he still drove one of the best superspeedway races of his career.

Kyle Larson: "A great points day, best career finish on a superspeedway, so I'm happy about that."
— PRN (@PRNlive) April 27, 2025

"Still a great day," Larson told Fox Sports. "A stage win, P3 in the second stage, and P3 again there in the final (stage). Great points day, (and my) best career finish on a superspeedway. Now we'll get to go to some strong racetracks for us and see if we can get some wins."

The upcoming schedule is indeed kind for Larson and the No. 5 team. Larson led 77 laps at Texas Motor Speedway — the next stop on the Cup Series schedule — in 2024, and has won at Kansas Speedway, (May 11) Charlotte Motor Speedway (May 25) and Nashville Superspeedway (June 1).

Larson also won the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro in 2023, and while it's not a points race, the exhibition event on May 18 is another race where Larson and the No. 5 team can flex their muscle.

Samuel Stubbs

Hailing from the same neck of the woods as NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Samuel has been covering NASCAR for Yardbarker since February 2024. He has been a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) since October of 2024. When he’s not writing about racing, Samuel covers Arkansas Razorback basketball for Yardbarker

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