Kyle Larson has his work cut out for him with a fast backup car starting toward the rear of the 67th DAYTONA 500 field. (Photo: Donald Jenney | The Podium Finish)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Over the years, Kyle Larson has made compelling cases to win “The Great American Race.” Perhaps Sunday’s 67th DAYTONA 500 may be the one to turn the tide for the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion despite an unfavorable starting position.
The path to victory will be difficult but not impossible for the 29-time Cup race winner. While Larson is officially starting in 22nd, he will start toward the rear of the field after crashing his primary car in Thursday’s Duel No. 2 at DAYTONA.
Even with the NASCAR equivalent of a backup quarterback for the Sunday drive, Larson and his No. 5 team have been thrashing ardently to make it a race winning car for Sunday’s season opener.
“I felt better about it (Saturday). (On Friday), I felt draggy and my balance was just tight. It felt more closer to normal,” Larson said to FOX NASCAR’s Josh Sims during Saturday’s final practice session. “Balance wise, I think everybody gets a little bit tight off of Turn 4. I had some of that. I didn’t really have it off of Turn 2. I felt like I could hang on to the draft even when I was in the back of it.
“I felt like we made our car better and I think now, even if things were like they were (on Friday), I think you’re gonna be fine in the race. I feel more confident about our car now. It’s still just a superspeedway so still gonna have track position yourself toward the front, execute good green flag stops, cross your fingers and hope you miss the wreck. We’ll try our best and look forward to it.”
Despite only being 32 years old, Larson is considered one of the most accomplished racers in stock car, dirt track and open wheel racing. He has won crown jewel races like the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis and the Southern 500 at Darlington, all with Hendrick Motorsports.
About the only glaring omission from this future NASCAR Hall of Fame racer’s resume is a DAYTONA 500 win. Make no mistake it is a race he wants to win in this phase of his career.
Kyle Larson and his backup No. 5 car have been toward the top of the 67th DAYTONA 500 practice speed charts. (Photo: Donald Jenney | The Podium Finish)
“Yeah, I mean, it’s cool. It’s a big, big race. Everybody in here wants to win the big one,” Larson said during Wednesday’s Media Day. “I think this is like the last of the big ones that I have left. I think that adds a little bit more to it. Yeah, I’m not sure. Just get your season started, too, so it’s a lot of fun.”
It is well documented how Larson contends and scores stage points at the superspeedways before a late race wreck ends a promising performance. Since 2018, Larson has been collected in an incident with a 10th in 2021 serving as his best result in that span.
Those outcomes may frustrate most racers, but Larson can still sleep at night knowing his racing legacy is still relatively competitive.
“I would imagine Tony Stewart or Kyle Busch is still racing, but I imagine Tony Stewart who doesn’t have it doesn’t lose sleep,” he shared. “I think when you look at the style of racing, especially nowadays, how it’s difficult to win because you do have a lot of good fortune where there’s a lot out of your control. I think that helps you sleep at night if you don’t win.
“So I don’t think it does anything to Tony’s legacy whether he’s won the DAYTONA 500 or not. He’s in every Hall of Fame that he’s deserving of being in. I don’t think it does anything to his career. Obviously he would love to have it. That’s probably the same as me. Like, I’m not going to lose sleep if I don’t ever win this race, but I still want to win the race and have that ring and that trophy and be a part of the names that have won it. But again, I think there’s a lot else, a lot more that goes into winning and a lot of luck. It’s not a big deal.”
Kyle Larson drafts in a pack during the 67th DAYTONA 500’s “Happy Hour” practice session. (Photo: Donald Jenney | The Podium Finish)
At superspeedways like Daytona, drivers like Larson do not get to control their destiny save for solo practice and qualifying runs. Come race day, his fate is in the hands of others in those snarling packs.
Each competitor has a certain perspective on how to approach a track and that is no different for Larson with battling at Daytona. He knows it comes with the territory just as intermediate tracks and road courses resonate with him.
“No, I mean, because it just kind of is what it is,” Larson offered. “It’s going to be on the schedule every year. We all show up with the same opportunity to win, so no, I mean, it’s not frustrating.
“I think obviously all of us drivers would want to be able to make our own moves, get to the front, there not be a wreck with 25 cars in it. But it’s just also the style of racing. Like I said, it kind of is what it is. We all understand that when we come to places like Daytona or Talladega.”
Almost speaking prophetically ahead of race day, Larson considered the ramifications of a less than ideal starting position in Daytona.
Kyle Larson knows it takes a perfect race day to contend in the 67th DAYTONA 500. (Photo: Donald Jenney | The Podium Finish)
“I don’t necessarily think that it’s that important. It’s always important to qualify good. I’m not saying it’s not important. I think it’s way more important at a short track to qualify good or an intermediate to qualify good,” he said. “When you come here, sure, you qualify bad, you sacrifice some Stage 1 points, but you save enough fuel, then you cycle your way to the front to start the next stage or whenever the case may be.
“You just kind of chip your way at it. You can get big chunks if you’re saving fuel and executing your green-flag stops. Yeah, you’re probably in position. I’ve seen the Toyota guys do it. They never qualify good. They’re always in contention in the second stage. Yeah, I don’t think it’s that important.”
Sunday’s DAYTONA 500 is the first of 36 battles to win the war known as the Cup championship. For Larson, while he has been busy during the winter, he is ready to be back in his weekend warrior ride in those unmistakable blue, red and white colors of his No. 5 Chevrolet.
“It’s just good to be back into, like, the normal routine or what I feel like is the normal routine of the racing season, getting to your scheduled Monday meetings, Thursday meetings, I know I’m flying out on this day, stuff like that,” Larson said. “Being around my teammates, that’s all the stuff that you miss in the off-season. Even though I’m racing, I still just miss the routine of all that. Yeah, glad to be back going again with all that. Yeah, just look forward to hopefully another successful season.”
