Kyle Larson and Cliff Daniels review the situation ahead of qualifying at Daytona. (Photo: Christopher Vargas | The Podium Finish)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – At most NASCAR Cup Series venues, Kyle Larson is a consistent frontrunner. More times than not, he finds a way to be in the mix for the win when crunch time arrives.
However, at a superspeedway like Daytona International Speedway, Larson is a lot like contestants from a famed, 23-year-old CBS reality show on a stranded island. In other words, he is merely wanting to survive to the finish.
In the four prior superspeedway races of 2023, Larson has DNFs in each of these events with his best result of 18th in a last lap Daytona 500 crash. All of these exits have been due to a crash while running toward the front of the field.
Much like 1989 NASCAR Cup Series champion Rusty Wallace, Larson does not have the best track records at NASCAR’s giant tracks. Although he is not totally timid with competing at these gigantic speed arenas, he has yet to have that complete, consistent race to solidify his confidence.
Prior to Friday’s qualifying session, the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion was quite candid about his thoughts on racing at Daytona and its counterparts in Alabama and Georgia.
“At all the superspeedways, I just crash,” Larson said in a team press release. “It’s difficult. I feel like we have gotten a lot better at it. I don’t think style is the right word, but it takes a different mindset to race there (superspeedways). We’ve done a much better job at positioning ourselves to the front of the pack.”
Earlier this season, Larson raced patiently and methodically despite being involved in a Turn 4 crash on Lap 119 that involved eight other drivers. Despite the cosmetic damage to his No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, he kept himself in the fight and even worked his way inside the top five in the final laps of the race.
Larson posted the seventh fastest qualifying effort at Daytona. (Photo: Cornnell Chu | The Podium Finish)
Attempting to thread the needle during an Overtime restart on the final lap, the ambitious move did not pay off for Larson as he was collected in a Turn 2 crash. Much of the same has happened at the next three superspeedway races at Talladega and Alabama.
Typically running toward the front of the field minimizes the risk of getting swept up in an accident. With today’s Gen 7 stock cars, superspeedway racing is a lot like playing a game of Minesweeper on a Windows OS device.
At some point, fortune will be on Larson’s side given how potently quick his No. 5 car has been during superspeedway qualifying. Qualifying ninth at Atlanta and Talladega and eighth in the July race at Atlanta, the 31-year-old Elk Grove, California native knows how to secure a good starting position.
Perhaps the mentality change is serving the 21-time Cup race winner well as he qualified seventh for Saturday night’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona. As the lone Chevrolet in a top 10 loaded with Fords and Toyotas, the start may be difficult, but he will have three Hendrick Motorsports teamamtes looking to pick up his draft.
At this point, Larson wants to survive and finish at Daytona before considering a victory. (Photo: Cornnell Chu | The Podium Finish)
With Chase Elliott starting 23rd, William Byron in 27th and Alex Bowman in 31st, Larson may be the conductor for the Hendrick quartet to make some noise toward the finish. Then again, the modus operandi for the 11th year Cup racer is just finish the race.
“One small decision can lead to you losing a little track position and even ultimately getting into a crash,” he said. “I’d like to get some good finishes. I’m not even looking for a win. I just want to finish. We have not finished at a superspeedway race this year. If we keep positioning ourselves towards the front, it’s going to work out eventually.”
If Wallace was able to figure out how to be a part of the finish and mix of a superspeedway win, Larson has the makings to follow the lead of the NASCAR Hall of Famer. In the words of Buddy Baker, “You have to learn to love this place. As long as you feel badly about it, you’ll never win it.”
A good finish in what will surely be a hot August night at the Sunshine State superspeedway may bolster confidence and poise from Larson, a dangerous threat in the Playoffs and championship chase.
