Kyle Larson hopes to tally another win before the Playoffs. (Photo: Stephen Conley | The Podium Finish)
BROOKLYN, Mich. – While Kyle Larson’s sprint car pursuits continue to thrive, it has been a bit of victory dry spell with his stock car efforts.
Although Larson has tallied a postseason spot thanks to consistency and his wins at Richmond and Martinsville, it has been an otherwise quiet stretch. The driver of the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro has led only 40 laps in the past nine races compared to his strong start when he led 582 laps in the season’s first 13 races.
Then again, once a driver and team make their way into the Playoffs, it is not uncommon to see experimental setups or chances taken. More times than not, the Hendrick Motorsports organization whips into shape once the 10-race battle ensues in September.
However, a little momentum building never hurts especially with the regular season’s final genuine superspeedway race of the year. Michigan International Speedway is the series’ only active non-restrictor plate track, measuring at 2 miles and lap times as low as 37.2 seconds.
Throughout Larson’s 11-year Cup career, he has taken a liking to the Irish Hills racetrack. In fact, he tallied three consecutive wins at Michigan, starting off with his maiden Cup win in the 2016 summer race.
Since then, it was a bit of a bleak track for the typically competitive racer with finishes of 28th, 17th and 14th from 2018 to the 2019 FireKeepers Casino 400. Since the 2019 summer ace, Larson has finished third on two occasions and seventh in last year’s 400-miler.
Whether with the 550-horsepower package that turned Cup racing into an IROC competition in 2021 or with the current Gen 7 car, Larson knows how to get around the Wolverine State superspeedway.
Likewise, he wants to seek vengeance with a bitter result at Michigan’s former sister track in Fontana, California. In the early going of the Pala Casino 400, Larson marched his way into the top 10 with one of the fastest cars on track before electrical issues derailed his afernoon.
“Our team is looking forward to running at Michigan this weekend,” Larson said. “My first ever NCS win was at Michigan, so it’s certainly a special place to me. With only two 2.00-mile tracks on the schedule, our team is looking for redemption following Fontana.”
After the 29th place finish at Fontana, Larson went on a tear with two top four results in a row, leading a combined 264 of 588 laps. As the No. 5 team seeks to put a lid on their current rut, Larson may turn to Michigan for a shot at his third regular season win of 2023.
“I’ve had two solid top-10 finishes with the No. 5 team in my last two starts, so I hope to be able to repeat that,” he said. “The guys have been putting in hard work at the shop to build a fast HendrickCars.com Chevy, so I’m eager to hit the track and give it our best.”
Qualifying 17th for Sunday’s 400-miler, Larson may have his work cut out for him. Ultimately, he may have the car that can duke it out with the fast Fords and Toyotas starting ahead of him for Round 23 of the 2023 season.
