After a couple of less than ideal results at Daytona and Fontana, Kyle Larson eyes his second Las Vegas victory and first of 2023. (Photo: Erik Smith | The Podium Finish)
LAS VEGAS – It has been a rough start for Kyle Larson and his No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevy Camaro brigade for the 2022 season.
While Larson placed 18th after getting swept up in a last lap, Turn 2 crash, last Sunday’s Pala Casino 400 at Auto Club Speedway was flatout cruel.
Suffering an electrical issue on Lap 12, Larson dropped from the top 10 to 36th place, 17 laps down from the lead lap contenders. Once the No. 5 team identified and fixed the issue, Larson clicked off laps as competitive or faster than the lead pack.
Due to attrition in the latter portions of the race, Larson netted a 29th place result, salvaging a dour situation.
As Cliff Daniels, Larson’s crew chief, sums it up, it was an educational experience.
“We learned at Fontana after we had our issue,” Daniels said in a team press release. “We made some adjustments to the car and learned quite a bit. Some of it can translate to Vegas (which) is a faster, higher load track.
“It was nice having a fast car. I obviously hate what happened in Fontana but having all that corrected and building another fast car can hopefully give us another good shot for the weekend.”
So far, it is all systems go for Larson and company with the fastest overall practice result, second quickest in a 10-lap run.
Despite placing sixth in qualifying, the 30-year-old Elk Grove, California native has the makings for a promising race day at Las Vegas.
Larson showcased his trademark long run pace in Saturday’s practice session. (Photo: Myk Crawford | The Podium Finish)
“Vegas is a track that I like. It seems to be another one of those intermediate style tracks that suits my driving style because you can run different lanes,” Larson said in a team press release.
A track with multiple grooves plays into Larson’s hands as he preferably runs the high line at most speedways. In fact, he showcased some of his prowess with marching toward the front as evident in last year’s Cup races at Las Vegas.
Namely, Larson has showcased frontrunning efforts in the spring race since joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2021. Winning the 400-miler in 2021, the 19-time Cup race winner settled for runner-up in a showdown against Alex Bowman, the race winner.
In 13 prior starts, Larson has led 251 laps, tallied a win in 2021, five total top fives and nine top 10 results. Compiling an average finish of 11.2, it is evident how Larson takes well to the 1.5-mile speedway.
Larson consults with Cliff Daniels on finding the winning combination on Sunday. (Photo: Christopher Vargas | The Podium Finish)
Much like stock car’s stick and ball sports counterparts, a championship cannot be won in the early going. However, Larson and his No. 5 team would like nothing more than tallying frontrunning results and wins to build momentum for another title run.
Sunday’s 400-miler can go a long way toward sparking some confidence and swagger with a driver and team who are capable of reeling off multiple wins.
“It has a lot of character with bumps and grip, so it’s been a place that I have enjoyed,” he said. “I’ve led some laps, won a race and had a few other close shots. I look forward to going there again this weekend and hopefully getting another NASCAR Cup Series win.”
