Kyle Larson overcame a disappointing Memorial Day weekend to claim victory in Sunday's Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, thanks to a fortunate combination of a fast car, strong performance, and timely cautions.
Kyle Larson, the Hendrick Motorsports driver who endured a frustrating Memorial Day weekend due to rain delays and missed races, found redemption on Sunday by winning the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Larson's victory came thanks to a combination of factors: a fast car, strong driving, and a stroke of good fortune. Having missed the start of the Coke 600 and been unable to race in Charlotte due to rain, Larson seized the opportunity in Indianapolis with a strong performance throughout the race.
Kyle Larson Captures Brickyard 400 After Unlucky Indy 500-Coke 600 Double
A series of cautions, including one on an overtime restart, played a crucial role in Larson's victory. When leader Brad Keselowski ran out of gas and pitted, it left Larson in third place but in the optimal inside lane on the restart. This advantage allowed him to outduel Ryan Blaney for the lead and ultimately secure the win.
"Everything just comes full circle," Larson said after the race. "Everything is meant to be. Today definitely [was] meant to be for us."
The win was a satisfying one for Larson, who reiterated his intention to run the Indianapolis 500 again next year in another double attempt.
"We're working on it," he told the cheering Indianapolis crowd. "I hope we can announce something soon. See you guys all next May."
The Brickyard 400 victory marked the 30th anniversary of the inaugural Cup race at Indianapolis, which was won by Jeff Gordon, now vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports.
"I don't know that I've ever been this excited," said Hendrick.
Runner-up Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, Christopher Bell, and Bubba Wallace rounded out the top five finishers.
Ryan Blaney expressed frustration with the restart procedure after the leader pitted for fuel, arguing that NASCAR should wave off the restart if the leader opts to pit. He felt that the current procedure unfairly benefits the third-place driver and puts the leader at a disadvantage.
"It's lady luck I'm pissed off at," Blaney said.
Brad Keselowski, who ran out of gas, defended his decision to stay out longer, saying he would have run out of fuel on the final lap if the race had gone green.
Bubba Wallace's fifth-place finish, coupled with a stage win, helped him close the gap on Ross Chastain for the final playoff spot. Wallace is now trailing Chastain by just seven points with four races remaining in the regular season.
Unfortunately, the race was marred by several accidents that ended the day for 11 of the 39 participating cars. Notable drivers who were involved in crashes included Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Jimmie Johnson, and William Byron.
William Byron blamed Chase Briscoe for his incident, while Denny Hamlin suggested that Kyle Busch's car appeared to snap on him as he was underneath Hamlin.
Despite the setbacks caused by the accidents, Kyle Larson's victory at the Brickyard 400 was a reminder that even after a frustrating weekend, everything can change in the blink of an eye in the world of NASCAR.
