“Don’t Think You Can Coach”: Kyle Larson Should Not Be Reined In by Hendrick Motorsports Despite Mounting Mistakes

Apart from the impressive win for Christopher Bell, most of the conversation after the Homestead playoff race was about Kyle Larson and how the HMS driver threw away a potential win due to a huge mistake on the pit road. And as good as Larson has been this postseason, and as big of a favorite he is entering the finale at Phoenix, the mistakes have been piling up over the last few races. So should Hendrick Motorsports intervene? Should they tell Larson to hold himself back a little?

Not according to Jeff Burton. The former driver and current analyst expressed that while the #5 team should indeed make note of the mistakes, they shouldn’t change anything, not when this approach has served Larson so well.

Kyle Larson should not be restrained by Hendrick Motorsports

Appearing on the Motorsports on NBC podcast, Burton was asked if the team should be concerned about a string of incidents at Charlotte, Texas, and all the way to Homestead. The analyst expressed that to rein in Larson would be a mistake, saying, “It’s very hard to do it all. It’s very hard to maximize everything and also not make mistakes.”

Burton said that the only way to minimize these errors would be to hold back Larson from his natural racing approach, something that could be counterproductive when it comes to the 2021 champion, who has natural speed.

Having said that, he did say one thing his team can do.

“I think you make him aware of the mistakes and what he could have done differently but you don’t want to slow him down. The gift that you’ve been given with Kyle Larson is incredible speed and you don’t want to take that away,” Burton added.

So what should Kyle Larson and HMS’ approach be now?

Making his second appearance in the final four, Larson has been one of the most consistent drivers this season. Burton believes that the team should change nothing and not tell Larson to do anything different.

“You keep letting him push the limit and then he naturally will find the edge but I don’t think you can coach that, I don’t think you can teach that. I think that it has to happen, you have to make those mistakes.”

“It was just that he misjudged it, we’ve all done it, we’ve all made mistakes and that’s what happened here. But again, it’s for the right reason. and that’s trying to get it all,” concluded Burton.

It will be incredible to see how Larson approaches the final race, and how his extreme risk-taking serves him when it is all to play for at Phoenix Raceway in November.