Despite Early Struggles, Kyle Larson “Definitely” Sees A Path for the #5 Team to Make the Championship Round

Since his double-duty attempt in May, Kyle Larson has struggled to find the form expected from a 2021 Cup champion who has been one of the sport’s most consistent performers in recent years. Yet a seventh-place run at New Hampshire, climbing from 16th on the grid, after three continuous non-impressive weekends, has given him a shot in the arm as the playoffs roll on.

Appearing on Speedfreaks to discuss his recent stretch, Larson was asked about his path to Phoenix and a Championship 4 berth. He replied, “We had a great Louden and we’re plus 41. We’re going to Kansas, a good track for us. Hopefully, we can have another good point stay and be well above the cut line before the Roval.”

“Get through this round, and then Vegas is a great track for us. So we could hopefully go there, be awesome to get a win, but if not, hopefully have a good points day. Talladega, I feel like we do a really good job on Speedways of gaining points and getting good finishes now this year. And then honestly, Martinsville has been one of our better tracks. So, I really like the next round.”

Larson understands that execution is key, acknowledging the intensity that playoff racing always brings. With drivers and teams turning the wick up and bold moves becoming the order of the day, he admitted the challenge grows sharper with every round.

“So, it definitely gets tougher, but I definitely see a path for sure of us getting to race for a championship,” he said.

Currently sitting third in the standings with three wins this year, Larson already has Kansas in his back pocket. He dominated the regular-season race there, leading 221 laps, the most ever in a 400-mile event on a mile-and-a-half track. As the field returns to the same oval this weekend, he might be more confident about winning there.

Since joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2021, he has logged 760 laps led at Kansas, four times more than any other driver, and on 1.5-mile tracks overall, with the team, he has 10 wins in 34 starts, an imposing 29% strike rate.

At Kansas alone, the No. 5 HMS driver owns an average finish of 12.4 in 21 starts, with three wins, nine top-fives, and 12 top-10s. Armed with that record, NASCAR fans and insiders both root for him.

About the author

Neha Dwivedi

Neha Dwivedi is an experienced NASCAR Journalist at The SportsRush, having penned over 5500 articles on the sport to date. She was a seasoned writer long before she got into the world of NASCAR. Although she loves to see Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch win the races, she equally supports the emerging talents in the CARS Late Model and ARCA Menards Series.. For her work in NASCAR she has earned accolades from journalists like Susan Wade of The Athletic, as well as NASCAR drivers including Thad Moffit and Corey Lajoie. Her favorite moment from NASCAR was witnessing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. win the championship trophies. Outside the racetrack world, Neha immerses herself in the literary world, exploring both fiction and non-fiction.

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