The 2024 Cup Series regular-season winded down at Darlington this Sunday and has made way for the playoffs to begin. 16 drivers have been locked in for the championship battle and Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson is among them. Although he missed out on winning the regular season championship, he is still well poised to grab the bigger medal at the end of the season.
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The biggest reasons for his high chances of being a two-time champion are the tracks on the schedule between now and Phoenix. But first, let’s take a look at what his biggest challenges will be. The opening two rounds feature races in Atlanta and Talladega. And Larson hasn’t been at his best on drafting-style tracks. However, what matters at this stage is survival.
A Round of 12 that includes trips to Talladega and the Charlotte Roval is a hard task to overcome even for him. But then, there is also a race at the Kansas Speedway. The win-and-advance format will greatly aid him on these tough stretches over the first two playoff rounds.
His laps lead and number of wins on other venues including Watkins Glen, Las Vegas, and Homestead-Miami are peak indicators of his probability to beat the hurdles. Interestingly, the 4X Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon also pointed out to Hendrickmotorsports.com that all he has to do is get to the Round of 8, where all his best tracks are.
Why it is imperative for Larson to get to the third playoff round
The third playoff round features races at Homestead-Miami, Las Vegas, and Martinsville. Gordon said, “That round is so strong for him … Homestead and Vegas, I think, are two of his best tracks. If he gets to that round, I feel like it’s a near lock – especially with the bonus points he brings to the rounds – to get to Phoenix.”
Larson holds 35 playoff points in his bag heading to Atlanta, for the first race of the postseason. At this stage, it appears as though he and his crew chief Cliff Daniels have got the hardest parts of every track figured out. But the upcoming ten races will be about minimizing mistakes.
Gordon continued, “This car, the series right now with the level of competition, there’s just no gimmes, no guarantees. You’ve got to be mistake-free through as many of these races and rounds as possible if you’re going to win a championship.” The No. 5 team will be at its drawing board already.
Missing out on the regular season championship to Tyler Reddick ought to have stung like a bee. But the opportunities for redemption are plenty. The first of them will come to Atlanta this weekend.
