Larson finally plants one on the bricks

Kyle Larson has finally broken through for one of the few things in Motorsport he hasn’t done at the top level…that is, planted a big kiss on the famed bricks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The Hendricks Chevrolet driver took out one of NASCAR’s crown-jewel events, the Brickyard 400, surviving a dramatic overtime finish to add the IMS victory to his career collection which includes Charlotte’s Coca-Cola 600 and Darlington’s Southern 500, now just needing to capture the Daytona 500 to complete the cabinet.

Just eight weeks ago, Larson was racing in the Indy 500 at IMS for a P18 finish, but after leading only 8 of the 167 laps, he held off poleman Tyler Reddick, and Penske’s Ryan Blaney on the bell, with he race also ending on a caution courtesy of Ryan Preece’s spin.

“This is just such a prestigious place, such hallowed ground,” said the 2021 NASCAR champion.

“Pretty neat to get an opportunity to race here on the oval again. What a job by our team. I mean, never gave up at all.

“I think everything has come full circle with what was meant to be, and today was meant to be for us.”

Larson’s win was also the fourth of the season for the 31-year old to put him on top of the regular season table, and it also came thirty years after Hendrick Motorsports team executive Jeff Gordon took out the inaugural stock car race at IMS, with this year being the 30th anniversary.

In the first stage of proceedings, it was Denny Hamlin who took the points after cycling into the lead through the green flag stops, holding off Larson in a narrow dash.

Stage 2 then saw Bubba Wallace cash some important points as he fights to qualify for the postseason, staying out under a host of differing strategies to, parrying off Chase Elliott.

After Hamlin remained on track for the break, he inherited the Stage 3 lead, whilst Truex Jr. suffered a cut tyre early to bring out an early caution.

Then after Johnson and Logano wrecked, Nemechek inherited the lead after a flurry of pits with 46 laps remaining.

And after Truex blew another tyre, Keselowski then hit the front, but with 20 laps remaining, his fuel strategy looked dicey.

When he dove into the pits at the start of the first overtime after Busch wrecked at Turn 3, it put Larson in front, with a multi car wreck then needing a 17 minute red-flag before Larson took his chance for win #4.

After wins at Vegas, Kansas, Sonoma and IMS, Larson leads the way with four races remaining until the playoffs, but first is a two week break over there Summer Olympics, with Virginia’s Richmond Raceway outing on August 11 starting the run home to postseason, with Michigan, Daytona, and Darlington to follow.

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