Kyle Larson outshined NASCAR Hall of Famers and legendary former Hendrick Motorsports drivers Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson by achieving a rare feat in NASCAR history. Larson’s victory at Sunday’s Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway not only secured his place in the Round of 12 but also demonstrated an extraordinary level of dominance. Along with Larson, his teammates Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, and William Byron will also be advancing in the playoffs.
Larson delivered an unmatched performance, sweeping all three stages and leading a staggering 462 of the 500 laps in the night race. This triumph marked his 28th career win and set a new standard in the NextGen era, as no driver has ever led that many laps in a single race since the introduction of the current generation of cars. Larson also set a new milestone for Hendrick Motorsports by leading more laps in one race than any other driver since Jeff Gordon’s 1997 performance at Martinsville, where Gordon led 431 laps.
Reflecting on this achievement during a post-race interview, the 2021 Cup Series champion expressed his excitement:
“That’s really incredible. As you pointed out, there have been some absolute legends and Hall of Famers who have driven for Hendrick Motorsports. We all grew up watching Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson take over the sport.”
He added, “It’s really cool to see my name associated with another record at Hendrick Motorsports. I feel incredibly lucky to be part of this team.”
Larson’s performance at Bristol also stands out as the most commanding display of driving prowess since 1977 at the historic track, known as the “Last Great Colosseum.” With this win behind him, Larson now heads into next week’s race at Kansas Speedway, facing 11 other playoff drivers. His dominant position in the points standings gives him a comfortable 39-point cushion above the playoff cutline, and a single win would ensure his advancement into the Round of 8.
Other NASCAR drivers were quick to commend Larson for his impressive drive at Bristol. Chase Elliott, who finished over seven seconds behind Larson to secure his seventh top-5 finish of the season, was the only other Hendrick Motorsports driver to crack the top 5. Reflecting on Larson’s skill during the race, Elliott credited Larson’s ability to expertly navigate traffic as the key to his success.
“I think Kyle did an excellent job getting through the traffic, and that’s really what made the difference,” Elliott explained in a post-race interview with NBC. “I got stuck a few times, but Kyle was able to slice through the pack, so credit to him and his team. They did a fantastic job. It feels good to have a Hendrick one-two finish and to be moving on to the next round.”
Veteran driver Denny Hamlin, who has secured four victories at Bristol and led an impressive 1,199 laps in his 34 starts at the track, also acknowledged Larson’s superiority on the night. “My goal was to win it… but it was clear that Larson was just better than the rest of us,” Hamlin admitted.
Christopher Bell, Hamlin’s teammate at Joe Gibbs Racing, echoed similar sentiments after finishing in 5th place.
“The 5-car was head and shoulders above everyone else. The rest of us were just battling to be the best of the rest,” Bell said.
While Hamlin and Bell successfully secured their places in the next playoff round, their teammate Martin Truex Jr. was not as fortunate. The 2017 Cup Series champion saw his playoff hopes come to an end and will retire from full-time competition at the conclusion of this season. Looking ahead, Chase Briscoe will take over driving duties for the No. 19 car starting in 2025.
