Kyle Larson’s path to his 30th career NASCAR Cup Series victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway was anything but easy. A difficult restart left him trailing race leader Alex Bowman by more than three seconds. However, Larson gradually closed the gap over the long run. With fewer than 10 laps remaining, Bowman’s No. 48 car made contact with the wall, opening the door for Larson’s No. 5 to surge ahead and claim the victory.
This win marked a milestone for Larson, but he believes his career victory total could have been significantly higher had the Gen 6 car remained in use. During the post-race press conference, he expressed confidence that his numbers would look much different under the previous vehicle format.
“I think if we still had the 2021 car, I would probably have around 50 Cup Series wins right now,” Larson stated. “Switching to this car has limited us from winning. But being part of a great team and adapting to change is something we take pride in. The No. 5 team excels in that, as does the No. 24. I believe we are at the top in terms of Next Gen wins. Young drivers and teams that can adapt have an advantage. These cars are tough to drive, and you have to push them hard. That suits my driving style.”
Larson’s claim is bold, considering his dominant 2021 season with Hendrick Motorsports, where he secured 10 wins—the final year of the Gen 6 era. At that point, he had accumulated 16 career Cup victories. The question remains: Could he have won roughly 34 more races in just over three seasons? It seems unlikely for any driver to maintain an average of 10-plus wins per year. However, there is no denying that Larson and the No. 5 team have remained a formidable force in the Cup Series, consistently proving their competitiveness.
