Kyle Larson is 5/2 favorite at Homestead

 

5 KYLE LARSON   Age: 31 (July 31, 1992)   Hometown: Elk Grove, California   Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina   Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels   Standings: 1st

No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1   Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will be available to members of the media at the Homestead-Miami Speedway media center on Saturday, Oct. 21, at 8 a.m. local time. VICTORIOUS IN VEGAS: For the second time in three years, Kyle Larson won the opening race in the Round of 8 of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs to secure a berth in the Championship 4. The driver of the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 swept the stages at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and led a race-high 133 laps. Off the final turn, Larson held on to defend the lead, earning his second career Championship 4 appearance and his fourth points-paying win of the 2023 Cup Series season. CHAMPIONSHIP 4 BOUND: In 2021, Larson won the Cup Series championship at Phoenix Raceway. The No. 5 HendrickCars.com team will now return to the Arizona track in November as a contender for their second title. The 31-year-old driver has won at all three of the remaining tracks in the playoffs: Homestead-Miami Speedway (2022), Martinsville Speedway (2023) and Phoenix (2021). Since 2021, Larson has the most playoff wins (eight) and is ahead in that category by five victories. Throughout the 2023 playoffs, Larson leads the field in average running position (6.81) and laps run in the top five (1,292). 1.5-MILE MOJO: Mile-and-a-half tracks have historically been a strong point for Larson. In the 2023 season, Larson has earned the second most points (224) on that track length, trailing only Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron (254). Of the last seven races on 1.5-mile tracks, Larson and Byron are the only repeat winners with two victories each. Since joining the 14-time championship-winning organization in 2021, Larson has six wins on 1.5-mile tracks. MIAMI MEMORIES: The Elk Grove, California, native dominated last year’s race at Homestead-Miami to earn a spot for the No. 5 team in the Championship 4 of the owner playoffs. In that event, he swept the stages, had an average running position of 1.40 and led 199 laps en route his first Cup Series victory at the South Florida track.  FAST FORWARDING TO FLORIDA: After locking himself into the Championship 4 via a win at Las Vegas, Larson and the No. 5 team head to Miami with the objective of maintaining momentum. Homestead-Miami has long been one of Larson's best tracks. In nine starts at "The Sunshine State" venue, he has earned a win, five top-five finishes and an average finish of 10.67. He is two-for-two in top-five finishes at the track with Hendrick Motorsports. In addition, Larson’s five stage wins and 529 laps led are the most among drivers entered in Sunday's 267-lap race. His ability to find the razor's edge of speed against the outside wall is a skill few drivers have mastered.  IN 2023: This season, Larson leads the series in laps led (1,031) and top-five finishes (14). He is in a three-way tie for the fifth-most top-10 finishes (16). The driver of the No. 5 ranks third in the following statistical categories: average running position (11.09), laps run in the top five (3,476) and laps run in the top 10 (5,079). He also ranks second-best on restarts, based on data from Racing Insights.   FIVE FAST GUYS: After 33 races this season, the No. 5 HendrickCars.com pit crew has the second-fastest average four-tire pit stop time of 11.083 seconds. This past weekend in Vegas with only 55 laps remaining in the race, the No. 5 crew executed a money stop in 9.543 seconds that gained Larson two positions on pit road and sent him to the lead before he claimed victory. The team’s five-man pit crew consists of Blaine Anderson (front-tire changer), R.J. Barnette (tire carrier), Brandon Harder (fueler), Brandon Johnson (jackman) and Calvin Teague (rear-tire changer). INDYCAR INSIGHT: The 2021 Cup Series champion had a busy last week as he prepares for the 2024 Indianapolis 500. He went to the Arrow McLaren shop for his seat fitting on Tuesday, Oct. 10, before taking part in rookie orientation at the famed track on Thursday, Oct. 12. Larson reached a top speed of 217.898 mph and passed orientation with flying colors. Take a behind-the-scenes look at his experience as he prepared for the #Hendrick1100 in his HendrickCars.com entry.  WIN A CHEVROLET COLORADO Z71: Want to drive Larson’s 2023 Chevrolet Colorado truck? One lucky winner will win his ride. Fans can donate now to enter a drawing for a chance to take home the Z71 Crew Cab 4WD package with custom features and styling. This special sweepstakes raises funding for the Kyle Larson Foundation’s "DRIVE FOR 5" campaign that supports youth, families and communities in need. The campaign is nearing its fundraising goal of $500,000. Click here to check out this sweet custom ride and enter to win today. The drawing closes on Sunday, Dec. 3, and the winner will be chosen on Monday, Dec. 11.  Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his mindset for the rest of the Round of 8 after earning a spot in the Championship 4 with a win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: "It’s nice to be locked in (to the Championship 4). The points are really close. It’s nice to not have to worry about points and go there and race our own race. I aim to race up front and try to make good decisions on the racetrack. Knowing that I’m locked in, I’m not going into these next two races thinking that they are throwaways. I want to go there (Homestead-Miami Speedway and Martinsville Speedway), have some good runs, potentially have a couple more wins and roll into Phoenix (Raceway) with a lot of confidence and momentum to go after a second championship." Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the team's areas of focus for the remainder of the Round of 8: "We are certainly glad to have the momentum (from Las Vegas Motor Speedway) but being realistic we know that there is still an uphill battle ahead of us. There are still two more races we need to go run well at and make sure we are doing everything right including our processes and everything about how we execute our days while getting ready for Phoenix (Raceway). That’s kind of our focus and we need to make sure that we do all the right things right at Homestead (Miami Speedway) to execute a good race. Same thing at Martinsville (Speedway). The momentum is nice to have, but we are going to keep our blinders on and stay as grounded as we can while continuing to push forward."

Kyle Larson is +450 favorite to win 2023 South Point 400

 

5 KYLE LARSON   Age: 31 (July 31, 1992)   Hometown: Elk Grove, California   Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina   Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels   Standings: 4th

No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1   ROVAL REWIND: Kyle Larson overcame some early adversity at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL to advance in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. The No. 5 HendrickCars.com team started 36th following a practice incident that forced Larson to a backup car. Pitting before the end of the opening stage set him up to gain track position and earn six valuable stage points as he finished fifth in the second stage. In the final stage, Larson maintained a top-15 position and his 13th-place finish got him into the Round of 8 in both the driver and owner playoffs.  THE ROUND OF 8: Larson secured a spot in the Cup Series Round of 8 for the third time in his career. The start of the new round reset the points and the HendrickCars.com driver sits fourth with 4,024 markers, three above the elimination line. Additionally, Larson has won at all the remaining tracks: Las Vegas Motor Speedway (2021), Homestead-Miami Speedway (2022), Martinsville Speedway (2023) and Phoenix Raceway (2021). Larson earned the most points (96) at the two Round of 8 tracks that were run in the spring (Martinsville and Las Vegas) with two top-two finishes. EYES ON THE PRIZE: The 2021 Cup Series champion is one step closer to contending for his second championship at Phoenix. Larson’s average finish (2.33) in the Round of 16 is the third-best mark all-time in a single round of the playoffs. In the Round of 12, Larson was tied for the second-most stage points (28) behind Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott (37). Throughout the 2023 playoffs, Larson leads all drivers in average running position (7.51), most laps run in the top five (1,038) and most laps run in the top 10 (1,291). WHAT HAPPENED IN VEGAS: In Larson’s 14 starts at Las Vegas, he has one win, six top-five finishes, 10 top-10s, two stage wins and 314 laps led. The Elk Grove, California, native has scored in the top two in three of his five Las Vegas starts with Hendrick Motorsports. In the spring race, Larson led 63 laps and finished second. In the five races held on 1.5-mile tracks this season, he has earned the fifth-most points (164) with Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron (218) atop the category. Since coming to the 14-time championship-winning organization in 2021, Larson has five wins on 1.5-mile tracks. In fact, his first win for team owner Rick Hendrick came at Las Vegas in 2021. IN 2023: This season, Larson has led the most laps of all drivers (898) and is in a three-way tie for the most top-five finishes (13). He is also in a six-way tie for the fifth-most top-10 finishes (15). The 31-year-old driver ranks third in the following statistical categories: Average running position (11.38), laps run in the top five (3,222) and laps run in the top 10 (4,814). He also ranks second-best on restarts, based on data from Racing Insights.   FOUR TIRES FAST: The No. 5 HendrickCars.com pit crew has the third-fastest average four-tire pit stop of the season at 11.137 seconds. The group has two of the nine fastest four-tire pit stops this year. The team’s five-man pit crew consists of Blaine Anderson (front-tire changer), R.J. Barnette (tire carrier), Brandon Harder (fueler), Brandon Johnson (jackman) and Calvin Teague (rear-tire changer). PREPARING FOR THE DOUBLE: In 2024, Larson will attempt the Memorial Day weekend “double” with HendrickCars.com. He is set to compete in 1,100 miles of racing, known as the #Hendrick1100, in less than 24 hours between Charlotte Motor Speedway (Coca-Cola 600) and Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Indianapolis 500). On Thursday, Larson will complete his Rookie Orientation Practice at the 2.5-mile oval and address members of the media to share his experience surrounding his first time behind the wheel of an IndyCar. Check out the paint schemes Larson will run in the #Hendrick1100 here.  JOIN US AT JINYA RAMEN BAR: In Las Vegas for the race this weekend? Larson will be onsite at the Jinya Ramen Bar on 7240 South Rainbow Blvd. on Saturday from 5:30-6:30 p.m. local time to chat with fans, sign merch and fuel up on ramen before Sunday’s race.  HIGH LIMIT CHAMPION: In addition to Larson’s full-time Cup Series schedule, he often takes on dirt racing during the week. On Tuesday, Larson competed in the last High Limit Series race of 2023 at Lincoln Park Speedway in Greencastle, Indiana. Even though his No. 57 sprint car finished third in the race, Larson was crowned the inaugural High Limit Sprint Car Series Champion. The series was founded by Larson and his brother-in-law / World of Outlaws Sprint Car champion Brad Sweet in 2022. Learn more about the series at High Limit Sprint Car Series here. WIN A CHEVROLET COLORADO Z71: Want to drive Larson’s 2023 Chevrolet Colorado truck? One lucky winner will win his ride. Fans can donate now to enter a drawing for a chance to take home the Z71 Crew Cab 4WD package with custom features and styling. This special sweepstakes raises funding for the Kyle Larson Foundation’s "DRIVE FOR 5" campaign that supports youth, families and communities in need. The campaign is nearing its fundraising goal of $500,000. Click here to check out this sweet custom ride and enter to win today. The drawing closes on Sunday, Dec. 3, and the winner will be chosen on Monday, Dec. 11.  Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his outlook for the Round of 8: "I’m looking forward to the next round. It has some good tracks (Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway and Martinsville Speedway) for us. We really hope to have a solid next few races that can advance us into the Championship 4 and then I feel like we could have a really good shot at Phoenix (Raceway). Thank you to everyone at Hendrick Motorsports. It’s the best organization in NASCAR and I’m very grateful to be at such a great place." Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: "The No. 5 HendrickCars.com team is headed to (Las) Vegas (Motor Speedway) looking for a really solid weekend. Our intermediate package has been close lately and the Hendrick Motorsports cars have had speed. Our team has been doing a really good job on pit road and a lot of things have been coming together. Our focus is making sure that we put the good things that we have together to execute a good race. You’re never out of it as long as you are able to execute and put the right things in the right place at the right time."

Kyle Larson is the 5/1 co-favorite to win at Texas

 

5 KYLE LARSON   Age: 31 (July 31, 1992)   Hometown: Elk Grove, California   Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina   Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels   Standings: 4th

No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1   THE BATTLE AT BRISTOL: Kyle Larson finished second in Saturday night’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. After starting 36th, Larson worked his way through the field in the opening 125-lap stage. The 31-year-old driver got up to eighth at the end of stage one. Staying out during the stage break, Larson restarted the second segment in third and took the lead on lap 179. He held the point position for 20 laps before ultimately finishing the stage in third. In the final stage, Larson restarted third and spent the last 138 laps in second, finishing in the runner-up position. This marks his third consecutive top-five finish and series-best 13th top-five of the season.  ROUND OF 16 REVIEW: Larson earned the second-best average finish through the first three playoff races all-time (2.33), only behind Greg Biffle’s 2008 mark (1.67). During the Round of 16, the No. 5 HendrickCars.com driver earned the best all-time average finish in the opening round of the elimination playoffs. The next-best average finish (3.00) came from Larson in his championship-winning year of 2021. Larson added six playoff points in this year’s Round of 16 to bring his bonus points total to 23, the fourth-most of all drivers. THE ROAD TO PHOENIX: The 2021 Cup Series champion is no rookie at navigating the playoff road to Phoenix Raceway. Larson has earned a spot in the Cup Series playoffs seven times and won at six of the seven playoff tracks remaining during his 101 starts with Hendrick Motorsports. With the points reset for the Round of 12, Larson is now 12 markers ahead of the elimination line. So far in the playoffs, he has the most laps run in the top five (804), the second-most laps run in the top 10 (898) and the second-best running position (6.69).  TURNING TO TEXAS: This weekend the Elk Grove, California, native will race at Texas Motor Speedway. He is currently one of only five drivers to have two or more consecutive top-10 finishes at the Fort Worth, Texas, venue. In 2021, Larson dominated the playoff race and then went on to win the championship. His 2021 victory is one of four instances where the fall playoff race winner went on to become the series champion.  1.5-MILE STAT SAVVY: During this season’s four races on 1.5-mile tracks, Larson is tied with teammate William Byron for the most top-five finishes (three), has led the second-most laps (248) and holds the fourth-best average finish (9.50). In the Next Gen era (2022-present) on 1.5-mile tracks, Larson ranks second in points scored (409), average finish (9.45) and is one of eight active drivers to win on this track type (Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2022). Note: Races at Atlanta Motor Speedway since 2022 are excluded in this count of 1.5-mile tracks.  IN 2023: This season, Larson leads the way in top-five finishes (13) and is in a five-way tie, along with Byron, for the most top-10s (15). He’s third in laps led (798), average running position (11.55), laps run in the top five (2,988) and laps run in the top 10 (4,421). Larson has been the second-best driver on restarts, based on information from Racing Insights.   FOUR TIRES FAST: The No. 5 HendrickCars.com pit crew has the fourth-best average four-tire pit stop time of the season at 11.155 seconds. In the middle race of the Round of 16 at Kansas Speedway, the squad had the best average four-tire stop time among all teams (10.085 seconds). The team’s five-man pit crew consists of Blaine Anderson (front-tire changer), R.J. Barnette (tire carrier), Brandon Harder (fueler), Brandon Johnson (jackman) and Calvin Teague (rear-tire changer). HENDRICK, GET SET. GO!: On Tuesday, Hendrick Automotive Group’s Hendrick, Get Set. Go! program gifted New Hanover High School in Wilmington, North Carolina, a $25,000 grant for auto tech education using the excitement of the HendrickCars.com racing program. Larson, the No. 5 pit crew, head Hendrick Motorsports pit coach Jon Carvin and pit crew development coach Keith Flynn traveled to the event for a question and answer session with students followed by a live pit stop practice in the parking lot. Before getting involved in NASCAR, Flynn was a football and tennis coach from 1985 to 1986 at the school. The Hendrick, Get Set. Go! program’s goal is to connect schools and local Hendrick Automotive Group dealerships for future opportunities for students. Hendrick Automotive Group has seven dealerships surrounding the Wilmington/Jacksonville area. See photos from the event here.  HENDRICKCARS.COM IS HOME: This Sunday’s race marks the 13th of 15 home races for the HendrickCars.com team this season. The Fort Worth, Texas, area is home to two Hendrick Automotive Group dealerships. Respectively, both the driver and crew can be found in their white firesuits this weekend. For every HendrickCars.com home race this season, there is a unique hat, released the week of the race and only available for sale on the trackside merchandise haulers or available to win on HendrickCars.com. Less than 100 of each limited-edition hat will be made available to the public. This week’s Texas-themed hat will be revealed Thursday, check it out here.  WIN A CHEVROLET COLORADO Z71: Want to drive Larson’s 2023 Chevrolet Colorado truck? The 2021 Cup Series champion is giving away his ride to one lucky winner. Fans can donate now to enter a drawing for a chance to take home the Z71 Crew Cab 4WD package with custom features and styling. This special sweepstakes raises funding for the Kyle Larson Foundation’s “DRIVE FOR 5” campaign that supports youth, families and communities in need. The campaign is nearing its fundraising goal of $500,000. Click here to check out this sweet custom ride and enter to win today. The drawing closes on Sunday, Dec. 3, and the winner will be chosen on Monday, Dec. 11.  Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on why success at Texas Motor Speedway is key to advancing in the Round of 12: "Looking ahead to Talladega (Superspeedway), it’s a little crazy and there are typically a lot of crashes. So, you put a lot of pressure on this race this weekend, or at least I do, to do a good job. I like Texas (Motor Speedway). Our No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevy team won there a couple of years ago (in 2021). We hope to do that again and have another good day." Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on racing at Texas: "Going into Texas (Motor Speedway) this weekend, we have some strong runs behind us from the last couple of weeks, which is good to have that little bit of wind in our sail and momentum. We’ve had this layout of the Texas track since 2017 and it is such a tough place for an intermediate (track). The two ends are so different with not a lot of banking and a tight radius in (turns) one and two and then a lot of banking and a bigger radius in (turns) three and four. So, it’s a tough place. Our mindset is to get a good solid car on the track and execute a good race to make sure we are there at the end."