Kyle Larson is sitting in a commanding lead as the NASCAR Cup Series Chase moves to Charlotte Motor Speedway. After a regular season without a single win, the Hendrick Motorsports driver has secured two victories and three top-five finishes during the playoffs. He currently holds a 40-point advantage over Denny Hamlin.
The No. 5 team is finding its rhythm when it matters most. While the summer felt like a slump, the recent surge puts Larson in a great spot for Sunday’s Bank of America 400. The driver knows his team is hitting their stride at the perfect moment in the season.
The Hendrick Motorsports Surge
The turnaround for the No. 5 crew is the biggest story in the garage right now. Larson noted that the team took lessons from their earlier struggles and applied them to these playoff races. Larson said, “It’s been amazing,” and noted that he “definitely didn’t think we would start off the Chase like this.”
It was not easy to stay focused during the summer months. Larson admitted, “It was tough to stay motivated, and I didn’t think we would get to this point back in the summer.” However, he added, “But you can never count out Hendrick Motorsports.”
Other drivers are not surprised by this sudden jump in performance. Joey Logano, a three-time Cup Series champion, said the shift in the No. 5 team’s speed is expected.
The Battle at the Top of the Standings
The points gap is tight enough that the championship is still anyone’s game. While Larson leads, several drivers are within striking distance heading into the Charlotte race:
- Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing): 40 points behind
- Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing): 55 points behind
- Joey Logano (Team Penske): 71 points behind
- Ryan Blaney (Team Penske): 80 points behind
- Chase Briscoe (Joe Gibbs Racing): 84 points behind
Denny Hamlin is trying to move past a bad finish from last week at Las Vegas. He spun out and made a mistake during a pit stop that allowed Larson to gain ground. Even so, Hamlin believes his championship hopes are alive. According to reports, Hamlin said, “We know it can be done,” and added, “Anything is possible, and if we go win, we’ll take care of the rest.”
Weather Disruptions and the Starting Grid
Rain changed the plan for Saturday’s sessions at Charlotte. Because the weather canceled both practice and qualifying, NASCAR used specific metrics to set the lineup. This means Kyle Larson will start on the pole for Sunday’s race. Yahoo Sports reported that Chase Briscoe will start on the front row next to him.
The lack of track time is a major headache for the field. The starting order for the top of the pack includes:
- Kyle Larson: 1st
- Chase Briscoe: 2nd
- Tyler Reddick: 3rd
- Ryan Blaney: 4th
- Austin Cindric: 5th
Christopher Bell is a major concern in this lineup. Even though he is third in the championship hunt, the metrics put him in 17th place. Bell was vocal about his frustration regarding the lack of qualifying. Bell said, “I just think we should be practicing and we should be qualifying,” and argued that the top level of American racing needs to set positions on the track.
