Photo – Robert Laberge/Getty Images
Kyle Larson celebrated his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory in Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway with a celebratory burn out from the asphalt through the grass and directly into Victory Lane.
And while the victory was sugar sweet for the Elk Grove, California native ending a 99-race winless streak for Chip Ganassi Racing, Larson now doesn’t have to worry about points or where he finishes the next two weeks at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway or Richmond (Va.) International Raceway, although knowing Larson’s ethic winning next week is just as important as winning Sunday in the Irish Hills.
“I was teared-up that whole last few laps, because I could just feel it,” Larson said. “It was finally going to be it. This one is for the Clauson family. We really miss Bryan. We’re going to miss him. We parked it for him, so that’s really cool.
“We had a lot of work to do for that first third of the race, and got it done. Thanks to (sponsor) Target. Thanks to everyone on this team. (Crew chief) Chad (Johnston) and the pit crew and everybody. We messed up that last stop but we made it back.”
No matter what happens though, Larson can sleep at night knowing that his No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing team will make the first round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup starting at Chicagoland Speedway on Sept. 18 and that means more importantly – a chance at winning the Sprint Cup Series title.
Yes, Sunday’s race at Michigan showcased a lower downforce package that NASCAR is considering use for the 2017 season, and while not likely to be seen for the rest of the season, Larson’s win was much more than about an aerodynamics package, it was about a driver who could taste victory lane on multiple occasions and finally sealed the deal.
With the triumph, it marked the first time a graduate of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity and NASCAR Next programs has reached Victory Lane in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Looking ahead, a majority of the Chase runs at intermediate tracks, slightly smaller tracks than Sunday’s 200-lap race at Michigan – but that could be a selling point for the No. 42 team.
While the results have been mixed this season on mile-and-a-half tracks, the overall performance of the entire organization has been elevated and appears on a similar path from their on-track performances from two years ago.
If they can continue that trend, it would be hard to bet against Larson and his posse at places like Chicagoland, Kansas, Charlotte, Texas and yes, even the season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but Larson will have to get there first.
“There’s probably half the tracks (in the Chase) are some of my best racetracks,” Larson said.
“Starting out in Chicago, that’s a great one for me. Loudon we’ve struggled a little bit. Dover, that’s a good one. We almost won there earlier in the year. Texas, Charlotte, Kansas, then Homestead is awesome for me. Martinsville has typically been a bad track for me, but we ran third there this year. Hopefully, we can go back and have another good run.
“I feel we definitely have a shot to make it to the final eight. If we make it to Homestead, I’d be super excited because we can rail at the top there pretty good.”
In his rookie season in 2014, Larson finished no worse than sixth in the opening five rounds of the Chase even though he wasn’t eligible. Fast forward two years later, his team looks to rekindle that same success and earn Chip Ganassi Racing their first Sprint Cup Series title.
Larson said post-race he feels his team is better than they were in 2014.
“I think we’re actually better than where we were then,” Larson said. “We’ve been working really hard. This is about the time of year where we get better normally.
“Yeah, that was a hell of a run, that rookie year, to start the Chase. I think I had like back to back seconds and thirds and stuff like that. We need to have runs like that. Do the math. I made like the third or fourth most points in the Chase. Had I been in the Chase, I think I would have finished like sixth in points or something.
“The first couple rounds, you just got to be consistent, not have any bad luck, not lose any points. I’m sure it will be stressful when we get to the Chase. You race a little bit differently when you’re in the Chase, I think than when you’re out of it and have nothing to lose.
“I don’t know, but we’re going to try our best to get a couple wins and advance in the rounds.”
Photo – Chris Graythen/Getty Images
Larson’s owner, Chip Ganassi is confident his operation can be a key component for the title against some of the sport’s powerhouse teams at places where Larson performs well.
“We have to dig deep,” said Ganassi. “We have to dig deep and work hard, like every other team’s going to be doing We think they’re good tracks. He’s shown before he knows his way around Miami. That’s always good, to be good at the final track.
“He’s a shootout kind of guy. A lot of those races turn into shootouts. You’re not so much racing the entire field in those races a lot of times. I look forward to it. Jamie (McMurray) has had some experience in the Chase, but Kyle has not. I think he’s the kind of driver that that Chase is made for, that format.”
Whether Kyle Larson wins the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship is yet to be determined, but there probably isn’t going to be a more determined team or focused driver that will make the Chase more interesting and that isn’t a bad thing for NASCAR.