How did Kyle Larson perform at NASCAR Ruoff Mortgage 500 at Phoenix Raceway?

NASCAR 2022 Cup series champion Kyle Larson was among the 36 drivers who graced the Phoenix Raceway. Ahead of the event, Kyle Larson was the favorite to win the race following his previous performance, which was also his fourth time leading the odds table.

However, being coined the favorite does not guarantee a race victory since anything can happen. Larson's No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro began the racing weekend a solid 7th place in qualifying, a good a starting point.

Despite securing the 7th pole, his car developed steering complications. After an unapproved adjustment, he was shifted from the seventh position to the back of the field as his team announced they were taking care of the steering issue.

However, with less than 100 laps left, Kyle Larson began complaining about his engine. His car Chief Cliff Daniel requested him to take the pit for a quick check.

After a quick check, it was discovered his car’s valve spring was already down and it was the end of the day for him. Despite the failure, he is still unable to establish what caused the valve to break.

On Twitter, Bob Pockrass gave an update on Larson's car having problems.

Kyle Larson failed to perform as well as expected in Ruoff Mortgage 500

Waiting for the green flag at the rear of the field was a little disappointing for him. Though, it was not a big deal since he is one of the drivers with great capabilities and can get to the front before the end of the race. Looking at his recent win in Fontana, he began at Pole 13, but made his way to the finish line.

Even if the Hendrick Motorsports team did not perform well in the Ruoff Mortgage 500, there will be many other opportunities, as there are more races remaining in the 2022 season.

On Twitter, Hendrick Motorsports updated the performance of the team:

The green flag went down at exactly 3:30 PM EST and it was time for him to fight for the front position. He managed to beat all odds, and he was running from the top ten to the top five, trying to take the lead.

Unfortunately, Larson was unable to make up much ground, finishing 34th. Hopefully, this is simply a bump in the road on the way to a successful 2022 season for him.