Can Kyle Larson make it back-to-back NASCAR wins at Kansas? Exploring the reasons in HMS driver’s favor

Kyle Larson will compete in the first race of the Round of 8 at Kansas Speedway, where his track record includes an average finish of 12.4 across 19 starts. His achievements on this track include two victories, eight top-5 finishes, and eleven top-10 finishes.

Additionally, Larson has maintained a streak of six consecutive top-10 finishes at Kansas, with an impressive average finish of 5.29 in Hendrick equipment. Hence, the #5 driver is well-positioned to claim back-to-back victories at the racetrack, particularly if he is able to bring his momentum from the recent race at Bristol where he dominated by leading 462 out of 500 laps.

Furthermore, according to a recent statistic shared on X, Kyle Larson has led the most laps in the Next Gen car at Kansas since its introduction to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2022. His record for the highest number of laps led at Kansas in the Next Gen car was set in 2023 when he led 99 laps but finished in fourth place. Prior to this, during his championship-winning year in 2021, he set a personal record by leading 132 laps, only to finish in nineteenth place on the track.

Kyle Larson has shown dominance on 1.5-mile tracks this season, capturing victories in half of these events. He has secured twice as many wins on these tracks in the Next Gen era as any other driver. During his last appearance at the Kansas racetrack, Larson set the record for the closest finish in NASCAR Cup Series history—clinching the race by a mere 0.001 seconds, narrowly defeating Chris Buescher.

Previously, the record for the closest finishes in NASCAR history included Ricky Craven's 0.002-second win over Kurt Busch on March 16, 2003, at Darlington and Jimmie Johnson's identical margin victory over Clint Bowyer at Talladega on April 17, 2011.

Despite some controversy surrounding the alignment of the finish line, which also cast doubts over Kyle Larson's victory, his win by approximately one inch over the RFK Racing driver further cemented his position in the playoffs.

---

Kyle Larson's crew chief has voiced criticism regarding the Bristol tire controversy

Although the last race at Bristol, the Bass Pro Shops Night Race, unfolded as a typical event, it was the spring race on the track that heightened expectations among the audience. The tire wear-out seen during the spring race led to widespread disappointment last week among NASCAR fans due to the straightforward and commanding performance by Kyle Larson.

However, Cliff Daniels, Larson’s crew chief, recently denounced the tire issues from March, stating,

"The Bristol race, everyone wants to say was so amazing in the spring because of the tire coming apart. Well, no, it was the tire coming apart that created chaos. It wasn't a good race. The chaos was fun for the moment. But that's not sustainable like that. That type of chaos is not what our sport needs on a weekly basis. We don't! We don't need chaos and calamity, you know, we need good, pure racing."

Kyle Larson currently holds the leading position in the playoff standings, maintaining a 39-point advantage above the cutline.