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Kyle Larson wheeled his way to his sixth Cup Series victory of the season in dominant fashion on Sunday in the Bank of America ROVAL 400 at the Charlotte Roval. The win marked the 29th career win of the 2021 champion's career and helped him clinch a spot in the upcoming Round of 8 of the playoffs.
The driver of the #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet had to hold off a hard-charging Christopher Bell, who had to settle for second in his #20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. However, Sunday's winner told the Performance Racing Network that it was a tall task to keep Bell back, saying:
"Honestly, there at the end, it wasn't as easy as I was expecting. Once Bell got behind me, I was able to pull away but at the end, he was able to match me. I was nervous I'd fade and he'd get close to me. Thankfully, I was able to push and gain the time back."
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The California native led the most laps, securing his second victory at the Charlotte Roval and his sixth on a road course. With his 29th career win, he now stands alone at 30th on NASCAR's all-time wins list, having previously been tied with Edwards. Fittingly enough, Edwards served as the honorary grand marshal alongside fellow future Hall of Famer Ricky Rudd.
Larson's six wins this season make 2024 his second winningest season, only behind his 10-win campaign in 2021 that saw him go on to win his first championship. Larson joins HMS teammates William Byron, Alex Bowman, and Chase Elliott in the Round of 8. Bell, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, and Tyler Reddick also made the cut.
Following the victory, the 32-year-old celebrated with his young daughter, Audrey, on the front, mirroring the celebration he shared with his son Owen, the eldest of his two children, at Bristol three weeks ago.
In his post-race interview with NASCAR on NBC, Larson expressed his delight in celebrating a victory with his daughter on Sunday. He said that he knew that his youngest child wanted to join in the celebration following his Bristol win, making the shared moment even more special.
"It's always fun getting to hang out with your kids and getting to have these special moments," Larson said. "I know she was jealous seeing Owen at Bristol. I'm glad to have this moment with her."
Larson holds a 33-point margin over the cut-line heading into the Round of 8.
With his sights set on a potential second Cup Series championship, Kyle Larson enters the Round of 8 with a commanding lead, holding a 33-point advantage over the cut-line that determines advancement to the Championship 4. Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, and William Byron also enter the next round above the cutoff point.
The next three tracks include Las Vegas, Homestead-Miami, and Martinsville. Larson has won at all three in the past, including Las Vegas earlier this season. He won at Homestead-Miami in the fall of 2022 and at Martinsville in the spring of 2023.
Larson would become the 18th multi-time champion if he manages to secure the trophy at the season's end in Phoenix. This would place him alongside Joey Logano and Kyle Busch as one of only three active drivers with multiple championships.
