Kyle Larson makes solid gains over Chase Elliott after Brickyard 400 win in battle for NASCAR championships this season

Following his victory at the Brickyard 400, Kyle Larson has reclaimed the top spot in the driver standings, picking up 49 points to edge past former leader Chase Elliott.

After the race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, NASCAR reporter Bob Pockrass tweeted the latest wins and results:

"Cup driver points grid (Rich Mich Dayt Darl left): Larson-4w, Hamlin-3w, Byron-3w, Bell-3w, Blaney-2w, Elliott-1w, Reddick-1w, Keselowski-1w, Bowman-1w, Logano-1w, Suarez-1w, Cindric-1w, Truex +108, Gibbs +42, Buescher +17, Chastain +7, Wallace -7.

"Playoff points if season ended today: Larson-43, Hamlin-28, Bell-27, Byron-21, Blaney-19, Elliot-16, Reddick-16, Keselowski-7, Truex-7, Cindric-7, Bowman-6, Logano-6, Suarez-5, Gibbs-2, Buescher-2, Chastain-1," Pockrass detailed further, giving fans a comprehensive look at the current standings.

Last season, Larson made it to the championship race for the second time in three years, capturing the title in 2021 and finishing as the runner-up in 2023.

He came close to clinching his second NASCAR Cup Series championship but eventually ended the year just behind champion,Ryan Blaney. Last year's tally of four wins, 15 top-five finishes and 18 top-10 finishes matched his second-best overall season performance. Additionally, finishing second overall was the highest placement of his career after his championship-winning 2021 season.

Kyle Larson's best performance among his four victories in 2023 was at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which started the Round of 8. Starting from the outside pole, Larson took control and led for 133 of 267 laps. Despite his dominance on the track, he also experienced setbacks, failing to finish eight races throughout the year.

This season, Larson has notched up three DNFs but he has four wins as well.

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Was Kyle Larson's Brickyard 400 win a moment of redemption?

The last time Kyle Larson raced at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, he aimed to complete the ambitious double duty at the Indy 500 just a few months ago.

Unfortunately, the weather interfered, scuttling his plans. He made it back to the Charlotte Motor Speedway in time but didn't manage to turn a lap in the Coca-Cola 600.

This weekend, Larson returned to Indianapolis with the same striking orange-white-blue paint scheme on his #5 Chevy he sported at the Indy 500. His victory in Sunday's Brickyard 400 at the 2.5-mile oval felt like a full-circle moment as #5's crew chief Cliff Daniels shared with NASCAR:

"The paint scheme was almost the car that Kyle Larson never raced. So to be able to have that paint scheme and to race it, and then to bring home a win at the Brickyard makes it that much more special.

"I know that we have a very passionate team about big race events like this, and knowing that it’s a crown-jewel race and you’re back at the oval and we have Kyle Larson behind the wheel, it just makes it that much more special."

Kyle Larson seized control in overtime after a rally through the field, marking another victory during Hendrick Motorsports’ 40th-anniversary year.

The team boasts titles at this year’s Daytona 500 with William Byron, the Chicago Street Race with Alex Bowman, and, with Larson’s recent triumph, an 11th record-setting win at the Brickyard.