Kyle Larson's crew chief discusses strategy ahead of Sunday's COTA Cup race - "It's going to be pitting before the stage"

Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson's crew chief Cliff Daniels shared the No. 5 team's strategy for the upcoming Cup Series race at Circuit of the Americas.

Despite struggling with the tire management challenge in the recent Food City 500 race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Kyle Larson managed to secure a fifth-place finish in the race, keeping his lead in the Cup Series standings intact.

As drivers now look forward to the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix this Sunday, Larson's crew chief spoke to journalist Bob Pockrass, revealing the team's strategy for the COTA race.

Daniels, who has been Kyle Larson's crew chief since the 31-year-old's move to Hendrick Motorsports back in 2021, stated:

"I think for most it's going to be pitting before the stage. And what's interesting is the field typically does get pretty stretched out if it goes green here."

Daniels also acknowledged how caution periods might influence strategy decisions during the upcoming race. He said:

"I don't know you know if that's gonna come into play this weekend, depending on how cautions go."

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Cliff Daniels on Kyle Larson's COTA spin last season

Bubba Wallace and Denny Hamlin were involved in a contact last season due to the former's brake issues, spinning Larson at Turn 12 of the circuit as a result.

Speaking of the incident, Daniels revealed how the team adjusted their pit strategy to capitalize on stage points. He said in the same interview to Pockrass:

"Last year, we got spun early, had a lot of problems early and where a lot of the field was on, I believe, two-stop strategy, we ended up on a three-stop strategy, just to allow us the opportunity to get some stage points."

Cliff Daniels would hope that the team does not encounter a last-minute shift in strategy akin to last season. The 35-year-old also emphasized the need for flexibility in the No. 5 team's strategic planning, in case a situation like the last campaign arises. He added:

"I think some of the tools you kind of have to play for the situation that we're in. If you're not in that position, then you have to do something different and kind of try to maximise the points."

After five races in the season, Kyle Larson leads the NASCAR Cup Series standings with 185 points to his name, the same as second-placed Martin Truex Jr. Larson won the Pennzoil 400 Presented By Jiffy Lube race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.