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Kyle Larson was missing from the picture that NASCAR posted with the drivers ahead of the inaugural Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway. The Hendrick Motorsports driver was not present in the picture as he was out racing in the dirt at Knoxville Speedway.
After a long wait, NASCAR announced this season that they will be taking the Cup Series to Iowa Speedway for the first time. The next race on the calendar is scheduled on the 0.8-mile track and as an inaugural post, NASCAR posted a picture on social media with the drivers of the series.
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Interestingly, the leader of the Cup Series standings and the #5 Chevrolet driver Kyle Larson was missing from the picture. This is because when the picture was clicked, he was racing in the #57 sprint car for Silva Motorsports at Knoxville in the NOS Energy Drink World of Outlaws.
Kyle Larson was battling strong in the 25-lap race. Starting 10th, he had charged up the grid. However, with five laps to go in the race, there seemed to be some issues with his car, and his race ended early.
Kyle Larson unsure of tire performance at Iowa Speedway
The Iowa Speedway is set to be a new experience for the Cup Series drivers as this is the first time that the Next Gen cars will be racing on the circuit. Even the drivers who have earlier taken part on the track through the Xfinity Series races might have to experience a new level of challenge as the track's asphalt has been repaved.
This is one of the things that Brad Keselowski expressed, giving his views on racing at the circuit. He stated that the race could be "different."
Kyle Larson was also asked about the condition of the tires on the track. When asked if it will be a race like Bristol earlier this season, he replied:
"I don't know, I'm not sure why people are blowing so many tires right now. I haven't had time to talk to the team, I don't think even they've had time to, you know, study tires on our end as an organization. So yeah, I'm not really sure what the answer is," he said (via Frontstretch). (0:32)
Kyle Larson has been racing impressively this season. With three race wins and more laps led than any other driver, the doors to his Playoffs qualification are seemingly open. Heading into the next race, it will be interesting to see how the Next Gen cars react on the newly paved track.
