Kyle Larson knew going into the Homestead-Miami Speedway weekend that he would have an opportunity to perform a fantastic racing feat.
Competing in all three NASCAR nationwide collection, Larson had the chance to comb a triple-header weekend of truck, Xfinity and Cup races.
Just one driver has accomplished it, and that’s Kyle Busch, who did it at Bristol in 2010 after which once more in 2017.
“I suppose you’ll be able to contemplate it a bucket record sort of factor,” Larson mentioned heading into the weekend. “It’s a actually robust feat to do it.”
Larson came upon how robust it’s as a result of, finally, the racing gods determined this would not be his weekend. However he possible received’t argue an excessive amount of with how issues labored out.
He received the truck race on Friday for Spire Motorsports with an unimaginable rally, after taking a spin within the remaining stage. Then, Larson seemed to be cruising to the Xfinity victory on Saturday, when a late warning resulted in an extra time restart.
Sam Mayer bought into the again of Larson on the restart, and Larson wound up a disappointing fourth.
But, he nonetheless capped the weekend in spectacular trend, chasing down teammate Alex Bowman for the victory.
“I was fairly dissatisfied after the [Xfinity] race [but] I wakened this morning feeling for essentially the most half effective. Motivated. However effective [and] sort of over the end,” Larson mentioned about his mindset.
That may have been the case, however Larson additionally indicated he in all probability didn’t take one of the best of attitudes into the Cup race. In actual fact, he mentioned he felt he entered the race with an immature perspective about racing at a mile-and-a-half observe the place he has been identified to dominate with the power to run the excessive line up by the fence.
“I simply wished to take the inexperienced flag and kick everyone’s ass,” Larson mentioned after the win. “I wished to get the lead early and simply dominate like I used to be [in Xfinity].
“Then the inexperienced flag flew, and it was like the alternative. I used to be going backwards and getting pissed off within the helmet and simply annoyed, however simply figured that that day was not going to go like that.”
So Larson left Homestead happy with profitable the Cup race. He needed to grind it out and make a comeback, even when it wasn’t the way in which he envisioned it. After all, he in all probability couldn’t envision additionally having a gap in his exhaust system, because of contact with Josh Berry on pit highway.
Nonetheless, with Larson, adversity appears to push him. Possibly his personal errors (just like the spin on Friday) gas him extra. And the actual fact he is aware of he’s so good at Homestead makes him notice he’s by no means out of it.
So Larson leaves Homestead content material realizing he earned a victory at a observe the place he usually sees the win slip away.
“I’m happy with myself for sort of overcoming that immature mindset earlier than the race and simply digging down deep to remain in it as a result of it wasn’t a typical Homestead for me,” Larson mentioned. “I used to be by no means capable of get the lead till it actually mattered, the place usually I lead all of the laps that do not matter apart from the final one.
“I’m simply proud that we have been capable of preserve our heads in it.”
This received’t be Larson’s final time attempting to comb a weekend. He’ll attempt once more in a couple of weeks at Bristol, a observe the place he additionally runs effectively however arguably not in addition to Homestead.
If he doesn’t get it accomplished then, who is aware of when he could have one other probability? Cup drivers are restricted to 5 Xfinity and 5 truck races every year, they usually can’t do the common season finale nor the playoff races in these collection.
And since Larson likes to race dash automobiles, to have a triple-header weekend the place he can land a trip for vans and Xfinity and never be working off some place else to race is not precisely a straightforward one to schedule.
“You will surely prefer to see him accomplish it as a result of he is deserving of it,” Hendrick vice chairman Jeff Gordon mentioned. “It additionally goes to point out you the way onerous it’s to do.”
Larson is aware of that first-hand. And he is aware of just one nice driver (Kyle Busch) has achieved it.
“To hitch him in one thing like that will be fairly particular,” Larson mentioned.
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports activities. He has spent a long time protecting motorsports, together with over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting Information, NASCAR Scene journal and The (Daytona Seashore) Information-Journal. Observe him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
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