This was Larson’s 1st career Sprint Cup Series win and the first win, after 99 races, for the Chip Ganassi Racing team.
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“I think with two to go, I was starting to get choked up”, he said. We got back up and running and made some laps, and made a really bad day into just an okay day.
After a lengthy, rain-delayed affair in Bristol a week prior, the Sprint Cup Series traveled to Michigan International Speedway for the Pure Michigan 400.
Larson was the 13 different victor this season with just two races remaining in the regular season – Darlington and Richmond.
Kyle Larson celebrates winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Michigan International Speedway, in Brooklyn, Mich., Sunday, Aug. 28, 2016.
Kyle Larson went on to win his first race after competing against Chase Elliot and the two drivers, along with Ryan Blaney who finished in 4th, have helped bring in a younger generation to the Sprint Cup Series.
Truex held the lead until he had a pitting miscue during green flag stops at around the Lap 65 mark. Rookie Chase Elliott, 20, making his 29 career start – the same number of starts Dale Jarrett had made when he won at MIS in 1991 – looked prepared to follow his dad Bill, who won seven times at MIS, to the checkered flag, leading with 13 laps to go when a flat tire on the No. 46 auto of Michael Annett brought out a caution.
Larson’s victory in his No. 42 Chevrolet snapped a 99-race losing streak for Chip Ganassi Racing. With only 2 races left, there are plenty of drivers in contention to qualify for the chase, but only 3 spots left. Elliott remains winless, but he is in solid shape to make the Chase field on points if need be.
“You can go practice (restarts) if you want to rent a racetrack, sit there and restart all day long if you wanted to, I guess”, said Elliott, who has made just 29 career starts in NASCAR’s top series. The track had lost its traditional Labor Day date several years ago but now has it back and this time the sanctioning body has made it even better by moving the start of the race back so it can be contested under the lights out of the extreme SC heat. Elliot, who finished second in the previous race at MI, had the lead with only ten laps remaining.
Kevin Harvick: He’s one of the drivers who played a role in dominating one of the last three races at Darlington, and he’s the one who converted that big day into a victory.
As long as I’m doing that, I said to avoid Alex Bowman and Clint Bowyer in that same salary class, and they both finished with negative points. “Obviously I didn’t do a very good job of that here”. I was able to give him a push, a really hard push and got sideways, there, and was able to get the lead.
Brad Keselowski, who finished third in his No. 2 Penske Ford, was 25 when he first tasted victory and was among the first drivers to congratulate Larson. “I’m glad to get it before my 100th start next week”. That’s what happens when you combine 400 miles on NASCAR’s fastest track and only four cautions.
On the ensuing restart on lap 192, Elliot spun the tires and Keslowski pushed Larson into the lead.
Drivers with at least one win automatically earn a spot in The Chase’s 16-car field with a 30th or better finish in the points.
Filling in for the injured Dale Earnhardt Jr. Elliott is 11th in the standings, the top driver with no victories.
But Ganassi has shown patience with his NASCAR rebuild and he’s got faith in the 24-year-old Larson. That means Buescher still has two more races to keep himself in the top 30.
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“We worked really, really hard to get a win, and just haven’t done it”, Larson said. “I love you guys, we’re going to miss him”.
