Kyle Larson departed Indianapolis in May after enduring one of the toughest days in his racing career. Returning on Sunday, Larson capped one of his most memorable races by participating in a celebrated tradition in sports: kissing the bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The 31-year-old Californian faced adversity early on with an unscheduled pit stop but rallied from 12th place to seize the lead in the final 32 laps. He through challenges on the last two restarts and narrowly avoided a potential third overtime, securing his first Brickyard 400 victory under caution.
“Today just felt like everything fell into place with our strategy,” Larson remarked, expressing disbelief and gratitude as he climbed atop his car and interacted with cheering fans. “Winning here feels surreal.”
The victory may help erase memories of Larson’s disappointing Memorial Day weekend when rain disrupted his plans to complete both the Indianapolis and Charlotte races totaling 1,100 miles. He didn’t even start the Coca-Cola 600 due to logistical challenges.
However, on Sunday, Larson rebounded with strategic racing and a stroke of good fortune. He was running third in a paint scheme intended for the 600 when race leader Brad Keselowski ran out of fuel, allowing Larson to capitalize by positioning himself in the inside lane beside Ryan Blaney.
Larson seized the opportunity, overtaking Blaney just before a five-car crash necessitated a red flag and a second overtime.
This time, after needing help to restart his No. 5 Chevrolet, Larson again passed Blaney on the inside and crossed the finish line before another caution came out.
“I don’t know what motivated him today except for his desire to win the Brickyard 400,” said Jeff Gordon, who won five Brickyard 400s before rejoining Hendrick Motorsports as an executive. “You could see he was driving with a purpose.”
Tyler Reddick, who started from pole position, finished second as Blaney slipped to third.
Larson has now won three of NASCAR’s four major races, missing only the Daytona 500. This victory was the first Cup race on Indy’s historic 2.5-mile oval since 2020. The last three races were on the 14-turn road course.
His fourth win of the season also moved him to the top of the Cup standings, ahead of Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott, with four races left before the playoffs start.
However, the thrilling finish was not by chance. Keselowski gambled he could finish the final 59 laps without refueling — and he almost did. But he didn’t anticipate the race extending an extra seven laps.
Meanwhile, Blaney had been trying to keep Larson behind him for several laps, even blocking his attempts to pass on the inside, to maintain his lead.
“That’s tough. We did everything right today,” said Blaney, who finished third after the dramatic turn of events. “We were in a great position to win, but it just didn’t work out for us.”
Despite many drivers conserving fuel, Larson continued to push aggressively, causing some concern for team owner and pace car driver Rick Hendrick.
“He was moving through the field like a rocket,” Hendrick commented. “Passing was tough, but he made it look easier.”
As Larson climbed to second or third place, Hendrick began worrying about fuel. “They said we had enough for one overtime, but we were holding our breath,” Hendrick added. “But he put on a show. That’s Kyle Larson.”
Reflecting on his victory, Larson expressed a desire to make up for his previous disappointment in May.
“I wish we could have done both,” Larson said. “But, I think everything comes full circle and everything’s meant to be.”
