Denny Hamlin Claims Christopher Bell’s Victory Couldn’t Have Been Possible Without Kyle Larson

The Homestead-Miami Speedway witnessed a thrilling turn of events in Sunday’s Cup race, culminating in a dramatic victory for Christopher Bell. However, the young Joe Gibbs Racing driver’s win was never quite in the picture until he was. His car was struggling for most of the race. It was only a stroke of luck, combined with the unfortunate crash of Kyle Larson, that propelled Bell to victory. In a recent podcast episode, Denny Hamlin shed light on the role played by Larson’s crash in Bell’s victory.

Christopher Bell’s journey to victory in Miami was nothing short of dramatic. The 4EVER 400 race was a true test of his resilience, as he overcame a nightmare start to claim the top spot. Bell found himself battling a tight race car during the initial stages. And he even came close to going a lap down in Stage 2. However, the stars aligned for the Joe Gibbs Racing driver, as the race’s dynamics shifted dramatically.

Denny Hamlin claims C-Bell’s victory was impossible without Kyle Larson’s crash

The defining moment of the race occurred when Kyle Larson’s day took an unexpected turn. Larson, who had been dominating throughout the race, inexplicably clipped the sand barriers and Ryan Blaney‘s right-rear quarter panel as he entered pit road on lap 214. This incident forced Larson to retire from the race, bringing out a caution that would change the course of events.

Bell seized the opportunity provided by the late caution in Stage 3. He stormed from behind to secure his second win of the season. Bell managed to take the lead for the first time on a restart at Lap 230, lost it briefly, and then recaptured it from William Byron with 15 laps to go. Ultimately, he held off Ryan Blaney to secure his place in the NASCAR championship finale at Phoenix.

Denny Hamlin, reflecting on Sunday’s race during his podcast, emphasized the significance of that late caution. Hamlin stated, “This was the defining moment for the 20 car and why he won. He went from being in the teens, and really the back half of the teens for the most part. He gained, I am gonna estimate 8 positions or so, right off the bat, as soon as the caution came out. Because now, since he stayed on the racetrack and hadn’t already pit, he gained all the positions of the people that did pit.”

“So, this is all the other guys, right?” Hamlin added. “So, that put him, I believe… 10th or maybe it was 6th. I’m not really sure, right? It moved him up to the front. That was the moment where he was not getting there the other way. He had tried all race, and he was on the struggle bus. But the moment he got that caution. He was far enough forward to where the clean air woke his car up, and he was ten times better at the end of the race than what he was the entire race.”

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Although Kyle Laron may have crashed out on Sunday, there is no denying his dominance. And a former NASCAR driver has just compared Larson to one of the great baseball legends of all time.

Kenny Wallace compares Kyle Larson to Babe Ruth because of his sheer dominance

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Since moving to Hendrick Motorsports, Larson has consistently demonstrated his immense talent and established himself as a true force to be reckoned with on the racetrack. His performance has sparked comparisons to some of the greatest athletes in history, including the legendary baseball icon Babe Ruth.

Kenny Wallace, a former NASCAR driver, was effusive in his praise for Kyle Larson, drawing an intriguing parallel to Babe Ruth during an episode of his podcast, the Kenny Wallace Show. Wallace marveled at Larson’s recent dominance in NASCAR and declared, “I think the big story is obviously Kyle Larson, complete domination. He called his shot. He was like Babe Ruth.”

Wallace went on to explain his analogy, saying, “For all you kids, Babe Ruth, one of the greatest baseball players of all time. Babe would get up and he’d go, ‘This is going over the wall.’ And by God, it did. Couldn’t make fun of Babe Ruth because he hit them home runs.”

Comparing Larson to Babe Ruth wasn’t merely a rhetorical flourish for Wallace. It was a testament to the extraordinary feats that Larson has achieved in NASCAR. Larson’s ability to predict and dominate races has elevated him to legendary status in the eyes of many fans and experts. “Kyle Larson said, ‘Well, I’m going to dominate. I want to dominate.’ He was dominating,” Wallace concluded.

Denny Hamlin’s insights into the role of Kyle Larson’s crash shed light on the importance of strategic choices in a race0—Christopher Bell shines as an example.

READ MORE: Kyle Larson Publicly Admits Overzealous Mistake in 4-Word Confession