“One of the coolest wins in my Cup career.” Kyle Larson’s verdict on Homestead-Miami’s Cup race was clear. It was unlike most of Kyle Larson’s wins we’ve come to see. When you think of him on the track, you think back to the 462 laps he led at Bristol. But was it easy for the driver to make it happen? Apparently not.

Speaking to Kevin Harvick, Kyle Larson had a lot of revelations about his race. “On Sunday…me not leading any laps – I was getting kind of frustrated at that. Because I am used to leading most laps there. And I was not able to get to the front enough to lead those laps. So it was definitely difficult to overcome the mental frustration… with me being used to dominating there the whole time. But I think that’s what made it more rewarding to win that.” 

With the weekend over, his rival at Joe Gibbs Racing, Denny Hamlin, decoded what Larson did to win the race.

Speaking about Homestead-Miami, Hamlin showered his rival with glowing words. “What Kyle does extremely good at this racetrack is… he gets very close, but the entire field is right on the wall nowadays… I think the field has tightened that gap to almost nothing, but he’s willing to get into it quite a bit more. I should probably hit the wall 10 times throughout the day, but these cars are so durable, it’s worth it, right? … What Kyle does better than the rest is he’s just higher on entry. So he’s getting the steering wheel angle out of the car earlier to carry more middle speed, more exit speed. When I say I half-ass-ran the wall… I’m getting to the wall late. My min speed is likely slower than his… he’s able to approach the corner with a maximum amount of throttle… that’s where I think he’s still better than the field traditionally.” Larson’s magic in turns one and two was where he made the difference, and Hamlin felt it. Larson’s record at the track is exemplary. He has six stage wins and the Cup Series record for most laps led at the track with 645 laps, but that’s not all Hamlin meant.

What Hamlin spoke about was just a small glimpse of Larson all weekend long. In the Truck Series race, he consistently used the high line to charge ahead, especially during his desperate dash to the win after spinning out. Throughout the Cup Series race, Larson kept bumping into the wall. It was something even the commentators picked up on. Last year, during the Atlanta Fall race, there were similar incidents when Larson ran close to the wall. The only difference was that he wrecked back then. And it’s not just Hamlin who was torn about the skill of flirting with the wall. Even Joey Logano noticed it. “It’s not comfortable, I can tell you that much right now. You’re on the ragged edge, and you’re literally an inch off the wall. You run into a corner a mile an hour too fast and boink, you’re in the wall.” 

Well, what’s Kyle Larson’s secret? How does Yung Money do it so well? The answer came from Larson’s mentor and HMS Vice Chairman Jeff Gordon. “You just can’t ever count out Kyle Larson, and especially at this place. Watching him at his craft at this track, it’s like watching him at (dirt tracks) Knoxville or Eldora.” Add to that Larson practising at the track all weekend in the Truck and Xfinity Series, and you start to see the results. Even in those races, fans saw just how dominant he was. His skills in the Xfinity car resulted in a dominant lead before being taken out by Sam Mayer, but all weekend long, Larson was the clear favorite.

It’s what made the win that much better for the HMS driver in the end, despite the sour note of the Xfinity loss. Even Hamlin weighed in on the controversial Xfinity Series restart between Yung M0ney and Sam Mayer. “And that’s where the 17 I thought was most vulnerable to the 41 [Mayer] was going to be on restarts. I thought that Mayer was the only real challenger to Larson on Saturday, and it turned out to be the only challenge to him winning the race.” Wherever you would go to check out any racing update, it felt like it was only Kyle Larson that people were talking about. He was both the benefactor and the victim.

In the end, Larson’s Miami masterclass left Hamlin tipping his hat. “He was the only guy that could get it going in one or two,” he admitted. For fans, it’s a rivalry that keeps us hooked two titans pushing each other to the limit.

Denny Hamlin Left Stunned by Carson Hocevar’s Bold Move at Homestead

Man, what a weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway! Denny Hamlin was out there fighting hard, finishing second to Kyle Larson, but it’s what Carson Hocevar did that’s got everyone buzzing, including Hamlin. The young Spire Motorsports driver pulled off a wild strategy that left Hamlin scratching his head, wondering why no one’s talking about it more.

Hamlin said on his Actions Detrimental podcast. “He’d go really slow into Turn 1, to the point where you’re thinking, ‘Oh my God, something’s wrong with this guy’s car.’” Hocevar’s trick? Slowing way down on entry to nail the exit, slingshotting past cars like it was nothing. Hamlin couldn’t believe it: “He would just drive by two or three cars on exit—I mean, just gone.” It worked so well that Hocevar climbed from 22nd to 11th, leaving Hamlin in awe—and a little jealous he didn’t try it himself.

Meanwhile, Hamlin had his own battle. He led early, but Larson’s late charge stole the show. “Kyle took it to another level,” Hamlin admitted, still stinging from the loss. And then there’s Cole Custer, who nabbed the Xfinity Series win on Saturday. Hamlin hailed the winner, “Cole drove a hell of a race—clean, smart, and fast.”

For Hamlin, it was a mix of pride and frustration. He’s proud of the sport’s young guns like Hocevar and Custer, but that near-miss against Larson was hurtful. Hocevar’s gutsy move, though, has Hamlin rethinking everything. “Maybe I need to slow down to speed up next time,” he laughed. NASCAR’s future’s looking wild and Hamlin’s ready to keep up.