Kyle Larson was one of the favorites to win the 2024 Cup Series Championship; however, now it looks like he has a tough race ahead. Larson is currently 7 points under the cutoff and this is not a position he is familiar with. The driver with the most wins in the 2024 season might get eliminated with just 2 spots left in the finals and this is turning out to be a shocker for many fans.

In the end, it did not pay off well for Larson as he made contact with the Team Penske car, which sent him spinning off. With Martinsville being the last round for Larson to find his way to the finals, he had something to say about the upcoming race. Let’s dive into the mindset of the 2021 title winner, as it’s a make-it-or-break-it chance for him at Martinsville.

Kyle Larson’s thought process heading into the semi-final race of 2024

At Homestead, Kyle Larson had a difficult race from the get-go. During the first stage of the race, Larson had a flat tire that led him to scrape the outside wall. Even after he recovered from that after a quick pit stop, the final stage brought another challenge. Kyle Larson tried to cross Ryan Blaney for the lead while going three wide. Austin Dillon was the third car in the incident who didn’t think of giving the No. 5 driver any room, which led Larson to make a risky decision.

Kyle Larson is in a bit of a bind right now, and he’s feeling a mix of nerves and excitement. “I think this is probably the first time in a while that I’ve been under the cutoff going into the last race,” he says, trying to figure out how to handle it all. He’s not sure if it means more pressure or less. Larson reminisces about times when he was ahead, like being 15 points above the cut line, and how that felt way more intense. “When I’m up by 15, you’re just stressing about not wanting to lose that gap,” he recalls, especially when he’s been in situations like the Roval.

But now, with him being below the cutoff, he thinks it might take some of that pressure off. “It could be a little less pressure because you’re just in constant push mode, maybe,” he adds, looking for the silver lining. The No. 5 driver knows the points are gonna bounce around during the race, depending on how his car is doing and how the whole thing shakes out. “I look forward to the challenge,” he says, pumped to see what he can pull off at Martinsville. It’s a tough track, but he’s ready to go all out. And no matter what happens, he’s proud of how far he’s come this season. “It’s been a great year, and I’m just happy to still be in this position,” he wraps up, keeping a positive vibe even with the stakes so high.

Kyle Larson then said the 6 words that have fans confused. Larson shared how he feels about the position he is in with being under the cutoff line as he said, “But, yeah, it’ll be nice if we can make it, and if not, you know, we’ve still had a great year.” Although it might feel very un-championlike for Larson to say this, however, with a title already under his belt, he has already achieved the feat that most NASCAR drivers are striving for. Luckily, Hendrick Motorsports has often dominated the Martinsville track, and here is how Larson has performed there in the past.

Kyle Larson’s previous performances at Martinsville

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Martinsville Speedway stands out as one of the best tracks for Hendrick Motorsports and their impressive history spans over the past 40 years. As Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, and William Byron prepare for the pivotal closing race of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs Round of 8, Martinsville seems like the ideal venue to push for a spot in the Championship 4.

With the race set for Sunday at 2 p.m. and airing on NBC, anticipation is building among fans eager to see how the team will perform. Hendrick Motorsports dominates the stats at Martinsville, leading in nearly every category with a remarkable 29 wins, 20 poles, 93 top-five finishes, and 150 top-10s. They’ve also led a mindboggling 10,852 laps, solidifying their reputation at this 0.526-mile paperclip-shaped track.

Focusing on Kyle Larson, he has made 19 starts at Martinsville, clinching one win and earning two poles. He has five top-five finishes and seven top-10s, though he’s also faced challenges with four DNF results. Larson has led 296 laps, with an average start of 10.9 and an average finish of 16.7.

His victory in the spring of 2023 highlights his potential on this challenging track. As the drivers gear up for this crucial race, all eyes will be on Larson, Elliott, and Byron to see if they can secure their spots in the Championship 4. With that said, do you think Kyle Larson has it in him to make it into the top 4? Share your thoughts in the comments below.