Kyle Larson Mistakenly Lets Slip Hendrick Motorsports’ Unfortunate Condition Hours Ahead of ROVAL

The final race before the grid of eight would crystallize come Sunday, and the stage is set for a dramatic showdown. Earlier this year, NASCAR had decided to remove stage break cautions for road courses aimed at letting the race flow naturally. But after the twists and turns of Watkins Glen and the Indy road course, they are back on the table. As it turns out, they played a crucial role in keeping the races competitive and thrilling.

But that’s not all. NASCAR has also altered the restart zone, leaving many pondering the outcome. As the tension builds hours before the race, HMS driver Kyle Larson has raised concerns, as he admits he’s entering uncharted territory, stating, “I don’t know,” like a blind driver navigating a new road.

Navigating the unknown: Kyle Larson’s uncertainty going into ROVAL elimination race

The chaotic dance of caution restarts had been a spectacle, with drivers unleashing their full potential in the closing laps of races. A late caution set the stage for a three-lap shootout, and as they thundered into Turn 1, it was pandemonium.

Four-wide, they entered the treacherous turn, and as expected, chaos ensued. Half a dozen cars pirouetted through the grass as another caution waved, leading to an overtime restart, where contact was again inevitable. Consequently, NASCAR didn’t let this one slide.

Relocating the restart zone to the exit of the front stretch chicane at the ROVAL, Elton Sawyer, Senior Vice President of Competition for NASCAR, hoped this would create some breathing room in those first few rows as they hurtled toward Turn 1. “It will give us a little bit of separation in the first two or three rows as they head off into Turn 1,” Sawyer said.

But this change brought a dilemma. For the No. 5 Chevy, starting the 17-turn course from the back of the grid alongside the No. 77, stage breaks emerged as his allies in the quest to close the gap on the frontrunners. Yet, the restart at the chicane presented a conundrum – slower speeds and a spaced-out field, a double-edged sword that could cut deep into his chances of success.

When questioned about his perspective on the recent changes, Larson stood at the precipice of uncertainty. “I don’t know,” he admitted, “I think it just—your gap to the leader will be larger, just ’cause they’ll just be able to stretch out a little bit quicker where the restart zone is. But I don’t know. We’ll watch the race today and see, see kind of how it goes, and then decide which lanes are best.” 

“It’s a wild restart,” notes Xfinity driver Parker Kligerman

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The Cup drivers found themselves spectators to a trial by fire. The Xfinity Series drivers, tasked with navigating the uncharted waters first, became the unwilling pioneers. Previously, the starting and restarting point for both NASCAR Cup and Xfinity teams had been the front stretch at Charlotte, propelling them faster into Turn 1.

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This weekend marked a significant shift as both series would navigate the final chicane on starts and restarts. Parker Kligerman, who finished the Drive for the Cure Xfinity race in P6, emphasized that drivers had never experienced such fast restarts on a road course. “They’ve never hit a restart as fast as this in their life at a road course.”

“What happens is, especially if you’re not the leader, by the time they get to the line we’re cruising and then everyone just guns it. So it’s a wild restart. About third or fourth row back, you’re struggling for grip, so you’re running into each other. It’ll be interesting for Cup for sure,” he added.

With the Concord showdown just around the corner, it is to see how the grid of 8 takes shape and what misfortunes or triumphs await playoff contenders on the challenging Chicane.

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