Kyle Larson did it. It was his second opportunity to win on the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway, having attempted ‘The Double’ earlier this season and he didn’t let the chance pass by. Larson secured an anticlimactic Brickyard 400 victory, in what was an otherwise drama-filled race. It ultimately came down to fuel, and Kyle Larson’s No. 5 team had adopted the safest fuel strategy, ensuring he could capitalize on the opportunity at the start of the first overtime.

The topsy-turvy nature of Kyle Larson’s race was something of an emotional roller coaster for Rick Hendrick and Jeff Gordon, who were hoping for a repeat of Hendrick Motorsports’ 1994 victory in the first Cup Series race at the iconic 2.5-mile oval.

A chaotic outcome at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Kyle Larson’s victory at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway came under caution after he managed to overtake Ryan Blaney during the race’s final restart. He was already on his final lap when Ryan Preece’s stopped car in the backstretch prompted a caution after the Stewart-Haas Racing driver spun off Turn 2 and hit the inside wall. NASCAR waited for over 30 seconds to throw the caution, at which time Larson had already begun his final lap, which meant the race was over as per NASCAR rules. Had the caution come before Larson began his final lap, another restart would have been necessary.

The anticlimactic finish didn’t deter Rick Hendrick and Jeff Gordon, both of whom sang praises for Kyle Larson’s performance after the race. When asked how excited he was seeing Kyle Larson overtake one car after another, Rick Hendrick replied, “Yeah, I was surprised. The first five cars, so it was saving fuel but he was coming through the field like a rocket. And it’s just hard to pass, but he made it look easier to pass. Then I was worried when he got up to like second or third. Then we started worrying about fuel on the first overtime. So they said we had enough to do one, and we’re holding our breath. If there was another one I don’t know if we could have made it. But he put on a show. That’s Kyle Larson.”

Responding to the same question, Jeff Gordon, winner of the first NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway said, “I got nervous when he got the third, because at that point if it went green the rest of the way, it would be difficult to get by the 12 or the 6, if the 6 can make it all the way. He had his work really cut out for him. When he got there, he seemed to have the progress he needed until that point. I think that caution coming out was certainly for us, obviously not good for the 6. It was good for Kyle to be able to line up there in the front row with the 12.”

Larson’s victory came with its share of controversy. If there is anything we have learned from Brickyard 400, it’s that NASCAR can be very quick in hitting the caution button when a car spins on track or scrapes against the wall, and how slow they can be in issuing a caution to get the ideal outcome. There was no reason to delay the caution by over 30 seconds after Ryan Preece’s incident, but by doing so, they effectively crowned Kyle Larson the winner of Brickyard 400.

Two late cautions prompted the race to be extended by seven laps, going past its scheduled 160-lap distance. The first caution came when Kyle Busch’s No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro crashed while racing with Denny Hamlin for a top-five spot with less than three scheduled laps remaining. The second caution came about after the restart, which took out five cars, including Denny Hamlin’s after the Joe Gibbs Racing driver had gone into the pits for gas.

With Hendrick Motorsports employing a safe fuel strategy, Kyle Larson charged into third place, behind Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney. The RFK Racing driver, who had already stretched his fuel too far, was forced into the pit road after the penultimate restart, allowing Larson to capitalize on the opportunity.

The Hendrick Motorsports driver got past Blaney in Turn 1, while Tyler Reddick overtook the Team Penske driver as well. Had the race stayed green in the final lap, there could have been a chance for Reddick to get past Larson, but we will never know. Larson, who secured his fourth win of the season, will begin the postseason with 28 playoff points, four more than Christopher Bell and seven more than Denny Hamlin.

Kyle Larson to attempt ‘The Double’ in 2025

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Earlier this year, Kyle Larson became the first NASCAR driver since Kurt Busch to attempt racing in the Coca-Cola 600 and Indianapolis 500 on the same day. However, things couldn’t have gone worse for the 31-year-old, who got a speeding penalty at the Indy 500, while severe weather meant he couldn’t make it to Charlotte Motor Speedway in time for the NASCAR race. As a result, Justin Allgaier started in Larson’s place, but the race was called off prematurely due to weather conditions. This meant that Kyle Larson didn’t manage to participate in the Cup Series event.

Knowing that he had unfinished business at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Kyle Larson said after the race, “I love you, Indiana fans. And I know you guys love me, too. So how about we come back next May and try to kiss these bricks in an Indy car.” When asked if he would like to run ‘The Double’ again, Larson enthusiastically responded, “We’re working on it. I hope we can announce something soon and see you guys all next May. I wish we could have got to do both and run the 600 because we had a phenomenal papaya orange car for that race, too.”

If he succeeds in doing ‘The Double’, Kyle Larson will join Tony Stewart as the only other driver who has successfully achieved this feat. Driving a combined total of 1100 miles in a single day is no easy task, but Larson isn’t one to give up so easily. With a two-week break for the Olympics for Cup Series drivers, Larson will look to get some well-earned rest before shifting his attention to Richmond Raceway, where he will hope to get his 5th win of the season.

What are your thoughts about Kyle Larson’s victory at Brickyard 400? Let us know in the comments!