“Took Ourselves Out of It” – Hendrick Motorsports Driver Reveals Winning in Kansas Was Not Their First Priority

Kansas Speedway was the battleground where NASCAR giants clashed this Sunday in a race that would make even Vin Diesel’s heart race. While a certain Hendrick Motorsports driver had already punched his ticket to the Round of 12 with a victory in Darlington, the remaining 15 playoff drivers were gunning their engines to join him. 

With an appetite for speed that couldn’t be satiated, Kyle Larson rode into Kansas Speedway. Unfazed by his assured position, Larson still led a staggering 99 laps in the Hollywood Casino 400. Despite his racing finesse, however, he could only secure a fourth-place finish, and he later revealed the reason why.

How Kyle Larson’s choices shaped the race

In a post-race interview following the Hollywood Casino 400, Larson, the standout driver for HMS, opened up about his performance. Leading the discussion, the journalist inquired about Larson’s impressive laps and the apparent speed of his car throughout the race. Larson candidly responded, revealing that their strategy ultimately led to a less-than-ideal outcome, saying,

“Yeah, we got kind of bit there. I think it started with me. I was the leader and knew the bottom lane was the better lane to restart as a control car. I just wanted to try the outside. I had one from there earlier in the race, and I just wanted to learn. And ended up losing control, and then Chase was in front of us.

“And then we both stayed out there, and the #12 folks were outside. And I was trying to run hard through one to two, and I got really loose and had to almost crashed. And then just got ate up from there and basically just tried to nurse it to the next pit top and then fight again.

“That’s what we did. Just kind of took ourselves out of it. All in all, it was still a great weekend. You qualified well and won the stage. Had the best car today, for sure. We could drive off to a big lead. So, we’ll just take the pauses from the day and then roll on the Bristol track that we run really well at and try to put it all together.”

Why fight when you’ve already won? If you’re Kyle Larson, you do it for the thrill! Despite being already qualified for the next round, Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports car led 99 laps and recorded 50 fastest laps.

WATCH THIS STORY: Hendrick Mottorsports Owners Painful Confession After Chase Elliotts Playoff Flop

While Larson led for Hendrick Motorsports, the other drivers had varying levels of success.

Hendrick Motorsports playoff picture with William Byron, Chase Elliott, and Alex Bowman

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William Byron had his fair share of woes. After spinning on lap 64, the #24 team had to adjust their tire strategy, which left them finishing 15th. However, they still sit comfortably at plus-41 to the elimination line.

Behind the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro wheel, Chase Elliott took the sixth spot, amassing 47 laps led. His third consecutive top-10 finish keeps the Georgia native in the safe zone, as he sits plus-12 to the elimination line for owners’ playoffs with just one race left in this round.

While Alex Bowman clawed his way to a 10th-place finish after initially struggling with car balance. William Byron ended up 15th, but not without drama—a spin on lap 64 saw his car handling go astray. 

READ MORE: Hendrick Motorsports Team Member Publicly Admits “We Sc**wed You” as Kyle Larson’s Playoffs Run Goes South at Kansas

The series now turns its attention to Bristol Motor Speedway for the final race of the Round of 16. If Kansas’s excitement was high, brace yourselves—Bristol promises to be an edge-of-your-seat event.