The Food City 500 race at Bristol Motor Speedway was perhaps the biggest surprise in NASCAR so far this season. It was an exhausting affair for the teams and drivers to deal with extreme tire wear. Many welcomed the change as they wanted tire management to play a role in the race, while others were not too impressed with the whole racing experience.

Joining the latter half, HMS driver Kyle Larson, fresh from the taxing racing event, shared his thoughts. “I hope I never have to run a race like that again. It wasn’t fun to ride around like that.” However, reflecting back on his overall performance on the day and the challenges he endured, Larson has now delivered his honest verdict for the Bristol race.

Kyle Larson clears the air regarding his misunderstood comments on the Bristol race

In a race where veteran racers like Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr, and Brad Keselowski prevailed, it was a welcoming sight to see someone like Larson finish inside the top 5 positions. Had it not been for the penalty brandished by officials on the #5 car, he could have very well been among the contenders to win the race.

Reflecting on his experience, Larson, via Kelly Crandall on X, said, “Maybe I didn’t do a good job of explaining myself (after the race) because I did have a blast. It was a lot of fun. I think it was just a little too extreme in tire wear. I think we all want that tire wear, but I would have loved to see the rubber get laid into the surface as well so we could move around a little bit more. Get up the racetrack a little bit more. But overall, you can’t deny that it was a fantastic race.”

It has to be noted that only five of the competing drivers during Sunday’s race finished on the lead lap, and Larson was among those five competing drivers. Drivers were put to the test in trying to conserve their tires but at the same time, they also needed to make the move to gain track position. And all things considered, Larson did put in a strong performance, even if it pushed him away from his comfort zone.

From a broader perspective, Larson’s decent running at Bristol was vital for Hendrick Motorsports to hold off the charge by the JGR team, as their drivers are now quickly climbing up the charts, challenging the #5 top spot in driver rankings.

Larson still leads the power ranking going into the road course COA race

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With five races into the season, slowly but steadily, one can identify the strong contenders for this season’s championship race. The new short track package and the tire management strategy were some of the curve balls thrown onto the drivers but so far, the top-performing teams have been able to weave their way around the challenges. While Denny Hamlin made a resounding comeback with a win at Bristol, it was still not enough to topple Larson, who still stands at the top of both the driver and power rankings.

Kyle Larson is still the driver to beat going into the first road course race at the Circuit of The Americas. Larson’s last win at the road course event was back in 2022, and given the start he has had to the season, he will be looking to extend his lead at the top of the standings. While he was winless on the road course last season, he managed three top-10 finishes. It can be said that he is not the favorite to win the event at COA, but you can bet on him to deliver another solid performance.

With the JGR drivers mounting a charge for the top spot in the standings, it will be interesting to see whether Larson gives into the pressure or extends his lead with another strong outing at Circuit of The Americas.

Kyle Larson Concedes Defeat to Superior Denny Hamlin After a Confusing Bristol Run