As the postseason roars ahead, the Round of 16 is now history, and one name shines brighter than the rest: the shining star of Hendrick Motorsports, Kyle Larson. With three consecutive Top 5s under his belt, including a spectacular victory at the Darlington playoff opener, it’s evident that Larson’s Chevy is a force to be reckoned with. What sets him apart? His remarkable consistency, boasts an average finish of 2.33, the best in this season’s playoffs.

Fast forward to last year, Larson along with many other drivers voiced significant concerns about the next-gen, particularly regarding safety. These concerns cast a shadow over the new machine’s performance compared to its predecessor. However, Larson’s recent statements hint at a potentially positive outcome even though it threatens Larson’s stranglehold on the track, providing a helping hand to his competitors to close the gap.

Unpredictability challenges HMS’ season dominance, while Larson remains unfazed

Currently occupying the fourth spot in the overall standings, Larson owns a record-breaking 13 top 5 finishes. But let’s not forget the formidable competition he faces. The Next-Gen cars have brought the field closer together, making every race a battle. Among the Playoff 16 contenders, there are clear underdogs like Michael McDowell and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. quietly making their presence felt.

When questioned about this development Larson shed light on this newfound parity in the field. While Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing have been two of the standout teams this year, he highlighted the remarkable performances of smaller-budget teams like JTG Daugherty Racing and Front Row Motorsports who managed to excel in a way that would have been much more challenging with the previous car model.

“I feel like for the most part, everybody’s setups are fairly similar. I think Gibbs and Hendrick, we’ve kind of been the two teams maybe above everybody else this year, anyway. But then you have teams like JTG and Front Row who have done a really good job this year, and I think that would have been just way more difficult with the old car.”

Larson emphasized that the next-gen car has reduced the gap in resources and engineering required to be competitive, leveling the playing field and allowing teams with smaller budgets to shine. This shift has not only brought new faces to the front of the pack but has also intensified the competition that threatens to loosen the vice-like grip that HMS has had on the season for so long, adding unpredictability that might not sit well with Rick Hendrick. However, in contrast, Larson has labeled this development as “normal.”

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“It’s been good for the sport to see other faces up front, other drivers and teams battling for wins. Teams with, smaller budgets being able to compete at a high level, so, uh, that part of it’s really good. So, it’s been, it’s been fun, and it all just kind of seems normal at this point.”

Revisiting Pocono upset, should Kyle Larson reconsider his take on Next-Gen?

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Larson’s resounding verdict was crystal clear: “It took a lot more to be competitive in that car than it does with this one.” This statement, echoing from the racing circles, sheds light on why the next-gen car might not be Kyle Larson’s closest ally.

Revisiting the intense showdown at Pocono earlier this year between Larson and Joe Gibbs‘ ace, Denny Hamlin, the raceway witnessed a fierce battle for victory as the laps dwindled down. In a bold yet controversial move, Hamlin dove down the inside of Larson, pushing him into the outer wall, effectively declaring an end to Larson’s winning hopes. Hamlin, reflecting on the supposed contact, pointed his finger at the next-gen car as the reason behind Larson’s upset.

“It is so different with the Next Gen because, with the other car, the guy on the outside would use the air to make the guy on the inside lose.” Hamlin explained, “You’ll see in the Xfinity Series or the Truck Series, the guys on the outside want to get closer to the inside guy and get him loose, and sometimes they spin, sometimes they don’t, but that is them manipulating the air to make it tough on that guy.”

“In the Cup car, it’s the other way around. The power for the position is actually on the bottom, not the top. It certainly is a lot different than the other one.” 

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As the dust settles on the Pocono drama, whether the next-gen car was truly a scapegoat remains uncertain. All eyes are now fixed on the Lone Star State – Texas, where fans eagerly await to see if Larson can sustain his dominating streak.