Helping out one’s teammate is not uncommon in NASCAR. With the ushering of next-gen cars in the arena of motorsports, it’s practically impossible to win a race on an oval all alone. Every single car is almost identical to the others in terms of components and specifications. Needless to say, overkill is just not an option. Hence, a light aero boost here and there from a teammate goes a long way.

But that doesn’t obliterate the competitive aspect of NASCAR. When 40 cars throttle at full speed and run three or, at times, even four wide along the asphalt-shrouded ovals, the chances to help another teammate narrow down altogether. To top it all off, the eight drivers now approach the penultimate race of the season and winning is the need of the hour. It just goes without saying that nobody will spare even an inch for his teammates. Not even the Hendrick Motorsports icon, Kyle Larson.

The thirst to win for Kyle Larson could overshadow his team spirit

When Kyle Larson won the opening race of the round of 8, the number 5 team, along with crew chief Cliff Daniels, was happy beyond limits. And that too, for good reason. The 31-year-old could have then pinpointed all his attention at Phoenix Raceway. He could have taken the remaining two races of the round easily and devoted all his time to the simulation work for Phoenix Raceway. But Kyle Larson is something else.

For an ardent competitor like Kyle Larson, sitting back and relaxing is not an option. He already has a Cup Series title to his name, and he doesn’t seem to leave any stone unturned to unravel his chances of bagging another. And perhaps, at all costs, Even if it was at the expense of his own teammate.

As of now, William Byron is out of the bubble and 30 points ahead of the cutline. This means that unless the number 24 driver has any major issues with his Chevy next week, he could put up tough competition for the 3rd spot in the Championship 4 race. And that would leave Blaney, Hamlin, Truex, and Tyler Reddick below the cutline. Anything after that will be solely decided on points.

Watch this story: Kyle Larson’s Talladega Challenge

But what if Kyle Larson wins again like he did in last fall’s race? It’ll all come down to a points battle. And Byron will face a tough two-fold competition from the Joe Gibbs Racing duo, Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. Let’s not forget that Tyler Reddick and Ryan Blaney are also on William Byron’s ‘to-look-out-for’ list.

Kyle Larson’s sole HMS appearance in the Championship 4: A Curse for William Byron

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NASCAR races are as unpredictable as the weather. If William Byron fails to win and falls back on points due to unforeseen events, Kyle Larson will be the sole championship survivor from Mr. H’s team. And that wouldn’t look good for the number 24 team. Hendrick Motorsports will perhaps do everything it can to provide Larson with every last ounce of its resources and every last ion of Chevrolet’s manufacturer support. While they do that, Byron could get hurled into the depths of oblivion.

With his second win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Kyle Larson has already dethroned his teammate William Byron as the fan favorite to win this year’s Cup Series championship. And the way the 31-year-old wrecked himself in the process of speeding into the pit road behind Ryan Blaney clearly speaks of how desperate the driver of the No. 5 is to win this year.

Yes, he makes mistakes at the most critical moments, but it cannot be denied that he rebounds from them in ways even his team cannot imagine. Remember how he rammed into the outside wall at Las Vegas and yet managed to snatch the lead?

According to hendrickmotorsports.com, Byron said, “We spent this week digging through notes from earlier this year and last at Martinsville. There was a wheel force test last week running the new tire so the teams could get information. We’re just trying to use what we have to hopefully get the car in a good place for when it’s unloaded.”

“It’s all about winning. We do the same processes every week with the goal of winning. That’s our number one goal still, and there’s nothing like having winning momentum heading into Phoenix (Raceway),” he added. William Byron must be anxious now. How weird could it be for him that he has to take note of the threat that his own teammate poses against him, rather than taking into account the others like Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Tyler Reddick, and Ryan Blaney?

Read more: Kyle Larson Expresses Desire to Compete in Formula 1 As He Prepares to Attend 2021 Abu Dhabi GP