Kyle Larson has been making a statement in the NASCAR Cup Series in recent weeks. He put an exclamation point at the end of that statement at Sonoma Raceway Sunday (6/6) in the Toyota/Save Mart 350.
Kyle finished second at Darlington (5/9), Dover (5/16) and Circuit of the Americas (5/23). He then won his second race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season last week (5/30) in the 600-mile race at Charlotte. Kyle dominated that Charlotte race winning all three of the early stages before winning the race.
Yesterday Kyle started from the pole and again dominated the Toyota/Save Mart 350. He led a race high 57 laps in the race scheduled to go 90 laps. Kyle again won the early stages of the race.
During the race there were eight cation periods including a competition caution and cautions at the end of the first two stages. The final caution came late in the race causing race officials to institute the green-white-checkered overtime NASCAR finish.
Kyle Larson was able to do what he had on every restart from the front of the field in the final re-start, race out to the lead. He held that lead as his Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) teammate charged had to challenge for the win over those final two laps. Kyle claimed his first NASCAR Cup Series win on a road course as he completed the 92nd lap of the race. This was Kyle’s third win of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, matching Martin Truex Jr. for the most wins this season.
HMS continues to represent themselves as the top team in 2021. HMS ties a NASCAR record set in 1956 by the Carl Kiekhaefer racing team. That team finished first and second in four consecutive races that year. Today’s race put HMS on equal ground marking their fourth consecutive one-two finish as Chase Elliott claimed second place.
Martin Truex Jr. finished in third place. Joey Logano claimed fourth place with Kyle Busch in fifth. See the complete race results for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway here.
Denny Hamlin continues to lead in the point standings. Kyle Larson remains in second place. Chase Elliott moves up a spot to third pushing HMS teammate William Byron back to fourth place. Joey Logano remains in fifth place for another week. See the complete NASCAR Cup Series point standings here.
NASCAR takes the week off from racing for points and a championship this week. Instead, they will race for the fans, bragging rights and ONE MILLION DOLLARS! Sunday, June 13th is the NASCAR All-Star Open and the NASCAR All-Star Race.
By: Buck Stevens
