Kyle Larson heads to Martinsville looking for 7th win of season to have shot at NASCAR title

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- There’s a contented astatine Hendrick Motorsports successful which a driver celebrates a triumph pinch a triumph doorbell that he takes each complete nan motorsports field truthful that each worker who contributed to nan triumph gets a chance to springiness it a ring.

Larson did nan ceremonial for his dominating Bristol Motor Speedway triumph connected an caller autumn day. He joined unit main Cliff Daniels and Jeff Gordon, nan vice president of Hendrick Motorsports, arsenic labor lined up successful nan fabrication shop, past nan motor section and yet nan gift shop to propulsion nan agelong drawstring and make nan doorbell clang erstwhile again for Larson.

The doorbell stopping successful nan merchandise shop was an audible — location was coincidentally a Hendrick Automotive Group activity acme going connected successful different building connected nan sprawling field — and erstwhile Gordon saw young fans shopping he called them up to ringing nan bell, arsenic well.

The trio past headed to nan activity summit, wherever each they were briefed connected was to springiness a speedy talk astir nan value of connection to respective 100 dealership executives. Larson received a opinionated ovation erstwhile he entered nan immense auditorium, and 1 executive moreover roseate to his feet and double-fisted loudly clanged a brace of smaller bells placed connected nan table.

That ceremonial was for nan 22nd triumph since Larson joined Hendrick successful 2021, and he added different 1 4 days later erstwhile he won astatine Charlotte Motor Speedway. As nan trio sat successful head chairs successful beforehand of nan crowd, Gordon noted moreover though Larson had only been pinch nan squad 4 seasons, he couldn't retrieve a clip Larson didn't thrust for Hendrick.

That's really quickly Larson recovered a 2nd location aft seven-plus seasons pinch Chip Ganassi Racing, which pulled him retired of sprint car racing and gave him a chance successful NASCAR. Larson was fired successful nan early days of nan pandemic erstwhile racers turned to iRacing to entertain fans and Larson utilized a group slur during a late-night session.

Ganassi didn't want to suffer his budding superstar, but sponsor unit to trim ties prevailed and Larson was suspended by NASCAR for nan remainder of nan season. Once reinstated, Rick Hendrick snapped him up, paired him pinch Daniels connected nan No. 5 Chevrolet and nan squad has ne'er looked back.

They smashed each sorts of records successful their first season pinch 10 victories and Larson's first championship. It's nan connection and Daniels' no-nonsense attack — he's wired arsenic intensely arsenic Hendrick's Hall of Fame unit main Chad Knaus, who led Jimmie Johnson to a record-tying 7 titles — that has made this specified a winning pairing.

“For us, conscionable for illustration immoderate relationship, it ever evolves. I’ve been very thankful for nan opportunity to beryllium pinch Kyle, to beryllium successful this position pinch nan 5 team,” Daniels said. "There are truthful galore halfway values that we clasp existent to our squad of taking attraction of each other, having nan relationship, having nan connection really crossed nan team.

“Of course, it has to beryllium pinch maine and Kyle and title time arsenic good and trusting each different to do our jobs successful nan infinitesimal and to make calls and to cognize that we’re going to person to thrust immoderate ups and downs together.”

And now Larson and Daniels find themselves fighting to prevention their play contempt a Cup-leading six wins. Hendrick Motorsports initially placed each 4 of its cars successful nan information of 8 — Alex Bowman was disqualified for failing post-race inspection successful nan Charlotte elimination title won by Larson — but nan 3 who precocious person yet to gain a spot successful adjacent week's winner-take-all title-deciding finale astatine Phoenix Raceway.

Larson whitethorn request different victory, and different bell-ringing ceremony, to title for a 2nd title. Joey Logano, nan driver who took Bowman's spot successful nan information of eight, and Tyler Reddick person earned 2 of nan berths. Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing and Larson teammate William Byron caput to Martinsville Speedway supra nan cutline to suffice for nan remaining 2 slots.

Larson goes to Martinsville beneath nan cutline, 7 points down Byron. He and Byron some made nan last 4 past twelvemonth but were beaten by Ryan Blaney, and Larson was runner-up successful nan standings.

He doesn't precisely request to triumph Sunday successful Virginia to advance, but it is his only guaranteed path. Larson would request misfortune to plague either Bell aliases Byron to beforehand without winning nan race.

It's been a roller-coaster play for Larson contempt nan six wins: Larson has vanished 30th aliases worse six times, has not had much than 2 consecutive top-10 finishes this season, and mislaid nan regular play title by 1 constituent aft missing nan Coca-Cola 600 erstwhile rainfall disrupted his time astatine nan Indianapolis 500.

But successful nan playoffs, he's won nan elimination title successful each of nan first 2 rounds.

“I’m proud of our squad for really we’ve rebounded done truthful overmuch adversity passim these playoffs,” Larson said. “I deliberation location astir apt hasn’t been a squad that’s dealt pinch arsenic overmuch arsenic we person and been capable to still beryllium successful nan hunt to make nan last four.”

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