Larson Wins 2nd Championship

It was very much in doubt, but there is an old saying in racing: “It ain’t over til it’s over.” And unfortunately, that was what cost Denny Hamlin his 1st ever championship. However, Kyle Larson was the sole beneficiary of it as he restarted ahead of all Championship 4 drivers and held off enough to get his 2nd championship. Larson, in the moment and afterward, wasn’t letting the emotion sink in because of the circumstances that played out, but Larson and the 5 team won their 2nd championship in 5 seasons. The tire issue that took out several others also included most of the Championship 4, and Larson was also swept up into it. Leaving him a lap down, he caught a break and took full advantage of track position but has his eyes focused on more.

Hamlin Left Wondering, Heartbroken

Hamlin did every thing in his power to get that elusive Championship. Everything was seemingly lining up well for the 44-year-old. He had the advantage of an extra 3 weeks’ preparation with his win at Las Vegas. He had his sick and dying father to think about and give him even more motivation. He then had the pole position to start off the weekend. He had the best car all day long, leading well over 200 laps. He had everything… until he didn’t. With less than 3 laps to go, William Byron, fellow Championship 4 driver, was running 2nd when the right front tire blew up, and he smacked the wall. The caution flew, and gone was Hamlin’s lead and his grip on the Championship. Everyone came down besides 3 other cars, but many others decided to take only 2 tires as opposed to Hamlin, who took 4, and with only 2 laps on the restart, the deficit was too much. You could see it on Hamlin’s reaction, emotions, and behavior after the checkered flag. He hugged his family, hugged his crew members, and he even thanked Joe Gibbs for all the years of support together. Hamlin has 2 years left on his deal, but right now, he can’t even think about racing a car as the process of grieving this shocking loss has only just begun.

Photo Credits; @rebilasphoto on 𝕏, Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images, USA Today