Inside The Garage: Why Kyle Larson Won
Larson sticks with his approach
Larson has scored fewer than nine points in only four races this year, including three events in which he wrecked out. At Homestead, he says he intends to race as he normally does, running inches from the wall to make consistent laps.
“That’s what feels comfortable to me,” Larson said of his plan. He also said he would prepare to dominate by studying the track, working on the car in the simulator and reviewing other drivers. If an unexpected problem occurs, he said, it happens.
Daniels backs the preparation
Crew chief Cliff Daniels said the team would follow the preparation already set for the season finale, despite Larson’s lead over Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin. He said the work put into preparing for Homestead should be carried through rather than treating the title as secured.
Daniels said the team must maximize car preparation and setup. He expects Larson to run close to the wall and said the driver is comfortable there, while also noting that the team must protect the car and execute its plan.
Other titles remain in play
Five drivers remain in contention for the O’Reilly Series championship. Justin Allgaier can clinch with 54 points; a stage sweep, or 19 stage points plus the fastest-lap point, could allow him to secure the title with a second- or third-place finish regardless of other results. The article says a win is nearly the only way he can guarantee the championship.
In the truck series, Kaden Honeycutt holds a 20-point lead over Layne Riggs. Riggs would take the title with a win if he earns more stage points than Honeycutt, or ties him in stage points and gets the fastest-lap point.
Series news and driver moves
Ford named its drivers for a Nov. 11 Salute to Veterans event on the Daytona International Speedway road course. The lineup includes NASCAR drivers Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Noah Gragson, Ryan Preece, Austin Cindric, Layne Riggs, Ty Majeski and Frankie Muniz, along with Joey Hand, Ben Hobson and Logan Sargeant. The event will feature race-ready Mustang Dark Horses, 15 minutes of qualifying and a 30-minute race.
Dystany Spurlock is set to race in 17 ARCA events for Alpha Prime Racing in 2027. Leonardo Escorpioni, the USF Pro 2000 runner-up, will drive for HMD Motorsports in the Indy NXT Series in 2027.
Key points
- Kyle Larson needs nine points at Homestead-Miami Speedway to clinch his third Cup title.
- Larson plans to stick with his aggressive, close-to-the-wall approach.
- Kaden Honeycutt leads Layne Riggs by 20 points in the truck title race.
- Ford announced a 12-driver lineup for its Nov. 11 Salute to Veterans event.