LAS VEGAS — In Las Vegas, Kyle Larson is ready to kick off the third round of NASCAR’s playoffs, sitting at the top of the Cup Series standings and regarded as the frontrunner for Sunday’s race.
Larson prepares to compete at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where he not only won the previous race but also clinched a victory during the spring event this season. Securing a win on Sunday would mark his third consecutive victory at this track and grant him an automatic entry into the championship finale, a highly coveted opportunity.
The playoff rounds began with 16 drivers, and the action now shifts to Las Vegas for the first race of the three-race round of eight, leading towards the ultimate championship showdown. Following Vegas, the playoffs will continue to Homestead-Miami and Martinsville Speedway in Virginia, culminating at Phoenix.
“Las Vegas has consistently been one of our stronger venues,” Larson remarked while discussing his prospects for Sunday. “On paper, I feel confident about all three tracks in this round… However, it’s crucial that we execute well. My goal is to perform strongly and win.”
During the first two playoff rounds, Larson accumulated two victories: one at Bristol Motor Speedway and another during last week’s elimination event on the hybrid road course at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The win at Charlotte marked his sixth triumph of the season, the highest of his career.
Larson exited victory lane at Charlotte celebrating a significant achievement for Hendrick Motorsports, as teammates William Byron, Alex Bowman, and Chase Elliott all made it to the third round, showcasing their strong team performance. However, disaster struck when NASCAR announced Bowman’s car failed the postrace inspection, resulting in his disqualification and elimination from contention.
As a result, Joey Logano of Team Penske replaced Bowman in the playoffs, joining his teammate and reigning Cup champion Ryan Blaney. This duo represents Ford’s only presence in the round of eight. In contrast, three positions were secured by Toyota drivers, including Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin from Joe Gibbs Racing, along with Tyler Reddick of Hamlin and Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing.
Larson expressed the entire Hendrick organization’s disappointment over Bowman’s disqualification and acknowledged Logano’s prowess. As a two-time Cup champion and a three-time winner at Las Vegas, Larson recognized that Logano should not be underestimated.
“Of course, I would prefer having Alex in the competition. Joey is a formidable opponent,” Larson stated. “He’s someone you can never disregard, and now he’s benefitted from Bowman’s misfortune, which adds to the challenge.”
In legal news, NASCAR has requested the dismissal of an expedited discovery motion filed by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports. The governing body accused the two organizations of attempting to “extort” more favorable charter agreements.
Currently, 23XI and Front Row are the only teams out of 15 that opted not to endorse charter extensions last month, leading them to file a federal antitrust lawsuit requesting recognition as chartered teams as this matter progresses through the judicial system.
NASCAR responded, labeling the lawsuit as without merit and claimed the plaintiff teams were trying to gain access to agreements they previously declined. The governing body emphasized that the charter agreements are no longer valid after the deadline lapsed weeks ago.
NASCAR reiterated that the plaintiff teams do not need these charter agreements to participate in races, declaring, “They’ve publicly stated their intention to compete in NASCAR regardless of this issue.” A court hearing is set for November 4 in Charlotte, North Carolina, addressing 23XI and Front Row’s request for charter recognition in 2025.
As for Kyle Busch, he finds himself with just a month left to extend his remarkable record of 20 consecutive seasons with at least one NASCAR victory. “Time is indeed ticking away,” Busch commented on Saturday.
This Sunday, he hopes to notch a win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, his home track, where he boasts only one previous victory, although he finished third during last year’s playoff race. “I believe this is one of our best opportunities to clinch that win this year,” Busch conveyed.
With 63 career Cup Series wins, Busch, alongside Logano, is one of the few active drivers with two Cup titles to his name. He celebrated his last victory with Richard Childress Racing in his second race last year, ending with three wins and making the playoffs.
However, his last victory dates back to June 2023 at Gateway, which leaves him with a significant 53-race losing streak as he heads into Sunday’s event. Missing the playoffs, Busch now focuses on maintaining his winning streak alive before the conclusion of the season.