Kyle Larson had the win in his hands. But after a mistake on a late restart, it slipped away.
The No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports driver looked ready to dominate Texas Motor Speedway all weekend. He ran strong in the Xfinity Series race Saturday and carried that momentum into Sunday. In the Cup race, he led a race-high 90 laps and picked up a Stage 2 win. Everything was going Larson’s way—until one painful restart late in the race.
A Costly Restart for Kyle Larson
It all fell apart on Lap 244. After a late caution, Larson lined up next to Michael McDowell for the restart. McDowell surged ahead, thanks to a push from Tyler Reddick in the No. 45 car for 23XI Racing. Larson, meanwhile, lost momentum through the first corners and got swallowed by the pack.
“It was a bummer to lose that restart,” Larson told reporter Alan Cavanna afterward. “I’m a little frustrated with myself, but a good points day overall.”
He didn’t sugarcoat it. He knew he let that one get away.
Larson’s car had been one of the best all afternoon. Even with the chaos of late cautions, he stayed in control for most of the race. His Chevrolet was fast, steady, and built for long green-flag runs. But in a Cup race full of late drama—especially one with seven cautions in the final stage—nothing is ever guaranteed.
What stung even more was that Larson thought McDowell may have jumped the restart. But NASCAR didn’t see it that way, and no penalty was called. Eventually, Larson admitted McDowell simply beat him to it.
An Eventful Ending for Kyle Larson
Adding to the heat of the moment, Larson had already upset Reddick’s team earlier in the race with a bold move that squeezed the No. 45 a little too tight. Reddick’s crew didn’t hold back on the radio, saying if Reddick caught Larson again, he shouldn’t hesitate to pass him.
Larson finished fourth—exactly where he started. He didn’t lead the final laps or take the checkered flag, but he still walked away with 50 points, even more than race winner Joey Logano.
Still, Larson admitted he was frustrated and blamed himself for losing the lead. “If I’d have not given up the lead, we’d have been hard to beat in clean air,” he said.
That’s a truth every racer knows all too well.