The Michigan International Speedway weekend saw its highs and lows. Unfortunately, Kyle Larson’s day was on the lower side. Which is surprising, looking at how successful he’s been on the track in the past.
Lason has won there three times and is one of the winningest drivers of the track. He has finished in the top 5 eight times there among his seventeen starts. In fact, the latest victory came in the most recent race. But still, Larson’s day was far from smooth sailing.
However, that’s just typical Michigan — it challenges the best of the best.
Kyle Larson Is Left Bittersweet After the Michigan Race
Ever since the Coca-Cola 600 disappointment, Larson hasn’t been in top form. Even his P8 at Nashville didn’t see him lead a single lap. And that dubious feat was replicated in Michigan. Larson failing to lead a single lap in two consecutive races is definitely unusual.
The Hendrick Motorsports driver started the Michigan race off strong. He had a good qualifying session, bagging a P5 start. But as the race progressed, the No. 5 car struggled, initially with voltage issues. It was on lap 138, Larson was running in P10, when he voiced this concern to his team over the radio.
NASCAR Journalist Toby Christie shared the update on X: “Kyle Larson reports voltage issues. He says he’s down to 12.7 volts. He’s shut off all driver comfort items and is hoping to make it to the finish. Long way to go in this one, though. #NASCAR.”
Then, as the race was in its final stages, he dropped back. Well, Larson was saving fuel while also struggling with the balance of the car. In the post-race interview, he spoke about this. He said, “I was saving fuel from the drop of that green flag on that restart. But I wasn’t dropping back because the saving fuel was my balance was really bad at that point.”
Well, Michigan is one of the fastest tracks on the Cup Series circuit. It’s a track with smooth 18-degree turns and low tire wear, something NASCAR drivers always wish for. But on such a track, having to struggle with the balance must be frustrating. By the end of it, even though Larson was able to get a P5, he was bummed out.
“I was junk kinda all day. So it didn’t matter. We were not very good, but we made the most out of it, so I’m proud of that,” Larson added.
“I was junk all day” @KyleLarsonRacin finished 5th at Michigan. pic.twitter.com/iBmQLoXhB6
— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) June 8, 2025
Also, Larson wasn’t the only one who had a bad day at Michigan. Carson Hocevar missed out on a near-perfect day. He was leading the race, but with 19 laps to go, the Spire Motorsports driver got a flat and eventually ended up 29th. This was after he was inches away from a win on the previous weekend at Nashville, finishing in P2.
Well, that’s just how Michigan International Speedway is. On one occasion, it can be rewarding, and on the very next, it can be brutal. But for the fans, that’s what makes the race a thriller.