Kyle Larson dominated the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 13, leading an impressive 411 of the 500 laps to secure his second Cup Series win of the season. The victory marked Larson’s third career win at the iconic half-mile track as he swept both stages and finished with a comfortable margin over second-place Denny Hamlin.
But according to NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon, Larson’s impressive win almost slipped away in the final moments. Despite looking untouchable for most of the race, Larson nearly threw it all away in the closing laps.
Jeff Gordon Shares What Fans Didn’t See
The final laps of the Food City 500 were more dramatic than they appeared on television. As Denny Hamlin closed the gap to less than half a second at one point, Larson faced mounting pressure to maintain his lead while navigating through traffic. This challenge was even tougher after an earlier brush with the wall that could’ve changed everything.
“There [were] just no cautions, please, but he puts it on the edge and runs so hard. He was working traffic, and Denny just didn’t know what he had left. And the car looked like it was edgy,” Gordon said when asked about his perspective on Larson hitting the wall just a few laps before the finish.
Gordon, now vice chairman at Hendrick Motorsports, revealed that Larson’s aggressive driving almost cost him the win. “He puts it on the edge and runs so hard,” he said. “I saw him work in the bottom and the back step out a couple of times.”
An emotional victory for @TeamHendrick. @JeffGordonWeb talks with @The_ChrisMyers and @jamiemcmurray after Bristol. pic.twitter.com/f8aGm1bfE2
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) April 13, 2025
Gordon noted that Larson realized he needed to dial it back just in time to avoid disaster. That decision proved key — especially as Hamlin got within half a second in the closing laps.
“I’ve seen him race so many different types of cars and do extraordinary things,” Gordon added. “To me, it’s just all about what are the records that he can break or what are the things that he can do next.”
The race was especially meaningful, as Larson was driving in memory of Jon Edwards, the team’s PR director who had recently passed away. Edwards had been critical to both Larson and Gordon throughout their careers.
With this emotional win, Larson now sits fourth in the standings — just 42 points behind leader William Byron. Hendrick Motorsports is hoping the momentum helps end its four-year championship drought.