There was no rain this time. Kyle Larson stood triumphantly on the yard of bricks that marks the start-finish line at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Sunday, basking in the adulation of the fans after clinching the NASCAR Cup series Brickyard 400.
Larson, ever the maestro, survived a double overtime and had just enough fuel to fend off Tyler Reddick, winning under caution. It was his fourth win of the season and unequivocally one of the biggest of his career.
“It’s for sure up there,” Larson said. “Like you mentioned, this is just such a prestigious place, such hallowed ground. Pretty neat to get an opportunity to race here on the oval again.”
The first overtime was as brief as it was chaotic. Leader Brad Keselowski, seemingly running on nothing but hope and black magic, surrendered and dove into the pits coming to the green. Larson moved up to the inside lane, with Ryan Blaney on the outside. Behind them, John Hunter Nemechek, who had led for 16 laps earlier, attempted to block Daniel Hemric. The move backfired spectacularly, sending Nemechek spinning across the track and taking Denny Hamlin, Chase Briscoe, and Alex Bowman with him. NASCAR had no choice but to halt the race for 17 minutes to clear the wreckage.
To Blaney’s dismay, Larson was scored as the leader when the caution came out and led the field in the second overtime attempt. Tyler Reddick lined up behind Larson, with Blaney and Todd Gilliland on the outside. Ryan Preece spun out of Turn 2, brushed the wall, and came to a halt. NASCAR hesitated, waiting to see if Preece could get rolling again. He did, briefly, but stopped as Larson took the white flag. NASCAR threw the caution, ending the race.
Early on, it was a game of follow the leader, with clean air being the order of the day. Pole-sitter Reddick dominated the first 40 laps until he pitted just before the end of Stage 1, allowing Hamlin to win the stage. Reddick reclaimed the lead but pitted again before the end of Stage 2, which was won by Bubba Wallace. Reddick’s hopes for a win dimmed further when he was forced back in for an issue before the final stage.
The final stage morphed into a fuel strategy battle, peppered with four cautions that set the stage for the overtime madness. Leaders came and went, including Ross Chastain, Chase Elliott, and Noah Gragson, before Keselowski emerged as a contender.
Keselowski pitted on lap 102 and took the lead on lap 127 as others pitted. Blaney, having pitted on lap 112, moved up, conserving fuel. Larson and Reddick, who pitted on lap 123, had enough fuel and with 10 laps to go, they seemed ready to pounce on Blaney.
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Keselowski tried to upset their plans until the final restart when he headed to the pits, leaving Blaney, Larson, and Reddick to duke it out. Reddick as left with a second place finish despite leading a race high 40 laps and winning pole.
“I mean, it was a great recovery for us,” Reddick said. “We had our issues beginning stage three. I thought that was really going to cement our finish towards the back.”
Blaney had enough fuel to secure third but was less than thrilled with NASCAR’s call during the first overtime.
“That’s not right,” Blaney said. “It’s dumb luck, right, of where Brad ran out and stuff like this. At this racetrack where the bottom is preferred…
“Something. I don’t know. I’m just upset. That’s a heartbreaker. We did everything right today. I mean, was in prime position to win and just didn’t work out for us. Just got unlucky.”
Christopher Bell quietly took fourth, with Bubba Wallace in fifth.
Early exits included Joey Logano, who crashed on lap 109, William Byron, caught in a lap 74 crash, and Hamlin, a casualty of the first overtime chaos.
Todd Gilliland finished sixth, Austin Cindric seventh, with Daniel Suarez, Noah Gragson, and Elliott rounding out the top ten.
Despite a ‘good points day’, Bubba Wallace wants more after fifth-place finish at Indy
Larson’s victory came just two months after his ill-fated attempt to conquer the Indy 500-Coke 600 double. The month of May saw Larson immersing himself in the IndyCar world, prepping for the Indy 500. Rain delayed the start of that race, throwing his plans into disarray. He started fifth, finished 18th, and then dashed off to Charlotte long after NASCAR had gone green. Rain interrupted that race too, cutting it short and thwarting Larson’s double dream.
“I think everything just comes full circle,” Larson said. “Everything is meant to be. Today definitely meant to be for us. With the way the strategy was working out, Brad running out of fuel, me inheriting the front row. A lot had to fall into place. Thankfully it did.
“I can’t believe it. It’s surreal, the win here. Can’t wait to kiss the bricks with my team, Rick Hendrick who is here finally, my family, my friends. My parents are here. We’ll be celebrating these next couple weeks.”
But after Sunday’s win, Larson seemed to vow to the fervent crowd that another attempt at the Indy-NASCAR Double was on the horizon.
“I love you, Indiana fans,” Larson said. “I know you guys love me, too. How about we come back next May and try to kiss these bricks in an IndyCar?”
The statement seemed to be a near guarantee.
“I’d love to,” Larson said. “We’re working on it. I hope we can announce something soon. See you guys all next May.”
The next question will be, who will tell Kyle Larson no?
NASCAR now takes a two-week break for the Paris Olympics, returning on August 11th at Richmond Raceway.
RACE RESULTS
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
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