NCS: Kyle Larson dominates in NASCAR’s return to North Wilkesboro

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Kyle Larson won Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway in dominating fashion.

Larson had the rest of the field trying to play catch up as he was out in front for the majority of the race.

With his win on Sunday, Larson takes home the $1 million dollar prize. Driver No. 5 led a whopping total of 145 laps on the old North Wilkesboro track surface.

Larson took the lead with 90 laps remaining after a restart and continuously builded up on his lead throughout the race.

Larson took command of the lead in the first stint of the race and built up a twelve second lead on second place Bubba Wallace. On lap 101, NASCAR would throw out the competition caution sending the field to pit for tires and fuel. Driver No. 5 would get tapped with a speeding penalty and would be forced to restart at the rear of the field. However, Larson would easily make his way back through the field and regain the lead with his newer tires. 

“So much fun there,” Larson told FS1 after his win. “That was old school ass whipping for sure. We had a great car on the long run there and was just thinking for sure there was going to be a caution. I got out to a big lead and I could see everybody’s cars were driving like crap in front of me but I cannot thank this five team enough. We were god awful all weekend. Practice I was like the worst on 30 lap average. Went backwards in a heat race yesterday. You obviously had some strategy work out there in the beginning but we drove from dead last to the lead and checked out by 12 or 13 seconds then just could pace myself there that last run.”

For team owner Rick Hendrick, Sunday’s victory marks his 11th win in the All-Star Race.

Larson won over second place Bubba Wallace by 4.5 seconds. Rounding out the top five were Tyler Reddick in third, Chase Briscoe in fourth and Chase Elliott in fifth.

Josh Berry and Ty Gibbs both earned a spot in the field for the All-Star Race after they finished one-two. Noah Gragson would be awarded the fan vote and would be added as the last entrant into the main event. Josh Berry would end the night finishing 15th, Ty Gibbs would finish in ninth and Noah Gragson would finish in 23rd.

Rounding out the top ten were Ryan Blaney in sixth, Daniel Suarez in seventh, Erik Jones in eighth, Ty Gibbs in ninth and Joey Logano in tenth.

Sunday nights race at North Wilkesboro marked the first time the Cup series has competed at the track since 1996 of which Jeff Gordon won. The track would undergo a facelift but keep the old school look in tact in preparation for NASCAR’s return this weekend.

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway in the sports longest race of the year in the running of the Coca-Cola 600 at 6 p.m. Eastern on FOX.

Matthew Jackson
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