Kyle Larson secured his second consecutive victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, maintaining Chevrolet's unbeaten streak and clinching Hendrick Motorsports' second win in the first three NASCAR Cup Series races of the season.
This marked Larson's third win at Las Vegas, with his first victory in 2021 driving for Hendrick after a suspension in 2020. Larson, driving the No. 5 Chevy, also triumphed at Las Vegas last October during the playoffs.
In a thrilling finish, Larson held off Tyler Reddick to claim his 24th career Cup victory. Reddick, driving a Toyota for 23XI Racing, relentlessly pursued Larson in the final laps but couldn't find the opportunity to make a pass. Larson's winning margin over Reddick was a mere 0.441 seconds.
Larson expressed his satisfaction with the win, acknowledging Reddick's strong performance and the challenge he posed. Larson's dominance was evident as he swept all the stages, emphasizing his control over the race.
Reddick, while frustrated with his second-place finish, acknowledged Larson's skill in defending his lead and limiting Reddick's options to overtake him. Despite the disappointment of finishing second, Reddick recognized the solid effort of his team and the need to consistently perform at the front of the pack.
Chevrolet's success continued this season with wins by Larson's teammate William Byron in the Daytona 500 and Daniel Suarez for Trackhouse Racing in Atlanta. Chevrolet has now claimed victory in eight of the nine national series races so far.
Other notable finishers included reigning NASCAR champion Ryan Blaney in third, Ross Chastain for Trackhouse Racing in fourth, and Ty Gibbs for Joe Gibbs Racing in fifth. Las Vegas native Noah Gragson secured a commendable sixth-place finish.
Larson's dominant performance, winning all three stages and leading 181 of the 267 laps, propelled him to the top of the Cup Series points standings, with an eight-point lead over Blaney.
Looking ahead, NASCAR heads to Phoenix Raceway next week, where Byron is the defending race winner. Chastain, who won in November, will aim to replicate his success as the competition intensifies.
Chris Buescher and RFK Racing face penalties following a mishap early in the race when a tire detached from Buescher's Ford. The team will have two crew members suspended for the next two races as a consequence.
With the season off to an exciting start, fans can anticipate more thrilling races and fierce competition as the NASCAR Cup Series unfolds.
