2023-09-04 03:59:05
DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) — Kyle Larson led the final 55 laps to kick off his recent NASCAR postseason with his first Southern 500 victory Sunday night.
The 2021 Cup Series champion automatically advances to the round of 12 with his win at the Darlington speedway, no matter how he finishes at the Kansas and Bristol races over the next two weeks.
“What a great way to start the postseason,” Larson said.
Larson didn’t have the fastest car, but one that knew how to pull ahead at the right time while other contenders fell behind.
Denny Hamlin led a personal best 177 of 367 laps and was on his way to victory before he felt vibrations that informed his team that it was a loose tire that led him to pit on consecutive laps.
Tyler Reddick led 90 laps, yet still lost the lead to Larson exiting pit alley. Kevin Harvick – seeking his first win of his final season – challenged Reddick for the lead with less than 60 laps to go, but was penalized when he failed to avoid entering the pit lane moments after they were closed by NASCAR after a flag came out yellow.
It was a successful run on the “very hard to tame” track for Larson after several tight finishes. He had three second-place finishes and two third-place finishes among his 11 previous Series appearances at Darlington.
Playoff drivers took the first seven positions. Reddick was second, followed by Chris Buescher, William Byron, Ross Chastain, Brad Keselowski, and Bubba Wallace.
Harvick finished 19th, and Hamlin 25th.
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