"We've had to overcome a lot" - HMS' Kyle Larson makes feelings known on elimination danger before Championship 4 showdown
Kyle Larson is on the cusp of potential elimination from the Cup Series playoffs after a 13th-place finish in last Sunday's race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. The 2021 Cup Series champion is seven points below the cutline to advance to the Championship 4 with one more race remaining in the Round of 8 this Sunday at the Martinsville Speedway.
In a video posted to X by FOX Sports reporter Bob Pockrass, the driver of the #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet noted that it's the first time he's been under the cutline in recent memory. The 29-time Cup Series winner isn't sure whether it's more or less nerve-wracking being on the wrong end of the cutoff as he recalled years prior where he was above the cutline by a solid margin and felt immense pressure. He said:
"I remember feeling a lot of pressure leading into the [Charlotte] Roval a couple times when I've only been plus 15 [points]. You're just not wanting to give up that gap, where now, I think when you're below it could be a little less pressure because you're just on constant push mode maybe, but we'll see." [0:22 onwards]
Larson believes depending on how everything plays out, the points will "fluctuate" a lot throughout Sunday's 500-lap event at the 0.5-mile Virginia short track. The California native is excited to see how the race unfolds and is hopeful to make the Championship 4 cut.
"I look forward to the challenge. It'd be fun to see what we can do. It's a tough track. It'll be nice if we can make it, and if not, we've still had a great year."
However, if things don't go Larson's way, he'll still be satisfied with what's been a quality season up to this point. Larson has won six races this season, twice as many as any other driver.
"We've had to overcome a lot, and I'm proud to be still in the position that we're in."
Kyle Larson suffered a flat tire in Sunday's race at Homestead-Miami
Kyle Larson wheeled his #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet to 13th at the Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday despite having a flat tire early in the race. The incident brought out a caution on the 47th lap of Sunday's 267-lap event and shuffled him back in the pack.
Larson expressed his frustration with the NextGen car over the radio, citing that the tires blow too easily. Jordan Bianchi, motorsports insider for The Athletic, shared Larson's in-car quote via X.
"These f***ing cars are stupid," Larson said. "How can you get a flat tire and be done ... or you get a flat tire and wear out a little bit of your diffuser and your race is killed. Stupid."
Larson seeks his second career championship this season after winning his first in 2021, his first year driving for Hendrick Motorsports. His six victories this year came at Las Vegas, Kansas, Sonoma, Indianapolis, Bristol, and the Charlotte Roval.