Three Takeaways: Big win for Kyle Larson, record day for Hendrick Motorsports
By Bob Pockrass
FOX Sports NASCAR Writer
CONCORD, N.C. – Kyle Larson didn’t make it exciting for the rest of the Coca-Cola 600 field, but his dominating performance Sunday made it an exciting and historic night for Hendrick Motorsports as he delivered the organization its record-breaking 269th NASCAR Cup Series win.
Larson led 327 laps and crossed the Charlotte Motor Speedway finish line 10 seconds ahead of second-place finisher – Hendrick teammate Chase Elliott – as Rick Hendrick broke the team owner victory record previously held by Richard Petty.
Hendrick drivers have won six of the 15 races this season, and Hendrick drivers didn’t just finish first and second, but also fourth (William Byron) and fifth (Alex Bowman).
"I was thinking on pit road hoping there wasn’t going to be a caution and we could get it done tonight and how fortunate I’ve been to have the talent in our organization," Hendrick said. "We’ve got a lot more races to win. ... We’re going to ride this wave as long as we can."
Hendrick thought back to 1984 when he nearly shut the team down before it won with Geoff Bodine in Martinsville.
"I just remember how close it was not to be, not to finish out the first year," Hendrick said.
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Three takeaways from NASCAR’s longest race of the season:
1. Larson snaps second-place streak
In the three races leading into Charlotte, Larson finished second three times. He seemed to handle those "losses" in stride, thinking he had done all he could in those events but just came up short.
And he didn’t have any angst late in Saturday's race that somehow things wouldn’t work out again.
"All I’m thinking about the last 20 laps is don’t be a caution – I don’t want it to be a strategy game where do we stay out or do we pit or anything like that," said Larson, who earned his second win of the season.
"I just kind of wanted to cruise to the checkered flag. I’m not thinking about the second-place finishes at all when I’m out there. I’m just trying to think ahead [and a possible caution] – what do I need in my car if we do pit; and I had a big lead so I was trying to take care of my tires as much as I can."
2. First race without capacity restrictions
The Charlotte race was the first event this season without capacity restrictions, and while not sold out of its 79,000 seats, the track had a solid crowd.
NASCAR had dropped its mask mandate in the garage two weeks earlier and has increased the number of guests teams and drivers can have at the track.
While things off the track are getting more back to normal, the Charlotte weekend was still a rarity with practice and qualifying. NASCAR only has four events – of the remaining 21 – that will have practice and qualifying as teams have set budgets knowing they wouldn’t need backup cars because they are just showing up and racing.
3. Charlotte says good riddance to high downforce
While props to Larson for the dominating performance, Charlotte’s fans probably won’t be sad to see the current car and the 550 horsepower, high-downforce package not returning as NASCAR goes to a new car in 2022.
That aero package with the current car has made the Charlotte oval a pure track position game.
"We've had multiple different packages, and it's always hard to pass – until we learn how to defy physics, it's going to be hard to pass," Elliott said. "That's just what it is.
"I don't think that's ever going to change. But I do think the best drivers and the best teams tend to find their way to the front of these races, even with it being so hard to pass."
There are seven races (most of the ovals that are 1.5 miles in length) remaining with this package: Pocono (two races), Atlanta, Michigan, Las Vegas, Texas and Kansas.
Bob Pockrass has spent decades covering motorsports, including the past 30 Daytona 500s. He joined FOX Sports in 2019 following stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @bobpockrass.
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