By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service

LARSON GOES FOR THIRD STRAIGHT WIN AT BRISTOL

BRISTOL, Tenn. – The last two races at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway have essentially been Kyle Larson highlight reels and the Playoff driver would like nothing more than to continue that domination in Saturday night’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race (7:30 p.m. ET on USA Network, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Kyle Larson – Photo by Josh Hernandez

The driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet led 462 of 500 laps in last year’s Playoff race at the famed half-miler and 411 of 500 laps in the series previous visit earlier this year – an incredible 87 percent of the laps turned in that time. His total laps out front at Bristol – 1,762 – is the most at any NASCAR track where Larson has competed.

A win Saturday night would make him only the fifth person in series history to win three consecutive races on the always-challenging Bristol high banks.

“The atmosphere is always up for the (Bristol) Night Race,” said Larson, who is third in the standings, the highest ranked driver without a Playoff win heading into the first elimination race of the 10-race championship push.

“The night race just means more to me, I don’t know if everyone feels the same way but I want to win all the races but I would like to win the night race over the spring one if I had to pick one or the other just because winning under the lights at Bristol is pretty awesome,” Larson continued. “It’s not considered a crown jewel but in my mind it’s the one I want to win really badly every year.”

*HAAS FACTORY TEAM CONFIDENT IN FORD FOR PLAYOFF DRIVE

Earlier this week, the Haas Factory Team, which fields Fords for Cole Custer in the NASCAR Cup Series and Sam Mayer and Sheldon Creed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, announced it would be switching power-plants to Chevrolet in 2026.

Sam Mayer. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

With the news coming just as the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs begin Friday in Bristol, Tenn. the drivers were asked if they worried any about Ford’s commitment to the team as it embarks on a title run.

Both Mayer and Creed were quick to insist Ford’s backing has not waned despite the upcoming manufacturer swap.

“I can only speak for the Xfinity Series side and what I’ve experienced so far,” said Mayer, who starts the Playoffs Saturday night at Bristol ranked third in the standings.

“For us, it’s wide-open. We are a go and we are gonna go win the championship with Ford. That’s what they want. That’s what we want and everyone at Haas Factory Team is behind us as well with that.

“I actually just got out of the sim yesterday afternoon for Bristol and had a really good day with it. I think we’re in a really good spot for that, and I think that’s gonna continue throughout the rest of the season because it’s in all of our interests to go out there and have a really good, strong finish to the rest of the season for all of us.”

*CREED OPTIMISTIC FOR FIRST VICTORY

Sheldon Creed is not only eager to get the Playoffs going in his pursuit of an Xfinity Series title. He’s eager to raise his first career race trophy in the series.

Sheldon Creed. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

With a runner-up showing in Martinsville, Va. earlier this season, Creed set a new record of second-place finishes (14) without a victory. The good news for him is that he’s finished second in four of the seven Playoff tracks, including the final three stops of the championship run – at Talladega (Ala.),  at Martinsville and at Phoenix.

What does he selfishly wish for more, that maiden win or a season title?

“Both,” he said with a smile. “I think first is to get that win finally. It’s been a challenging three-and-a-half years. We’ve been close numerous times, but haven’t been as close lately. I think I’d be lying to myself if I said we were right on the edge lately, but I think the first goal is to win.

“The second goal is just to be able to score as many points as possible and get ourselves to the Round of 8, and then refocus from there on where we think our strengths are, whether that be in Vegas, Talladega or Martinsville, and if we can win there, then focus goes to Phoenix on how are we gonna win there.”