{"id":40842,"date":"2022-10-23T18:20:25","date_gmt":"2022-10-23T23:20:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=40842"},"modified":"2022-10-26T10:20:01","modified_gmt":"2022-10-26T15:20:01","slug":"kyle-larson-plays-nascar-playoff-spoiler-wins-at-homestead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2022\/10\/23\/kyle-larson-plays-nascar-playoff-spoiler-wins-at-homestead\/","title":{"rendered":"Kyle Larson plays NASCAR Playoff spoiler, wins at Homestead"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"

Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 Valvoline Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 23, 2022 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

By Holly Cain<\/em><\/p>\n

NASCAR Wire Service<\/em><\/p>\n

HOMESTEAD, Fla. \u2013 Kyle Larson has led a lot of laps and come awfully close to hoisting a trophy at Homestead-Miami Speedway. On Sunday he finally did both, winning the Dixie Vodka 400 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race in dominant form.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 Valvoline Chevrolet, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Cup Series Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 23, 2022 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Jared East\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Larson swept both Stage wins and led 199 of the race\u2019s 267 laps in the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet to pull away to a 1.261-second victory over Florida native Ross Chastain in the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevy.<\/p>\n

Kaulig Racing\u2019s A.J. Allmendinger was third with Richard Childress Racing\u2019s Austin Dillon and Roush-Fenway-Keselowski Racing\u2019s Brad Keselowski rounding out the top five. It is the 2012 series champion Keselowski\u2019s first Top-five finish since becoming co-owner of the organization this season.<\/p>\n

The win was 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Larson\u2019s third of the year and 19th of his career \u2013 but the first at the 1.5-mile Homestead oval after a pair of previous near-misses. He led a race best 132 laps in 2016, but finished runner-up. He led 145 laps in 2017 and finished third.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 Valvoline Chevrolet, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 23, 2022 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cNo matter what team I\u2019ve been with, things haven\u2019t worked out on my end to get a win, so glad to get one today,\u2019\u2019 Larson said.<\/p>\n

\u201cDefinitely the best run we\u2019ve had all year long,\u2019\u2019 he added. \u201cWe\u2019ve been capable of it I feel like many weekends, we just hadn\u2019t quite put it all together. [Crew chief] Cliff [Daniels] gave a great speech this morning and got us all ready to go and focused.<\/p>\n

\u201cAmazing race car,\u2019\u2019 he noted with a smile.<\/p>\n

The 30-year-old Californian was eliminated from the Playoffs in the last round, so Chastain was the top-finishing championship contender with only one race – next week at Martinsville, Va. – to set the four driver Championship field for the Nov. 6 season finale at Phoenix.<\/p>\n

\"\"

William Byron, driver of the #24 Liberty University Chevrolet, and Christopher Bell, driver of the #20 Rheem – WATTS Toyota, lead the field on a pace lap prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 23, 2022 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Only two Playoff drivers finished in the Top-10 Sunday at Homestead: Chastain and Denny Hamlin, who was seventh in the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.<\/p>\n

Playoff drivers Christopher Bell (finished 11th), Sunday\u2019s polesitter William Byron (12th), Chase Elliott (14th), Ryan Blaney (17th) and Joey Logano (18th) were still running on the lead lap at the checkered flag. The eighth Playoff-eligible driver, Chase Briscoe, finished last (36th) after making contact with the wall on lap 160.<\/p>\n

Hamlin (four laps), Bell (four laps) and Byron (33 laps) all spent time leading the field before various setbacks.<\/p>\n

\"\"

William Byron, driver of the #24 Liberty University Chevrolet, leads the field on a pace lap prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 23, 2022 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Team Penske\u2019s Logano is the only Playoff driver who has already earned his position in the Championship race thanks to a victory at Las Vegas a week ago. Chastain, Elliott and Byron now complete the Top-four driver ranking.<\/p>\n

Hamlin sits in fifth place, five points below Byron. Blaney is 18 points below the cutline, Bell, 33 back and Briscoe now essentially in a must-win situation, trailing by 44 points.<\/p>\n

With his victory, Larson\u2019s No. 5 Hendrick Chevrolet is eligible for the owner\u2019s title.<\/p>\n

While Larson dominated the laps-led category and even paced the field by more than 9-seconds at one point late in the race, he had to earn this trophy after a late-race caution flag.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Cole Custer, driver of the #41 Dixie Vodka Ford, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 23, 2022 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Jared East\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Martin Truex Jr. had taken the lead after a caution period with 46 laps remaining and pulled away to a nearly 2-second lead when the final yellow flag flew again with 23 laps remaining.<\/p>\n

As the field pitted, Larson\u2019s Chevy was right behind Truex\u2019s Toyota and it appeared Truex was going to miss his pit box when Larson\u2019s car bumped Truex\u2019s car from behind. The contact spun Truex, whose team was still able to service the car, but he fell outside the Top-10 initially before racing back up to a sixth-place finish.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just going behind him and he had a hard left and was hard on the brakes at the same time and I got into the back of him, \u2018\u2019 Larson explained of the incident. \u201cMy team said he was late getting into his stall. I don\u2019t know. If it was my fault I\u2019m sorry, but I don\u2019t think it was. It\u2019s hard to see on this pit road. .. hate that happened. He was definitely the one I was going to have to beat.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"

Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Ground Toyota, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 23, 2022 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Truex, who is still racing for his first victory of 2022, was obviously disappointed in the outcome, but could only shake his head at the circumstances.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really hard to see through these windshields with the sun like that and all the stuff covering it,\u2019\u2019 Truex said. \u201cI did see my box late for sure, so I slowed down before I turned out of the way of the 5 (Larson) there.<\/p>\n

\u201cPartly on me, I didn\u2019t expect to get turned around and glad nobody got hurt there. Overall, just tough, just disappointing to have a good day going like that and have a shot at winning and couldn\u2019t close the deal. I hate it for my team.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been one of those years.\u201d<\/p>\n

The final race to set the Championship 4 is next Sunday at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, the Xfinity 500 (2 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).  Hendrick Motorsports\u2019 Alex Bowman is the defending race winner, but won\u2019t be competing while recovering from concussion-like symptoms. His teammate Byron won at Martinsville earlier this season.<\/p>\n

Interviews:<\/h3>\n

NCS Race Winner Kyle Larson (No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet) and Crew Chief Cliff Daniels – <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Jeff Andrews – President & General Manager of Hendrick Motorsports – <\/p>\nhttp:\/\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Andrews102322.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

 <\/p>\n

Udonis Haslem (Miami Heat basketball player; honorary race official) – <\/p>\nhttp:\/\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/UdonisHaslem102322.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adassa (singer\/songwriter; national anthem performer) – <\/p>\nhttp:\/\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Adassa102322.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

 <\/p>\n

Darrell Gwynn (world champion drag racer) – <\/p>\nhttp:\/\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/DarrellGwynn102322.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

 <\/p>\n

NASCAR Cup Series Race – 24th Annual Dixie Vodka 400<\/b><\/p>\n

Homestead-Miami Speedway<\/b><\/p>\n

Homestead, Florida<\/b><\/p>\n

Sunday, October 23, 2022<\/b><\/p>\n

                1. (5)  Kyle Larson (P), Chevrolet, 267.<\/p>\n

                2. (20)  Ross Chastain (P), Chevrolet, 267.<\/p>\n

                3. (10)  AJ Allmendinger(i), Chevrolet, 267.<\/p>\n

                4. (32)  Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 267.<\/p>\n

                5. (9)  Brad Keselowski, Ford, 267.<\/p>\n

                6. (12)  Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 267.<\/p>\n

                7. (14)  Denny Hamlin (P), Toyota, 267.<\/p>\n

                8. (16)  Kevin Harvick, Ford, 267.<\/p>\n

                9. (11)  Kyle Busch, Toyota, 267.<\/p>\n

                10. (23)  Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 267.<\/p>\n

                11. (2)  Christopher Bell (P), Toyota, 267.<\/p>\n

                12. (1)  William Byron (P), Chevrolet, 267.<\/p>\n

                13. (8)  Chris Buescher, Ford, 267.<\/p>\n

                14. (3)  Chase Elliott (P), Chevrolet, 267.<\/p>\n

                15. (27)  Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 267.<\/p>\n

                16. (18)  Michael McDowell, Ford, 267.<\/p>\n

                17. (13)  Ryan Blaney (P), Ford, 267.<\/p>\n

                18. (17)  Joey Logano (P), Ford, 267.<\/p>\n

                19. (26)  Austin Cindric #, Ford, 267.<\/p>\n

                20. (21)  Harrison Burton #, Ford, 267.<\/p>\n

                21. (28)  Aric Almirola, Ford, 267.<\/p>\n

                22. (6)  Ty Gibbs(i), Toyota, 267.<\/p>\n

                23. (31)  Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 267.<\/p>\n

                24. (25)  Cole Custer, Ford, 266.<\/p>\n

                25. (24)  Noah Gragson(i), Chevrolet, 266.<\/p>\n

                26. (30)  Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 266.<\/p>\n

                27. (4)  John Hunter Nemechek(i), Toyota, 266.<\/p>\n

                28. (15)  Justin Haley, Chevrolet, 266.<\/p>\n

                29. (33)  Landon Cassill(i), Chevrolet, 266.<\/p>\n

                30. (22)  Erik Jones, Chevrolet, 264.<\/p>\n

                31. (29)  Todd Gilliland #, Ford, 264.<\/p>\n

                32. (34)  JJ Yeley(i), Ford, 263.<\/p>\n

                33. (35)  BJ McLeod(i), Ford, 262.<\/p>\n

                34. (36)  Cody Ware, Ford, 262.<\/p>\n

                35. (7)  Tyler Reddick, Chevrolet, Accident, 242.<\/p>\n

                36. (19)  Chase Briscoe (P), Ford, Accident, 160.<\/p>\n

Average Speed of Race Winner:  129.612 mph.<\/p>\n

Time of Race:  3 Hrs, 5 Mins, 24 Secs. Margin of Victory:  1.261 Seconds.<\/p>\n

Caution Flags:  5 for 30 laps.<\/p>\n

Lead Changes:  11 among 5 drivers.<\/p>\n

Lap Leaders:   W. Byron (P) 1-26;K. Larson (P) 27-32;W. Byron (P) 33-37;K. Larson (P) 38-87;W. Byron (P) 88;K. Larson (P) 89-122;C. Bell (P) 123-126;K. Larson (P) 127-213;M. Truex Jr. 214-216;D. Hamlin (P) 217-220;M. Truex Jr. 221-245;K. Larson (P) 246-267.<\/p>\n

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  Kyle Larson (P) 5 times for 199 laps; William Byron (P) 3 times for 32 laps; Martin Truex Jr. 2 times for 28 laps; Christopher Bell (P) 1 time for 4 laps; Denny Hamlin (P) 1 time for 4 laps.<\/p>\n

Stage #1 Top Ten: 5,24,19,8,3,16,6,9,12,22<\/p>\n

Stage #2 Top Ten: 5,19,24,12,6,9,99,1,22,11<\/p>\n

 <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  By Holly Cain NASCAR Wire Service HOMESTEAD, Fla. \u2013 Kyle Larson has led a lot of laps and come awfully close to hoisting a trophy at Homestead-Miami Speedway. On Sunday he finally did both, winning the Dixie Vodka 400 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race in dominant form. Larson swept both Stage wins and led […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":676,"featured_media":40851,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-40842","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nascar"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/GettyImages-1435979427-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1753&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7hzTZ-aCK","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40842","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/676"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40842"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40842\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40860,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40842\/revisions\/40860"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/40851"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40842"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40842"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40842"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}