{"id":50442,"date":"2025-03-21T22:27:35","date_gmt":"2025-03-22T03:27:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=50442"},"modified":"2025-03-22T09:57:16","modified_gmt":"2025-03-22T14:57:16","slug":"kyle-larson-starts-his-bid-at-a-miami-sweep-with-a-thrilling-truck-series-victory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/21\/kyle-larson-starts-his-bid-at-a-miami-sweep-with-a-thrilling-truck-series-victory\/","title":{"rendered":"Kyle Larson starts his bid at a Miami sweep with a thrilling Truck Series victory"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\"\"

Kyle Larson, driver of the #07 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Baptist Health 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 21, 2025 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service<\/em><\/p>\n

HOMESTEAD, Fla. \u2013 Kyle Larson made a dramatic run to the checkered flag, rallying from a late-race spinout to methodically race back through the field and pass the night\u2019s most dominant trucks in the final 10 laps to claim victory in Friday\u2019s Baptist Health 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Kyle Larson, driver of the #07 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Baptist Health 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 21, 2025 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

It was a fittingly remarkable end to a typically competitive night in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Larson spun his No. 07 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet with 45 laps remaining in the 134-lapper and dropped out of the top-20. But the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion drove back through the field and moved forward picking off one frontrunner after another.<\/p>\n

Larson, who is entered in all three NASCAR national series races at the 1.5-mile South Florida track this weekend, passed Front Row Motorsports rookie Layne Riggs with two laps to go and never looked back, finishing 1.340-seconds ahead of the field.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Kyle Larson, driver of the #07 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Baptist Health 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 21, 2025 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

The night\u2019s most dominant driver, TRICON Garage\u2019s Corey Heim finished third after leading a race best 78 laps.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t exactly sure if I could get back up there,” said Larson who has four wins in only 16 series starts \u2013 two in his last four races. \u201cI didn\u2019t have the restart I wanted, took a little bit too long to start picking them off and then just got ripping the wall and it paid dividends for me in [turns] one and two.”<\/p>\n

Larson acknowledged that Heim \u2013 who has won two of the season\u2019s opening three races \u2013 looked tough all race and was unquestionably the truck to beat. There was a problem with Heim\u2019s motor in the closing laps \u2013 his truck suddenly started intermittently shutting off then restoring power in the closing 20 laps.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Kyle Larson, driver of the #07 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, Corey Heim, driver of the #11 Safelite Toyota, and Layne Riggs, driver of the #34 Love’s RV STOP Ford, race during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Baptist Health 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 21, 2025 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cNot sure what happened to the 11 [Heim], but that worked out in our favor for sure,” Larson said. \u201cI don\u2019t think I would have gotten to him [otherwise]. Obviously, I would have gotten to second, probably, but that would have been tough to get to him. That last run was a lot of fun.”<\/p>\n

Heim was understandably disappointed standing on pit road after the race. His No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota started from pole position, swept both stage wins and led the most laps.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like we were lights out, the best truck tonight, think we should\u2019ve won the race by six, seven seconds at the end there,” Heim said. \u201cI feel like at the beginning of the runs, I knew what we were capable of and let those guys get away, burn their stuff up and then, fly past them.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Corey Heim, driver of the #11 Safelite Toyota, and Kyle Larson, driver of the #07 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, race during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Baptist Health 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 21, 2025 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know exactly what was going on. Never really had an issue like that. I’d be totally fine, and the engine would just hard cut on me. Dash would go black and have no power until I fully cycled it. So, I was coasting for six seconds trying to turn the power switch and turn it back (on). I don\u2019t know.<\/p>\n

\u201cFelt I ran a really good race, saving tires and would mow them down on the long runs there. This No. 11 Tundra TRD Pro was really, really good. This just stinks pretty bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

McAnally-Hilgemann Racing teammates Tyler Ankrum and Daniel Hemric rounded out the top-five finishers. Floridian Ross Chastain, who competes fulltime in the NASCAR Cup Series, led 33 laps in the No. 44 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet but finished sixth.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Corey Heim, driver of the #11 Safelite Toyota, drives during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Baptist Health 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 21, 2025 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

ThorSport Racing\u2019s Jake Garcia was seventh, followed by Front Row Motorsports\u2019 Chandler Smith, CR7 Motorsports\u2019 Grant Enfinger and Niece\u2019s Kaden Honeycutt, who rallied to 10th-place showing from a late race penalty that dropped him to 27th in the field.<\/p>\n

As for potentially claiming a weekend three-race sweep, Larson said, \u201cI felt like the Truck race was probably going to be the toughest to win, I don\u2019t have much experience in them and the runs are typically shorter. I feel better about Xfinity and Cup but the competition keeps getting tough and tougher as you get on with the weekend, but we\u2019ll see. Off to a good start.”<\/p>\n

With his third-place effort, Heim takes over the championship lead and holds eight points over reigning series champ Ty Majeski and 27 points over third place Chandler Smith.<\/p>\n

The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series returns to action next Friday night at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway with the Boys and Girls Club of the Blue Ridge 200 (7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, NRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Now Xfinity Series rookie Christian Eckes won the race last year.<\/p>\n

Interview:<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

NCTS Race Winner Kyle Larson (No. 07 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet) –<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race – Baptist Health 200<\/b><\/p>\n

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

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

Friday, March 21, 2025<\/b><\/p>\n

                1. (3)  Kyle Larson(i), Chevrolet, 134.<\/p>\n

                2. (4)  Layne Riggs, Ford, 134.<\/p>\n

                3. (1)  Corey Heim, Toyota, 134.<\/p>\n

                4. (6)  Tyler Ankrum, Chevrolet, 134.<\/p>\n

                5. (14)  Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet, 134.<\/p>\n

                6. (7)  Ross Chastain(i), Chevrolet, 134.<\/p>\n

                7. (20)  Jake Garcia, Ford, 134.<\/p>\n

                8. (15)  Chandler Smith, Ford, 134.<\/p>\n

                9. (8)  Grant Enfinger, Chevrolet, 134.<\/p>\n

                10. (13)  Kaden Honeycutt, Chevrolet, 134.<\/p>\n

                11. (10)  Ty Majeski, Ford, 134.<\/p>\n

                12. (11)  Brandon Jones(i), Toyota, 134.<\/p>\n

                13. (23)  Matt Crafton, Ford, 134.<\/p>\n

                14. (17)  Matt Mills, Chevrolet, 134.<\/p>\n

                15. (16)  Corey Day(i), Chevrolet, 134.<\/p>\n

                16. (9)  Stewart Friesen, Toyota, 134.<\/p>\n

                17. (2)  Tanner Gray, Toyota, 134.<\/p>\n

                18. (22)  Stefan Parsons, Chevrolet, 134.<\/p>\n

                19. (19)  Connor Mosack #, Chevrolet, 134.<\/p>\n

                20. (25)  Luke Fenhaus, Ford, 134.<\/p>\n

                21. (26)  Jack Wood, Chevrolet, 134.<\/p>\n

                22. (12)  Rajah Caruth, Chevrolet, 134.<\/p>\n

                23. (18)  Dawson Sutton #, Chevrolet, 134.<\/p>\n

                24. (29)  Frankie Muniz #, Ford, 134.<\/p>\n

                25. (21)  Andres Perez de Lara #, Chevrolet, 134.<\/p>\n

                26. (27)  Toni Breidinger #, Toyota, 133.<\/p>\n

                27. (28)  Nathan Byrd, Chevrolet, 133.<\/p>\n

                28. (32)  Spencer Boyd, Chevrolet, 133.<\/p>\n

                29. (5)  Giovanni Ruggiero #, Toyota, 131.<\/p>\n

                30. (30)  Keith McGee, Ford, 130.<\/p>\n

                31. (34)  Michel Disdier, Chevrolet, 128.<\/p>\n

                32. (31)  Akinori Ogata, Toyota, 124.<\/p>\n

                33. (24)  Ben Rhodes, Ford, Suspension, 83.<\/p>\n

                34. (33)  Stephen Mallozzi, Ford, Vibration, 15.<\/p>\n

Average Speed of Race Winner:  117.068 mph.<\/p>\n

Time of Race:  1 Hrs, 43 Mins, 1 Secs. Margin of Victory:  1.340 Seconds.<\/p>\n

Caution Flags:  4 for 22 laps.<\/p>\n

Lead Changes:  13 among 4 drivers.<\/p>\n

Lap Leaders:   C. Heim 1-6;K. Larson(i) 7;C. Heim 8-11;K. Larson(i) 12-28;C. Heim 29-70;R. Chastain(i) 71-87;C. Heim 88-95;R. Chastain(i) 96-103;C. Heim 104-113;L. Riggs 114;R. Chastain(i) 115-122;C. Heim 123-130;L. Riggs 131-132;K. Larson(i) 133-134.<\/p>\n

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  Corey Heim 6 times for 78 laps; Ross Chastain(i) 3 times for 33 laps; Kyle Larson(i) 3 times for 20 laps; Layne Riggs 2 times for 3 laps.<\/p>\n

Stage #1 Top Ten: 11,07,34,98,44,18,19,52,45,38<\/p>\n

Stage #2 Top Ten: 11,07,98,52,45,34,44,19,18,9<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service HOMESTEAD, Fla. \u2013 Kyle Larson made a dramatic run to the checkered flag, rallying from a late-race spinout to methodically race back through the field and pass the night\u2019s most dominant trucks in the final 10 laps to claim victory in Friday\u2019s Baptist Health 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":676,"featured_media":50445,"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":[527,225,16,882],"class_list":["post-50442","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nascar","tag-homestead-miami-speedway","tag-kyle-larson","tag-nascar","tag-nascar-craftsmen-truck-series"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/GettyImages-2206309966-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1748&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7hzTZ-d7A","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50442","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=50442"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50442\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":50470,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50442\/revisions\/50470"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50445"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50442"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50442"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50442"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}