In an impressive display of skill and determination, Kyle Larson achieved back-to-back top-five finishes at Talladega Superspeedway, culminating in a second-place finish after Ryan Preece‘s disqualification. This significant outcome marks a remarkable turnaround for Larson, who had struggled historically at this track.
Once facing a long drought, Larson had only secured a single top-10 finish in 13 previous starts at Talladega. Leading up to the past year, the 2021 Cup Series champion managed just one top-five finish in 19 career starts. However, his recent performances signal a turning point, as he finished fourth in the fall and improved upon that with a career-best third-place run on Sunday afternoon.
Despite the lack of flashy results, Larson attributed his newfound success to effective execution on the track. “I feel like I’ve always performed pretty decent [at Talladega], at least at Hendrick,” Larson remarked. “I was happy about the day; it was great top to bottom. First stage to the final stage.” His performance resonated with fans as he scored a win in Stage 2, marking his fifth stage victory of 2025, and earned a total of 52 points out of a possible 60.
“I was happy about all that and had another really good shot at potentially winning at the end,” he added. Larson highlighted the different challenges presented during each race, stating, “Every race is a little different. Even today was different from last fall, different from the Daytona 500.” He noted that various strategies played a role, particularly how the Toyotas led the bottom lane to maintain pace early in Stage 1.
As Larson edged closer to his Hendrick teammate Byron for the series point lead, now just 42 points behind, he reflected positively on the day’s work. “The day worked out for us,” he said. “I’m just pleased with that and pleased with the performance of the car.” Kyle Larson’s recent achievements not only boost his standing in the league but also instill hope among his supporters for future races at Talladega and beyond.
