During the recent NASCAR race in Mexico, Kyle Larson managed to earn the fastest lap bonus point despite finishing 36th and being many laps behind the leaders. Crew chief Cliff Daniels revealed that he initially planned to park Larson’s car once it became clear that further position gains were unlikely, yet Larson insisted on staying in the race to push for the fastest lap bonus, a crucial point given Larson missed last year’s regular-season championship by a single point.
Damage Setbacks and Repairs During the Race
Larson’s car suffered significant damage early in the race after being caught in a crash initiated by Kyle Busch. The most serious damage was to the suspension and a severely bent right front shock, which could not be replaced under NASCAR’s Damaged Vehicle Policy. The team worked to make repairs and adjustments, allowing Larson to return to the track more than 20 laps off the pace.
Strategies to Maximize Remaining Opportunities on Track
Daniels closely monitored the race situation, especially considering when they would no longer be able to improve Larson’s position. Reflecting on a similar situation earlier in the season at Darlington, Daniels was cautious to avoid influencing the race outcome unintentionally. As he explained,
“So we waited until three laps after that point, just because, to be honest, I still have a little PTSD from Darlington where ultimately we did affect the outcome of the race completely inadvertently,”
He recalled how repairs at Darlington had kept Larson in the race but led to an incident affecting leaders down the stretch, which Daniels and the team wanted to prevent from repeating.
Team Coordination and Ongoing Adjustments in Late Stages
Late in the Mexico race, with no chance to gain positions, Daniels called Larson into the garage to assess options. Larson expressed his desire to keep running rather than officially withdraw:
“Hey man, are we done? I don’t really want to DNF. I just want to be able to keep running.”
Daniels responded by asking,
“I’m like, alright, if we’re going to be out there, how can we make it worth our time?”
This led to the team focusing on adjustments such as changing tire pressures and modifying the car setup to enable Larson to clock the fastest lap possible despite their disadvantaged position. Daniels emphasized the value of this approach in providing the team with pit stop practice and fine-tuning experience under challenging circumstances.
Comparing Mexico Repairs to Previous Darlington Incident
The nature of the repairs at Mexico contrasted sharply with those needed at Darlington earlier in the season. Daniels noted:
“Darlington was a very different experience than Mexico because in Darlington it was pretty much cosmetic body on the car, we had to replace the front bumper structure, we had to do a lot to get the nose patched back up and get it on the car. That was all kind of unique to that. There was really no suspension damage in Darlington.”
In Mexico, suspension damage dominated, requiring a distinct repair approach focused on functional restoration rather than bodywork. Daniels highlighted that while the two experiences were quite different, the team benefited from lessons learned at Darlington, improving their communication and task allocation during the Mexico race repairs.
Reflecting on Team Growth Through Challenges
Daniels reflected on how each challenging moment adds to the team‘s knowledge, especially during the playoffs:
“But it’s crazy how much we still learn because it was so different, just very suspension-heavy and what we had to replace in Mexico. The value of that to me you just don’t know until you kind of have that moment in the playoffs.”
Such experiences not only help avoid past mistakes but enhance the crew’s efficiency and preparedness for future events, underscoring the significance of persistence even when victory seems out of reach.
