Kyle Larson earned a top-five finish at Dover this past weekend, marking his best showing since the Michigan race earlier this year and signaling a possible Kyle Larson return to form, according to Dale Earnhardt Jr. Larson had struggled through much of the summer, with no top-10 finishes since Pocono nearly a month prior to Dover, raising questions about his performance consistency.
During a segment on the Dale Jr. Download, Earnhardt analyzed Larson’s recent struggles and highlighted the Dover race as a potential turning point. Larson’s finish in fourth place came after a strong and competitive run from start to finish, including his presence in contention during a late overtime restart.
Understanding Larson’s Performance Challenges This Season
Earnhardt described Larson’s recent form as below his usual high standards. He pointed out that Larson’s team had experienced setbacks disrupting their ability to secure consistent results, which left the driver performing differently than expected when finishing races. Earnhardt remarked,
“Kyle Larson this past weekend looked like he was kind of on his way back to the standard that I believe he sets for himself,”
and added,
“Been a rough summer and they’ve had some things that have kind of knocked him out of decent results. Then when they do finish a race they just kind of don’t look like themselves.”
Larson’s performance at Dover suggested that he was beginning to regain rhythm. Earnhardt noted,
“This weekend I thought was a great time for Larson to kind of get back to doing what he does best,”
emphasizing how Larson managed challenges with dirty air early on and eventually found solid car speed.
Advanced Metrics Indicate Larson’s Resurgence
Earnhardt cited advanced racing analytics from NASCAR Insights as further proof that Larson might be bouncing back. He focused on a range of performance factors including passing, defensive driving, speed, restarts, and pit crew execution. According to these metrics, Larson’s season average in passing had slipped from a top-five rank to 12th during the summer, reflecting his rough patch. However, at Dover, Larson was number one in passing, which Earnhardt interprets as an encouraging sign that the team is
“regrouping and getting back to the basics.”
Earnhardt expressed optimism about upcoming races, particularly mentioning the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he envisions Larson returning with renewed confidence.
“I feel like that’s a sign to me that they are regrouping and getting back to the basics and Indy might be the race where he goes out there and jams the flag in the logo in the middle of the field and says, ‘Hey, I’m back and I’m ready to win this championship,’”
Earnhardt said.
Impact of the Indianapolis 500 Double Attempt on Larson’s Schedule
Earnhardt also pointed to Larson’s attempt to compete in the Indianapolis 500 and the associated double duty as a factor that disrupted his momentum. While this was Larson’s second year attempting the ambitious double, the logistical and off-track demands proved taxing.
He explained,
“I feel like trying to do the double this year and the struggle that he had with that and logistics and travel, interviews and photo shoots, all the off-track responsibilities required by sponsors and extra partners that are involved in that, all of those things didn’t go as well or as easy or as smooth as he had hoped,”
and added,
“And I think that that kind of knocked him off his perch and, to your point, the schedule wouldn’t allow him to find some consistency to be able to gain the confidence and get the team back to where it needs to be, everybody feeling good about everything.”
Team’s Response and Moving Forward on Ovals
Despite the challenges, Larson and his team have been introspective and focused on improvement. Earnhardt noted the collective effort to reassess and refine their approach in recent weeks, stating,
“Over the last handful of weeks I’m sure that they’ve all kind of been questioning, ‘Are we doing everything we need to do? What should we do? Should we change this? Should we flip this over? What can I do?’ Everybody’s looking inward.”
The team has opted not to panic but instead to concentrate on fundamentals and oval racing, where they feel they have better control.
“Let’s get back to where we know we can be more in control of our destiny. And I think if the summer was full of ovals, they would have probably regained their form quicker. But it’s clunky, weird. Schedule’s bad. It’s different,”
Earnhardt said.
With more oval races ahead, including the upcoming Indy race, Larson’s return to form looks promising as the team regroups and shifts focus back to their strengths. This phase of recalibration could pave the way for a surge toward championship contention in the coming weeks.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Is Kyle Larson better than Verstappen?
A. Larson probably can’t defeat Verstappen in Formula 1, but he is more versatile than anyone else worldwide. Bianchi believes Larson stands out due to his well-rounded experience. He succeeds in driving and winning with many different kinds of vehicles.
