Kyle Larson has steadily re-emerged as a contender in the NASCAR Cup Series championship race following his second-place finish at the Charlotte Roval. The Hendrick Motorsports driver secured a spot in the Round of 8, overcoming a period of uneven performance to reclaim his position among the title hopefuls.
After a challenging slump marked by six finishes outside the top 20 and only three top-five results in 18 races, Larson’s lone victory this season came early at Kansas in May. This patch of inconsistency mirrors a similar struggle he faced in 2019 while with Chip Ganassi Racing. Despite these setbacks, Larson still leads the Cup Series in laps led this year, with 971, showing the dominance he displayed during the spring, when he won three of the initial 12 races. His challenge had been turning those laps led into wins. However, his form appears to be returning as the playoffs advance. After missing top-10 finishes in the Round of 16, Larson secured three consecutive top 10s: seventh in New Hampshire, sixth in Kansas, and second in Charlotte.
For the first time since early summer, Larson appears calm and confident under playoff pressure, a quality reinforced by the efforts of crew chief Cliff Daniels and the No. 5 team’s focus on building championship resilience.
Assessing Larson’s Emerging Threat in the Championship Race
At the Charlotte Roval 400, Larson demonstrated steady control, earning nine points in Stage 1 that helped nail down his advancement into the Round of 8. Throughout the race, he was the only driver consistently able to match Shane van Gisbergen’s pace. Larson overtook the lead on Lap 63, with Christopher Bell closely behind in second place. Although a green-flag pit stop cycle briefly altered the running order, van Gisbergen soon made a decisive move to reclaim the lead on Lap 96, with Larson and van Gisbergen exchanging positions and minor contact through the backstretch chicane before van Gisbergen pulled away in the final 11 laps.
Larson’s composure stood out, given his previous difficulties on road courses, where he had four finishes in the 30s earlier in the season. Former Hendrick Motorsports crew chief and NBC analyst Steve Letarte believes a shift has occurred within the team.
“I’ll be the guy that jumps on the grade here. Something changed (with) the team. I don’t know the details… but Cliff Daniels kind of made a statement last week about how the team’s been through more than the world knows…. The 5 had a slump. Now, I know he didn’t win, he didn’t come back and win, but he (looks like Kyle Larson again) yeah.. Like if Larson wins at Vegas, and that was four weeks ago, I’d be like, ‘Hell, where’d he come from.’ Now I’d be like, ‘Yep we saw this one coming,'” Steve Letarte, Former Crew Chief and NBC Analyst
Seeded third entering the Round of 8 behind Denny Hamlin and Ryan Blaney and tied on points with William Byron, Larson’s quiet return to form is gaining attention within NASCAR circles.
Examining Larson’s Potential Route to the Championship 4 in 2025
The upcoming playoff venues could favor Larson’s driving style and Hendrick Motorsports’ recent improvements. The Round of 8 kicks off at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a venue where Larson has excelled statistically. With 18 starts at Las Vegas yielding three wins and 13 top-10 finishes, he maintains the best active average finish (9.4) among competitors. Larson has led more than 650 laps at the 1.5-mile oval, and the HMS’s enhanced intermediate setup through the playoffs boosts his prospects.
Talladega represents more uncertainty. Despite 21 starts, Larson has yet to claim a win there, achieving only a runner-up finish last season. Conversely, Martinsville seems promising; in his last six appearances on the short track, Larson has consistently finished inside the top 10, including a victory. His 5.4 average finish trails only Ryan Blaney’s 4.6 among Next-Gen car drivers at that track.
In a recent interview on the Stacking Pennies podcast, Larson expressed measured optimism about the challenges ahead:
“I actually really like the Round of Eight. Vegas, I think, is going to be a great track for us. Talladega — hopefully, if it goes like the other speedways have this year, I think we can score good points. And then Martinsville is, oddly, our best track statistically,” Kyle Larson, NASCAR Driver
Despite Larson’s confidence, formidable rivals remain in contention. Team Penske’s Fords have dominated three of the four remaining tracks this season and hold a significant advantage on flat ovals. Meanwhile, Toyota’s strength in the summer months, especially on intermediate tracks like Kansas, keeps drivers like Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell firmly in the title hunt. Although Hendrick Motorsports has made noticeable strides on flat tracks, they have yet to reach Penske’s level of performance consistently.
With Phoenix hosting the championship finale, the track tends to favor Penske and Ryan Blaney, who sets the standard with his speed and pit crew efficiency. Larson’s route to the title in 2025 will demand flawless execution, not just bursts of speed, as he faces stiff competition in the final stretch.
