Kyle Larson Sets Career-Best Finish at Reconfigured Atlanta Speedway
Kyle Larson achieved three significant milestones at Atlanta Motor Speedway during Sunday night's race, marking a turning point in his performance at drafting-style tracks.
Blue and white racing IndyCar
For the first time, Larson won a stage at a drafting-style racetrack, completing the second stage successfully. He also broke his streak of DNFs, having failed to finish in five of his last six Atlanta races since the track's transformation. Finally, he secured his best-ever Atlanta finish in third place, despite leading at the white flag.
The dramatic finish saw Larson battling side-by-side with Christopher Bell and Carson Hocevar in a three-wide situation during the final lap. While reflecting on his strategy, Larson noted, "I feel like if I would have stayed in the top lane, (Bell) doesn't get to my outside."
This performance follows Larson's frustrating run at the Daytona 500, where he has yet to secure a top-five finish in 22 starts. His struggles at superspeedways extend to Talladega, with only two top-five finishes in 20 starts.
Larson distinguishes Atlanta from Daytona and Talladega, emphasizing that Atlanta's layout allows for more driver control and strategy. "All of us are in more control here," Larson explained, adding that handling plays a more significant role compared to the luck-dependent nature of other superspeedways.
While this result marks improvement, Larson maintains a pragmatic view, stating it hasn't necessarily boosted his confidence for other superspeedway races, given Atlanta's unique characteristics. However, the third-place finish represents significant progress in his drafting-track performance.