Daytona Motor Mouths: Darlington, Bristol and Denny Hamlin
The fellows speak William Byron’s Darlington run, Denny Hamlin’s win, Chase Elliott’s throwback weekend criticism and NASCAR’s upcoming Bristol journey.
Kyle Larson dominated the Meals Metropolis 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, successful his second Cup Sequence race of the season.Denny Hamlin completed second, persevering with his current streak of top-five finishes.The Cup Sequence takes an Easter break, whereas the Truck and Xfinity Sequence race at Rockingham Speedway.
One other dominant weekend for Kyle Larson.
No different strategy to put it.
After ending second in Friday’s NASCAR Truck Sequence race and successful Saturday’s Xfinity Sequence occasion, he dominated the Meals Metropolis 500, the Cup Sequence race Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Larson began third and shortly moved to the entrance, capturing the primary two phases on the best way to his second win of the Cup season and thirty first of his profession. He led 411 of the five hundred laps.
Denny Hamlin positioned second. Ty Gibbs, Chase Briscoe and Ryan Blaney occupied Spots 3, 4 and 5.
Listed here are three takeaways:
1. Kyle Larson goes 2-for-3 on weekend sweep try once more
No, Larson didn’t notch the weekend sweep in his second try of the season. However identical to his first strive at Homestead-Miami, he received awfully shut.
That March 21-23 weekend, Larson received the Truck race, possessed an enormous lead within the closing 10 laps of the Xfinity race earlier than settling into fourth following an time beyond regulation restart and picked up the checkers within the Cup race.
Larson retook the lead with 60 laps remaining Sunday afternoon when Blaney pitted. Larson additionally claimed the Cup race at Bristol final September.
“Only a flawless race as soon as once more right here at Bristol for the 5 group,” Larson stated. “Actually, actually good automotive. That was a whole lot of enjoyable. Nevertheless many laps of inexperienced we ran, there was a whole lot of enjoyable. I used to be fairly snug with issues. Then, Denny got here on actually sturdy there earlier than the pit cycle and simply type of stored the stress on from there.
“I knew I needed to make some good strikes in visitors. Felt like I did a fairly good job there in visitors. Cut up the center generally once I wanted to. So yeah, simply a whole lot of enjoyable. A bit bit out of breath. Simply so high-paced right here. Coronary heart fee is up.”
Larson devoted his efficiency to his public relations consultant and Hendrick Motorsports’ director of communications, Jon Edwards, who died Thursday at age 52.
2. Denny Hamlin finishes second after Martinsville, Darlington triumphs
Christopher Bell’s 2025 excessive mark is protected for now.
Getting into off two straight victories at Martinsville and Darlington, Hamlin challenged for an additional at Bristol. He reached the road 2.25 seconds behind Larson.
Hamlin has by no means received three consecutive races. Bell, who did it earlier this season at Atlanta, Circuit of the Americas and Phoenix, is the one one to finish the feat within the Subsequent Gen Period (since 2022).
“We actually did (need the third straight win), however you need to give that group its due and Kyle his due,” Hamlin stated. “Only a dominant efficiency. Seemed like a fairly flawless day for them. It seemed fairly straightforward. It was all I needed to attempt to sustain there. Glad we have been in a position to give him just a little little bit of a run.”
Hamlin’s sizzling stretch continued, although. He has strung collectively 4 top-fives in a row.
“It has been a terrific run right here over the past month,” he stated. “We have been actually good. Simply received to proceed this momentum.”
3. Easter break for Cup Sequence, however The Rock returns subsequent weekend
NASCAR returns to its custom of shutting down on Easter Sunday this coming week, however it will not be a quiet weekend for all. In truth, there will be joyous noise coming from the southern reaches of North Carolina, roughly an hour east of the Charlotte racing hub.
That is proper, Rockingham Speedway is again in play after a 12-year hiatus. The Rock might be host to the Truck Sequence (Friday) and Xfinity Sequence (Saturday) this coming weekend.
Hopefully the Cup groups take a while to calm down or regroup, relying on how issues have been going, as a result of that is it, the one off weekend of the 2025 Cup Sequence schedule. And so they would possibly need to combine in an additional prayer across the Easter Sunday dinner desk, as a result of after they return to work, they return at Talladega.
— Ken Willis contributed to this story.
