Kyle Larson becomes NASCAR's latest Three Million Dollar Man
History was made as Larson took first place in the $1 million NASCAR All-Star race, joining an exclusive group of drivers to win three or more All-Star races. He tied hall-of-famers Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt with his win and is only one shy of Jimmie Johnson’s record.
After receiving an early penalty for speeding down the pit-lane, Larson was sent to the back of the grid on lap 21 of 200. He wasted little time overtaking each of his competitors, quickly taking the lead on lap 55 of 200 and holding on to it to claim a decisive victory.
The race was a clean one - no crashes or spin-outs occurred, a rarity in modern-day NASCAR. As an exhibition All-Star race, there were no play-off points awarded, but each of the 24 drivers raced hard to win and get their hands on the $1 million dollar prize. The second-place finisher received nothing, increasing the stakes.
The win was meaningful to Larson for several reasons. With the win, he not only became the only driver in NASCAR history to win an All-Star race at three separate race tracks, but also the first NASCAR Cup driver to win at North Wilkesboro Speedway in over 27 years.
The track played a big role in NASCARs development, being a part of the schedule since the organization’s inception in 1948. After it was shut down in 1996 due to declining profits, the once legendary track fell into disrepair, but Speedway Motorsports CEO Marcus Smith and Hall of Fame driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. organized a lengthy restoration process to bring it back to its former glory in honour of NASCAR’s 75th anniversary season.
The importance of the historic track’s return to the NASCAR schedule was clear. The grandstands were filled with fans and NASCAR legends alike. Aggressive qualifying and heat races demonstrated how badly each driver wanted to make the main race and be a part of the famous circuit's first race back.
“That was an old school (butt)-whipping, for sure,” Larson said after it. “I did not think I would come here and be this good…
"A slick short track has not suited my style in the past, and you know, we were not great in practice Friday and the heat race yesterday but (my crew chief) did such a phenomenal job making the right adjustments”
The weekend was a clean sweep for Larson. On Saturday, he entered and won the Tyson 250, a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race that earned him the honour of being the first driver to win a NASCAR-sanctioned race at the revitalized North Wilkesboro in 27 years. Following up with a victory on Sunday’s All-Star race earned him that same honour for the Cup series as well.
At 30 years old and entering the prime of his racing career, it will come as little surprise if Larson ends up matching or breaking Jimmie Johnson’s record of four All-Star victories in the coming years.