Search
Close this search box.

Partner

Video: Kyle Larson Tries Video Game-Style Move on Last Lap to Try to Beat Hamlin

Kyle Larson did not win Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, but you cannot accuse the 29-year old driver of not giving it all he had to try to beat Denny Hamlin.

Hamlin had driven a smooth and flawless 15 laps, and held Larson — who led a race-high 156 laps — at bay. But on the final lap of the race, Larson said, you know what? I gotta try something.

So, Larson pulled a play out of the video game playbook and opted to go into turns 3 and 4 without lifting. His No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet pounded the outside wall, but he nearly got up alongside Hamlin, and had he pulled off the win, we’d be talking about it for ages.

“I honestly got to his bumper too quick,” Larson admitted. “I was hoping he was going to run that diamond to kind of be safe and I could swerve to his outside. But gave it everything I had. I didn’t want to wreck him, but I wanted to get to his outside.”

Hamlin, who won the race, was even surprised by how deep Larson went into the corner, and had a little concern about the outcome of the race in the race’s final turn.

“Yeah, he drove it in past the limit of the car and tire,” Hamlin explained of Larson’s last lap move. “But I knew he was coming. I was a little bit conservative that last lap, because I knew I had about a four car-length lead. I didn’t think he was going to go that deep, but it was still a great race.”

While it wasn’t a win, Larson may have actually won the mental war against his championship rival Hamlin. Because now, Hamlin knows when the chips are on the table, Larson will do whatever he thinks will give him a shot to win the race. Even if that means sending his car into the wall on the final lap of the race.

share it
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit

One Response

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Post

Tab Boyd has been fired as crew chief of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. No. 47 HYAK Motorsports team
Stenhouse Confirms Spotter Tab Boyd Has Been Let Go by HYAK Motorsports
IMG_1874
Denny Hamlin, Jordan Fish Announce Birth of Third Child, Jameson Drew Hamlin
Joey Logano confronted Ross Chastain after late-race run-in at Grant Park 165 in Chicago
Joey Logano Laments 'Typical Ross' Chastain After Chicago Late-Race Run-In
JM_Cup_Dar_Hocevar1
Carson Hocevar Penalized by Spire Motorsports for Remarks About Mexico
DB_clt_cup_race_ware
Report: T.J. Puchyr Agrees to Purchase Rick Ware Racing
NASCAR was unaware of how severe Cody Ware crash at Chicago was, admits mistake in delayed caution
NASCAR Race Control Was Unaware of How Severe Cody Ware Crash Was

Join Our Newsletter

Ready to have NASCAR news hand-delivered to your email daily?

Related Article