With added motivation to honor the memory of a close friend, Kyle Larson seemed to have an extra gear Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway.
The Hendrick Motorsports star led 411 of 500 laps in a NASCAR Cup Series victory that was as dominant as it was emotional.
Larson, racing in the No. 5 Chevrolet at the East Tennessee short track just days after the death of Jon Edwards, his former public relations representative, picked up his second Cup Series win of the season. It was his 31st career victory and the third at Bristol for the 2021 Cup Series champion.
“This one is definitely for Jon,” Larson said. “He is just a great guy, so we’re going to miss him. Wish he was going to be here with us to celebrate, but I know he’s celebrating with us in spirit. Just a flawless race at Bristol for the team. Really, really good car. That was a lot of fun.”
Denny Hamlin finished second in his 400th consecutive start on NASCAR’s top circuit, falling one spot short in his bid for a third consecutive win after back-to-back victories at Virginia’s Martinsville Speedway and South Carolina’s Darlington Raceway. The 44-year-old Joe Gibbs Racing driver was gracious in defeat, noting Larson’s victory came after a somber week that also included the deaths of longtime motorsports journalist Al Pearce and Shigeaki Hattori, who as an owner won a NASCAR Truck Series championship.