05/27/22 10:03:00
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05/27 10:00 CDT Deja vu? Larson hopes Coca-Cola 600 can ignite run to title
Deja vu? Larson hopes Coca-Cola 600 can ignite run to title
By STEVE REED
AP Sports Writer
CONCORD, N.C. (AP) --- Kyle Larson is hoping a return to victory lane Sunday at
the Coca-Cola 600 might propel him to a second straight NASCAR Cup Series
championship.
In other words, he's hoping history will repeat itself.
Larson has just one win this season --- three months ago at California.
That puts Larson in a strangely similar situation to last year, when he arrived
at Charlotte Motor Speedway for NASCAR's longest and most grueling race with
just one victory through 14 races.
His 2021 season turned at Charlotte.
Larson dominated the Coca-Cola 600 by leading 327 of 400 laps in Hendrick
Motorsports' 269th career victory --- pushing HMS past Petty Enterprises for
the record.
The victory invigorated Larson and his No. 5 Chevrolet team. The group won
three straight Cup races and the All-Star race to gain the needed confidence
and momentum for its title run. Larson wound up winning 10 races in all and
ultimately his first Cup title.
"That was so cool to get Mr. (Rick) Hendrick that historic win," Larson said of
last year's win at the Coca-Cola 600. "It wasn't spoken about, but I think
every team wanted to deliver that win for him and we were fortunate enough to
be the ones who did. Hopefully, we can have the same type of performance this
weekend."
But repeating at the Coca-Cola 600 is not easy. It hasn't been done since
Jimmie Johnson won three straight from 2003 to 2005.
NASCAR's longest race already had plenty of pitfalls to begin with --- tire
wear, attrition and the change in track temperature from day to night --- and
the new Next Gen car only adds more intrigue. As is, there are concerns if the
left rear tires can handle the load of such a long race.
Larson has as good of a chance as anyone to win. Fan Duel Sportsbook has him
listed as the race favorite at 5-1.
He has dotted the leaderboard all year, finishing fourth at Bristol and
Talladega, and second at Las Vegas and Kansas. He has six top-five finishes in
all, but is ninth in the point standings.
"Track position will be important, so a good qualifying session on Saturday
helps a lot for Sunday," Larson said.
DILLON A DARKHORSE
Maybe it has something to do with that Dale Earnhardt legacy, but Austin Dillon
and the black No. 3 Chevy have always run well at the Coca-Cola 600.
Dillon, who won the race in 2017, has finished in the top 10 three straight
years.
"I don't know what it is about Charlotte Motor Speedway. I've always had
success there," Dillon said. "I enjoy the track. I understand what it takes to
be fast there in a race car and I have a feel for it. Obviously, I won my first
Cup race at Charlotte, so I definitely circle it every year as a place where we
go and compete well at."
HARVICK'S WINLESS STREAK
Kevin Harvick is currently in the midst of the second-longest winless streak of
his career at 56 races. His longest streak of races in his Cup career without a
win was 115 races from 2007 to 2010.
Harvick's last win was at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sept. 19, 2020.
Before his current winless streak, he went 11 straight seasons (2010 to 2020)
with at least one win. Charlotte is a 1.5-mile track and Harvick has struggled
on superspeedways, finishing 12th at Las Vegas, 21st at Atlanta and 15th at
Kansas.
KEEPING THAT NET
Ryan Blaney is coming off a bizarre win at the All-Star Race last week which
involved an issue with his window net.
Blaney said he has decided to keep the net and wants to hang it somewhere
special.
"They said they can get it for me, so I think I will save that one," Blaney
said. "There is a neat story behind it. I am looking forward to getting that
and I think I have a decent spot picked out for it right now. Maybe it will
move around throughout the years. I am excited to keep that thing."
ODDS AND ENDS
After race favorite Larson, FanDuel Sportsbook gives Kyle Busch (11-2), Chase
Elliott (6-1) and Denny Hamlin (19-2) the best odds of winning one of NASCAR's
crown jewel races.
___
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