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Kaulig Racing driver Shane van Gisbergen fought a close battle with rival Austin Hill as the former eyed his maiden NASCAR Xfinity Series victory but to no avail.
The Focused Health 250 hosted by the Circuit of the Americas marked the fifth Xfinity Series weekend on the NASCAR calendar. Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson sealed the P1 spot after a double overtake on SVG and Hill on the final lap.
Before Larson charged back from his plummeted P7 spot that happened due to double overtime and a pitstop in the midst, Hill (in P1) and Shane van Gisbergen (in P2) were in close contention for the highly-coveted 46-lap race win.
However, a misjudged move by the #97 Chevrolet driver sent him and the Richard Childress Racing driver off the track, making way for Larson, who fielded his #17 Chevrolet Camaro until the victory burnouts.
The New Zealander's move not only robbed Hill of a potential victory that would've increased his current season's wins to three but also attracted a 30-second time penalty that saw the Kaulig Racing driver's position stoop from a podium finish in P2 to a dismal P27.
Kyle Larson outlines his COTA outing as he becomes sole benefactor of Shane van Gisbergen's wreck
The double overtime during the race shuffled the track positions of the drivers. Kyle Larson was in the pits during that time and, as a result, had to start from seventh on the grid. Nevertheless, the Californian climbed the charts, swooping past Austin Hill and Shane van Gisbergen for an impressive P1 finish.
The HMS driver's Xfinity Series triumph on the 3.426-mile track marked his team's first win with the #17 Chevrolet Camaro. It was also the second victory this season for Larson after he swept the maiden win of the season at the Pennzoil 400 race hosted by the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Speaking on his enthralling run and how a potentially displeasing outing due to the last pitstop was prevented, Larson said (via FOX on X):
"It feels really special. Every time we have this #17 car, whether it be any of us four drivers [Larson, Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, and William Byron], we're always the fastest on the track but somehow give it away."
The 31-year-old added:
"Just wild there. I thought when we pitted honestly there would be more people to pit with us, and when I get in, I was like, 'Man if I can get back to like top 10, it's okay.' But, just worked out."
