'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Defending champion Kyle Larson is back to his form in the 2022 Cup Series after winning the WISE Power 400 at Auto Club Speedway on Sunday. In achieving this feat, Larson took his career win tally to 17.
Driving the #5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports, Larson marked this as the first win for the manufacturer in this year's Cup Series. Earlier this month, the Next Gen car made its unofficial debut at the Clash at the Coliseum.
Securing the victory lane in the WISE Power 400 with the new Next Gen car, Larson said:
“Yeah, it’s definitely edgy. Honestly I enjoyed it more than I thought I was going to. I thought dirty air was going to be really bad behind people, and it didn’t seem way worse or different than normal. So that was encouraging. I thought the runs were equally as big if not bigger down the front stretch. Restarts were still crazy. Yeah, I thought it was way different, which was good for me anyways, and probably for us drivers. And then you have the part where, yeah, it’s on edge where if you get a little too stepped out, you spin.”
Larson’s 2022 season did not start well. After the Hendrick Motorsports driver lost the Daytona 500 and had a bad practice session on Saturday, all odds were against him in Fontana. Throughout Sunday’s race, Larson survived 12 cautions and restarts, but these obstacles could not stop him from winning his second Auto Club 400.
Kyle Larson’s first 2022 win came in his home state of California
Kyle Larson, who held off Austin Dillon to finish on the line on Sunday, admitted that it’s always fun to win in his home state. After a poor practice session, his crew chief Cliff Daniels made good adjustments overnight, which helped him control the car better.
Expressing his joy after the win, Larson said:
“Always fun here to win in the home state. Hard work all weekend there. Didn’t feel great in practice yesterday. [Crew chief Cliff Daniels] and everybody made some good adjustments overnight, and the car handled a lot better. Some guys were quicker than us, but they had their misfortunes, just kept our heads in it all day. Long race. Restarts were crazy, the whole runs were crazy. Definitely wild, but cool to get a win here in California, and hopefully we can get on a little streak.”
The current NASCAR Cup Series season will head next weekend to Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the Pennzoil 400. Kyle Larson and his team will be trying to start a streak with a win at the event.
