Kyle Larson on battling Denny Hamlin for Kansas win - “As long as we stay with him, we can out-execute him”

Kyle Larson shared his thoughts on battling Denny Hamlin at the front of the field during the race at Kansas Speedway. Over the radio, he told his team that he could beat Hamlin, as long as they could keep pace with the #11 Toyota Camry.

Larson started in third, lining up just behind Hamlin, who shared the front row with his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate and pole-sitter Chase Briscoe. Alongside fellow Hendrick Motorsports drivers Chase Elliott and William Byron, Larson entered the weekend as one of the favorites, backed by consistently strong finishes at the 1.5-mile oval.

In an X post, NASCAR reporter Jeff Gluck relayed the #5 HMS driver's radio message over racing Hamlin.

“Kyle Larson says of Denny Hamlin: ‘Sorry. I just got in his wake and got tight. If he were on four stickers there, he'd be better, I'm guessing. As long as we stay with him, we can out-execute him,’” Gluck wrote.

Jeff Gluck

@jeff_gluck

Kyle Larson says of Denny Hamlin: "Sorry. I just got in his wake and got tight. ... If he was on four stickers there, he'd be better, I'm guessing. As long as we stay with him, we can out-execute him."

Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin entered the Hollywood Casino 400 with good playoff standing positions. The former is third with 41 points above the cutline, above Hamlin, who is fifth with 27 points. So far, only Ryan Blaney has clinched for the Round of 8 following his win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last week.

Larson has three wins on the season compared to Hamlin’s series-leading five. However, the Hendrick Motorsports driver holds the edge in laps led, with more than 940—roughly 300 ahead of Hamlin after the Mobil 1 301.

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“There are certainly guys that are better at it”: Denny Hamlin on Kyle Larson running the top lane at Kansas

Denny Hamlin discussed racing at Kansas Speedway, a track where he has four career wins. He noted that some drivers excel at running the top lane, highlighting Kyle Larson, who captured the win at the 1.5-mile oval earlier this year.

The veteran NASCAR Cup Series driver said (via Jayski.com):

“It seems like when an organization has horsepower and downforce, it works for one lap, and it works for 20, 30 laps in a run. If you’ve got speed, you’ll have it the whole time.”

“There are certainly guys that are better at it (running the top lane) than others, and we’re going to see that. There are just guys like Larson who know how to run the top lane there as good as anyone, and they can carry a car better than most drivers.”

Kyle Larson drives the #5 Chevrolet, while Denny Hamlin pilots the #11 Toyota - Source: Imagn

At Kansas Speedway, the top lane often becomes the preferred groove over the course of a run as rubber builds in and grip increases. Running high can provide better stability, momentum, and tire conservation, which suits drivers like Kyle Larson. The bottom lane, meanwhile, remains a strong option on restarts, where track position is critical, but it tends to lose effectiveness on longer runs as the top evolves.

After this race, NASCAR will be at Charlotte Motor Speedway road course for the Round of 12 finale. Four playoff drivers will be eliminated before the Round of 8 kicks off at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.