"Maybe we hit on something here this weekend" - Kyle Larson is disappointed after failing to achieve 'the finish we deserved' at Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway

The Goodyear 400 turned out to be a disappointing event for defending Cup champion Kyle Larson after he retired from the race earlier than expected. The reigning champion posted his fourth DNF of the 2022 season, finishing 36 out of 36 at the end of the race.

Kyle Larson entered "The Track Too Tough To Tame" as the favorite to take the checkered flag home. He raised the hopes of his fans after securing a front-row position in the qualifying race after finishing second behind Joey Logano.

However, things didn’t pan out as he had hoped, for his car started developing complications at the end of Stage 1. Things got worse during the second stage as the #5 Camaro encountered more complications, leading to a spin. Larson was done for the day after his crew was unable to diagnose the issue with his car.

Despite the car having issues, Larson applauded it, stating that it was super good. In a media interaction concerning his disappointing weekend, Larson stated:

“Bummer, our car was super good today, so that’s promising. I feel like maybe we hit on something here this weekend. But yeah, I hate that I’m not going to get the finish we deserved. But like I said, I’m proud of my team for the car they brought today.”

Kyle Larson was the best candidate to win this race based on his performances in the previous three races, where he finished in the top five twice and in the top ten twice. When he landed in Darlington, he displayed the same winning experience he displayed during the qualifying race.

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Kyle Larson's performance at Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway

He began the race on the outside line of the front row. Getting pole and maintaining it to the end was the only assignment Larson was supposed to undertake. For a few minutes of Stage 1, Larson held the pole, taking it from Joey Logano.

Larson held the lead for only two laps before Logano snatched it back, leaving Larson and Kyle Busch jockeying for pole position. Larson was later edged by Busch.

At the end of the first stage, Larson was running in the top ten before proceeding to Stage 2, where he called it a day after an engine failure. Following the DNF, Larson stands in ninth place in the 2022 Standings.