Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com team victorious at Richmond
TRACK: Richmond Raceway
LENGTH: 0.75-mile oval
DATE: Apr. 2, 2023
STARTED: 9th
FINISHED: 1st
STANDINGS: 6th (-41 points)
Kyle Larson captured his first victory of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season at Richmond Raceway on Sunday afternoon – our third consecutive Home race of the season.
The win is the 20th for Larson in his Cup Series career and his 14th at Hendrick Motorsports. Most notably, the win comes on the late Ricky Hendrick’s birthday, for whom Larson’s No. 5 HendrickCars.com entry pays tribute to.
RICHMOND STORE: RICK HENDRICK CHEVROLET BUICK GMC
Although Larson had yet to break through this season, the Elk Grove, California, native has been a consistent threat at the front of the field. He entered the weekend leading the series in laps led and was second for most laps run in the top five.
Larson’s day began with a push towards the front. Although he settled for second in the opening stage, he overtook Byron under the green flag in stage two. While he fell back to eighth in the second stage, the No. 5 HendrickCars.com crew continued to work on the car in a race that saw several drivers come and go throughout the day.
In the end, a late-race pit stop under the yellow flag saw Larson jump to the top spot off of pit road. With 21 laps to go, the driver of the No. 5 entry outlasted teammate Josh Berry to take home the checkered flag.
"It's really cool," Larson said after taking the checkered flag. "We've been close to winning a couple. William (Byron) has been extremely good this year. It was going to be between him, the 19 (Martin Truex Jr.), us, and the 20 (Christopher Bell) was really good. Things worked out. My pit crew had a great stop."
Larson led 93 laps on the day to take the victory. The win was also for the first for interim crew chief Kevin Meendering atop the pit box in the Cup Series. Meendering is filling in for the suspended Cliff Daniels.
QUOTING KYLE LARSON:
“What an awesome HendrickCars.com Chevy. I can't say enough about it. I got into the 99 on pit road there sometime in the second stage, and we were awful after that. I was hoping the damage was the reason why, but they had to calm me down a little bit and get refocused and we were able to get it done. Thanks to everyone on this team, Cliff Daniels, for everything he does to prepare the team to be as strong as we are without him on the box. So good to get a win, and hopefully many more.”
NEXT RACE:
Larson and the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet will trade in asphalt for dirt next Sunday, April 9. The annual dirt race at Bristol Motor Speedway goes green at 7 p.m. ET on FOX.
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