Parity has at all times been the goal of this generation of cars, and because of this, dominant performances just like the one we saw last weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway have turn out to be a rarity. Kyle Larson passed polesitter Alex Bowman just 33 laps into the race and never looked back.
He was not passed again under the green flag and dominated the remaining of the race. Larson’s victory was unlike anything seen at Bristol since 1977, when Cale Yarborough led 495 of the five hundred laps, essentially the most laps ever led by a Hendrick driver in a single race. Did we mention he won each stages?
Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports, Ally Chevrolet Camaro and Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports, HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro
Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Images
Larson crossed the road just over seven seconds ahead of teammate Chase Elliott, also the most important margin of victory on the half-mile short track in 30 years. As NASCAR nears the tip of its third yr of competition with the Gen-7 automotive, where exactly does that result stand for the reason that automotive’s debut in 2022? Based totally on race-winning laps, listed below are essentially the most dominant victories of the Next Gen era…
5. 2024 Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
In Larson’s first win of the 2024 season, the Hendrick driver also won each stages, leading 182 of the 267 laps — 67.8 percent. What’s more impressive is that he didn’t run away with that victory. He battled door-to-door with Ross Chastain on the ultimate restart, then held off a charging Tyler Reddick on the finish line to win by lower than half a second.
Watch: Kyle Larson fends off Tyler Reddick in closing laps to win in Las Vegas
4. 2023 Go bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International
Another case of Hendrick dominance, and it won’t be the last you’ll see on this list. William Byron fell one point wanting a maximum points total in last yr’s event on the New York road course. He took the lead on lap 21 and led 66 of the 90 laps, losing only briefly during a series of pit stops. He crossed the finish line 2.6 seconds ahead of his nearest competitor, leading 73.3 percent of the laps that day.
Watch: William Byron Secures First Road Course Victory at Watkins Glen
3. 2022 Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway
Another performance for Larson, who again won each stages en path to a victory at Homestead in 2022. He led 74.5% of the race, controlling the event for 199 of the 267 laps. The victory was bittersweet, coming every week after being eliminated from the playoffs. However, the victory put the No. 5 automotive within the Championship 4 on the owner’s side.
Watch: Larson on Homestead win: 'Best streak we've had all yr'
2. 2023 Crayon 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
The only non-Hendrick driver on this list. In the summer of 2023, Martin Truex Jr. lived as much as his “Mr. Monday” nickname when rain pushed the event to the subsequent day. He dominated each stages and led 254 of the 301 laps on “The Magic Mile” with Joe Gibbs Racing. With the No. 19 Toyota leading 84.4 percent of the laps, he became essentially the most dominant showing of the Next Gen era… until just a few days ago.
Watch: 2023's 'Mr. Monday' Seals Victory in New Hampshire
1. 2024 Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway
Yes, Larson’s win last Saturday night at Bristol tops all of them. With 462 of the five hundred laps led, Larson was in front for 92.4 percent of the race. Once he took the lead from Bowman, there have been essentially no obstacles and he was never passed again under green-flag conditions. It was his most dominant performance (by laps led) since October 2019, when Truex led 92.8 percent (464 of the five hundred laps) at Martinsville Speedway almost five years ago.
Race Winner Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports, HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro
Photo: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Images
“I think when I’m done racing or I’m a Hendrick Motorsports driver and those records are still there, yeah, it’ll mean a lot to me,” Larson said when asked in regards to the records he broke Saturday night. “But for now, you just try to do your job well and the records will take care of themselves, I think. I’m sure I’ll be able to think about that more when I’m on the road.”
It was also essentially the most impressive performance of Larson’s Cup profession. In his 27 previous victories, the closest he’s come is when he’s led 264 of 300 — or 88 percent of the laps at Nashville in 2021. Larson was helped by the dearth of yellow flags on the notoriously action-packed Bristol track, as there have been only three incident-related yellow flags. Only those that finished in the highest 10 remained within the lead on the checkered flag.
