I know how good he is, I’m just fortunate we were able to get him, and man, what a wheelman he is,” Hendrick said. A year later, he gave Hendrick its 14th Cup title. Larson watched last year’s championship race from the competition compound on the Hendrick Motorsports campus in North Carolina. It was Rick Hendrick who decided to give him another chance and he hired Larson once NASCAR lifted his suspension. He volunteered for multiple different grassroots organizations as Larson went on a personal journey to learn more about himself, as well as social justice issues. He was fired four races into the season and lost nearly every sponsor for his use of a racial slur while racing online, and Larson retreated to his sprint car roots to rebuild his life. Larson seemed to have tears in his eyes on his cooldown lap as he celebrated a career-defining moment he wasn’t sure would happen last year.
“When you’re a good driver and a good person and you surround yourself with good people, success is warranted. “But look, proud of our team, a lot to build on, and also congrats to Kyle … very, very deserving champions, and glad to see Kyle have success. I thought we brought a really good car … just didn’t work out,” Elliott said. A really, really good year, and things just didn’t pan out.”Ĭhase Elliott, the reigning champion and NASCAR’s most popular driver, led 94 laps but finished fourth. Proud of my team … just a really good year.
“They did a great job on the last pit stop and got him out there, and he just set sail after that. “Any time you can win 10 races in a year, you’re absolutely a deserving champion,” Hamlin said. But it didn’t soften the blow of another title defeat for the three-time Daytona 500 winner. Hamlin, who raced Larson all season for the regular-season title that ultimately went to Larson, has firmly maintained that Larson should be the champion. Second hurts, I’m not going to lie, especially with the car we had and the job the guys did.” “That’s three times we’ve been second, and that sucks. It’s unfortunate, but we win and lose as a team,” Truex said. “Ultimately, we needed to beat him off pit road. Truex has finished second in the championship standings three times in the four seasons since his 2017 title. Hamlin is 0 for 5 in championship finales and was the only driver among the final four contenders who did not lead a lap Sunday. Truex, the 2017 champion, finished second and was followed by Hamlin, his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate. Every single man or person, man and woman at Hendrick Motorsports, this win is for all of us, and every one of you. “I’m just blessed to be a part of this group. “Without my pit crew on that last stop, we would not be standing right here. “There were so many points in this race where I did not think we were going to win,” Larson said. He beat Truex to the finish line by an easy. There was no stopping Larson, just as he’s been impossible to stop all season, and he drove to his 10th Cup victory of the year. Larson controlled the restart with 25 laps remaining, quickly cleared Truex, then held off several of Truex’s challenges. “I knew the only way we were going to pull it off is if our pit crew got us off as a leader, and damn, they did. Larson’s crew performed its second-fastest stop of the season - a span that stretches 38 races - and Larson went from last among the final four to first. 5 Chevrolet back on track ahead of his three title rivals. He silently prayed for a flawless service call from his Hendrick Motorsports crew to get the No. and Denny Hamlincontrolled the championship late in a pair of Toyotas.īecause he won the pole Saturday in qualifying, Larson had the first stall on pit road and the shortest sprint back onto the track of the four title contenders. Larson led seven times for a race-high 108 laps but was running fourth, last among the title contenders, as teammates Martin Truex Jr. I’m very thankful for my second chance and every opportunity I’ve been given in these last 18 months.
“It’s definitely been a journey, a rollercoaster. Strapping in for the Daytona 500 didn’t even seem real, let alone winning the championship,” Larson said. “Eighteen months ago, I didn’t even think I’d be in a Cup car again. Larson was in tears during his cooldown laps as he reflected on his rebuild from out-of-work NASCAR driver to Cup champion.