No one dared try to pass outside of the groove at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday night during NASCAR’s All-Star Race, at least until Kyle Larson saw an opportunity to try something on teammate Chase Elliott.
During the 10-lap shootout for the win, Larson pushed his teammate to the front – past Brad Keselowski on the backstretch of the first lap.
He went into the corner on the outside of Elliott. Then Larson emerged in the lead.
“That last restart worked out exactly how I needed it to,” Larson said on Fox Sports 1. “I wanted Chase to not get a good run on the back. I was like, ‘there’s got to be enough grip above where we’ve been running for one corner.’ It was a little slick up there, but I was able to get it and hold him off up there. Can’t believe it.”
The win gives Larson his second career All-Star Race victory, moving him to a list of names like Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Terry Labonte.
It’s also Larson’s third-straight victory in NASCAR. He captured the Coca Cola 600 as well as Sonoma before rolling down to Texas and coming out on top once again.
The team is on a tear.
“I honestly can’t believe it,” Larson said on the broadcast. “That second round, we were going backwards. I did not imagine seeing myself winning this race today.”
NASCAR will return to the track on Sunday, June 20 for its first race of the season through the NBC broadcasting arena. The series will make its debut at Nashville, going live at 2:30 p.m. CT on NBCSN.
NASCAR Results
All-Star Race
1. Kyle Larson
2. Brad Keselowski
3. Chase Elliott
4. Joey Logano
5. Ryan Blaney
6. Alex Bowman
7. William Byron
8. Aric Almirola
9. Kyle Busch
10. Kurt Busch
11. Christopher Bell
12. Michael McDowell
13. Martin Truex Jr.
14. Cole Custer
15. Kevin Harvick
16. Tyler Reddick
17. Matt DiBenedetto
18. Ross Chastain
19. Austin Dillon
20. Ryan Newman
21. Denny Hamlin
