Kyle Larson dominates again in NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas

Kyle Larson repeated at Las Vegas in dominant fashion.

The Hendrick Motorsports veteran had the fastest car throughout Sunday afternoon’s NASCAR Cup Series race. Larson, the series’ last winner at the 1.5-mile intermediate track, swept the first two stages and commanded the lead for nearly the entire race.

He almost assuredly secures a spot in the 2024 Cup Series playoffs by holding off a late push from Tyler Reddick, who finished second. Ryan Blaney, the defending NASCAR Cup Series champion, took third, Ross Chastain fourth and Ty Gibbs fifth.

“I knew Tyler was gonna be the guy to beat,” Larson said afterward. “I was hoping those guys behind me were gonna get racing a little longer. ... Thankfully was able to air block him a couple laps and get him tight.”

Kyle Busch, the Las Vegas native who was among the three drivers in last week’s photo finish, ran toward the front again Sunday — but his splitter stepped over the pit box boundary, sending the veteran driver a lap down late in the final stage.

Before the race began, Ross Chastain was handed a penalty and started the race from the rear. But the Trackhouse Racing driver finished fifth, working back into the Top 10 by the end of Stage 1 and even leading the race late.

Before Sunday, both of NASCAR’s national series races at Las Vegas totaled just four cautions each, including the two for stage breaks. Rajah Caruth started on the pole and won a mostly green Truck Series race on Friday night — becoming the third Black driver to win a NASCAR national series race — and John Hunter Nemechek had the fastest car during the second and final stages and won Saturday’s Xfinity Series race.

The Cup race was yellow early in Stage 1, with Christopher Bell having an issue with his right rear tire. He rebounded well early — finishing the stage in the Top 10 — but prompted another caution late in Stage 2 and fell out of contention.

Not long after Bell’s initial caution, Chris Buescher slammed into the wall in Turn 1. The wheel on Buescher’s No. 17 Ford popped off, and NASCAR needed to throw a red flag while damage on the wall was repaired. The race was halted for roughly 20 minutes.

Larson continued running well throughout Stage 2, which consisted of mostly green-flag racing. Bell prompted another caution late in the stage after spinning from 14th place. That set up a five-lap shootout to close out Stage 2, and Larson passed Alex Bowman and claimed another stage win.

William Byron, the Charlotte native who recently won the Daytona 500, led the race early in Stage 1 — but plummeted all the way to 35th after a trash bag got caught on his grille. The Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 24 Chevy had looked particularly fast early, and Byron continued his speed and worked through the field throughout the race. He finished 10th.