Jet brings Elk Grove native to Knoxville following Richamond NASCAR just in time to capture his fourth Knoxville Nationals title after the NASCAR Cup Series race
Kyle Larson’s Saturday began with him simply hoping he could watch the finale of the 65th NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s. It ended in Knoxville Nationals Victory Lane.
On Thursday Larson drove to victory at Toyota Qualifying Night, putting the Silva Motorsports No. 57 on the pole for the Championship Feature. But he had no expectation of being able to return with Hendrick Motorsports duties requiring him at Richmond Raceway for the NASCAR Cup Series race Saturday night. The plan was for crew member Trevor Canales to jump in and start and park the car. Mother Nature had other plans.
Steady rain delayed Saturday’s Championship program to the point Larson’s Cup crew chief, Cliff Daniels, told him during the race they were mapping out a plan to get him to Knoxville once Richmond wrapped up. “Yung Money” brought the Hendrick No. 5 home sixth and hopped on a jet bound for Iowa. That flight wound up being the most tracked in the world as fans eagerly watched if Larson would make it on time to compete. The rain pushed things back just enough as DIRTVision cameras showed Larson landing during the C-main with a police escort waiting.
Larson showed up to Knoxville Raceway and put a beatdown on the world’s best Sprint Car competition. The Elk Grove, CA native started first and stayed there for the entire 50-lap finale. Sheldon Haudenschild and Kasey Kahne attempted to challenge him during different stages, but they couldn’t find enough speed. Larson took the checkered flag and completed one of the most memorable days not just in the history of Sprint Car racing, but all of Motorsports.
“It’s extremely surreal,” Larson said. “Just to talk about the day and the range of emotions. Even going back to the last couple days, I had no emotion. I knew I wouldn’t be able to race, but there was still that glimmer of hope with the rain in the forecast… When I got in the Cup car, it only showed like a 10% chance of rain at 6:00pm or something. I was like, ‘Alright, that’s a bummer.’ I was kind of sad for a minute and then just got focused on the Cup race. We were struggling but making improvements, and then all of a sudden Cliff came on the radio and said there was a rain delay here, and they hadn’t started Hot Laps yet. Then I got a kickstart of emotion there. It’s just wild how I’m here tonight.”
The Richmond-Knoxville double ended in a fourth Knoxville Nationalsvictory for Larson, this one worth $200,000. That equals him with Kenny Weld and Danny Lasoski for the fourth most all-time. All four of Larson’s have come in the last six runnings. Next up on the list is Doug Wolfgang with five. Larson completed a perfect week with Paul Silva. The pairing won Knoxville’s Capitani Classic on Sunday, Southern Iowa Speedway’s Front Row Challenge Monday, their Knoxville Nationals prelim Thursday, and put the cherry on top with Saturday’s statement. Larson is up to 16 overall wins at Knoxville. It also gave him 40 career checkered flags with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars, becoming the 22nd different driver to reach the mark.
Sheldon Haudenschild nearly captured his first Knoxville Nationals title, coming home second in the KCP Racing/NOS Energy Drink Grand Prix Guava No. 18. It gave the Wooster, OH native a personal best mark in the sport’s biggest race and his seventh straight top 10 in it.
“Kasey cleared me early, and I just followed Kasey around for a long time,” Haudenschild said. “Kyle just kept getting farther and farther away. I was a little free on that get go. Man, hats off to (Kyle) Ripper, Adam (Clark), and Dauson (Heitritter). We had a great week. I’m not bummed at all. I feel like we finally had speed here and were able to race. I’m glad Kyle got to make it back honestly. If I want to win this race, I want to beat Kyle and the best there is.”
Kasey Kahne put together a stout 50 laps in his own Kasey Kahne Racing No. 4 to round out the podium. Like Haudenschild, it marked a top effort in “The Granddaddy of ‘Em All” for the 46-year-old out of Enumclaw, WA.
“It was great,” Kahne said. “I got right to second there, and I was trying to do all I could to keep up with Kyle. He slowly pulled away, but I knew we were in a very good spot. We just worked on it a little under the red, and I was still in the hunt. I felt like at times I could make a perfect lap and equal what Kyle was doing that second 25. I’m really happy with my car.”
James McFadden and Logan Schuchart completed the top five. For complete results, CLICK HERE.
Knoxville Nationals report provided by Alex Nieten, World Racing Group. Photos courtesy of Terry Carr
