The thrilling race at Homestead-Miami Speedway witnessed an unexpected victory as Kyle Larson captured the checkered flag, capitalizing on his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman’s late-race mishap. Bowman was leading with just seven laps to go when an unfortunate brush with the wall in Turn 4 opened the door for Larson to swoop in and claim his first win of the season.
Larson, however, humbly acknowledged that his win was far from flawless. In his post-race interview with Fox Sports, he confessed to making several mistakes, such as hitting the wall multiple times, costing him a couple of positions. Despite not being at his best on short runs, Larson remained resolute. He focused on holding off competitors like the No. 11 and the No. 45 while making the most of his strengths. His perseverance paid off, making this victory one of the most memorable in his Cup career, especially considering the heartbreaks he’s experienced at this particular track.
This victory marks Larson’s second at the Homestead-Miami Speedway and the 30th in his NASCAR Cup Series career. He commanded the lead for 19 laps on Sunday. Bowman, despite the late setback, managed to maintain a respectable second-place finish after leading 43 laps from the pole position.
Other notable performances included Bubba Wallace in third place, who led for 56 laps, followed by Chase Briscoe and Denny Hamlin in fourth and fifth respectively, with Hamlin also bagging the second stage victory.
Bowman, however, expressed regret over his late-race error, admitting to Fox Sports that he “choked.” He lamented the damage to his Chevrolet No. 48 and acknowledged the disappointment his team must feel. Despite the setback, Bowman remained optimistic, expressing gratitude to his team and supporters, and shared his intent to bounce back in the upcoming races.
The top 10 finishers also included Chris Buescher, AJ Allmendinger, Tyler Reddick, Ryan Preece, and Justin Haley. William Byron continues to lead in points despite a modest 12th place finish, while Joey Logano managed 14th place after a dramatic spin on pit road with alliance teammate Josh Berry.
The race was marked by four cautions, two of which were for stage breaks, and 27 lead changes among nine drivers. The final stint of the race was green with 51 laps to go, set up by the final caution of the day when Ryan Blaney’s engine blew. Despite leading a race-high 124 laps and winning the first stage, Blaney’s promising run was cut short.
Larson’s victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway was his second win of the three races he entered over the weekend, falling short only in the Xfinity Series race. In his victory speech, he thanked his entire team, especially Hendrick Automotive Group, and expressed excitement over his dramatic win.
