Kyle Larson’s pursuit of a second NASCAR Cup Series title comes up short

Kyle Larson came close to winning his second NASCAR Cup Series championship but came up just short at Phoenix Raceway in 2023.

[autotag]Kyle Larson[/autotag]’s pit crew did it again. The No. 5 team got Larson off pit road as the top Championship 4 driver. It was very reminiscent of the Hendrick Motorsports driver’s title-winning campaign in 2021. Yet, it ended up being a different story following the pit stop as Larson’s pursuit of a second NASCAR Cup Series championship came up just short.

Larson was the top Championship 4 driver following the final restart but his No. 5 car was not fast enough to maintain his position. Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney ended up passing Larson and he cruised to his first career Cup Series championship. It was a disappointing end for Larson but one that he should be proud of due to his overall results.

The 31-year-old driver finished the 2023 NASCAR season with four wins, 15 top-5 finishes, and 18 top-10 finishes. Larson didn’t need a victory to win the championship but it just wasn’t enough. The driver of the No. 5 car will have to wait until 2024 for another shot. Yet, there should be optimism that Larson can get back to the top of the mountain.

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