NASCAR
Kyle Larson Has Impressive Recovery Drive to Win Baptist Health 200
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Calling Kyle Larson victorious in any series at Homestead is little surprise. The Spire Motorsports No. 07 Chevrolet showed great poise, adaptability, and a bit of luck in Friday’s Truck Series race. Following a spin near lap 100, Larson fought and clawed his way through the field back to the top-five. Just as it seemed a bid at the Homestead triple sweep was dead, leader Corey Heim saw his engine falter. This allowed Larson just enough time to rally and retake command. In only his 16th Truck start, Larson takes a fourth career win.
Kyle Larson may have soon found the lead at the start, but an early loose handling condition stunted any domination. This allowed Corey Heim to take the opening Stage win, his first of the season.
Heim would double up on Stage wins, with an ever-loose Larson still trailing the 11. Larson’s lack of comfortability in his truck continued to be a crutch all night long, but he remained a top-five presence. That would last until Larson spun racing Layne Riggs for third with 45 laps left.
Thanks to minimal damage, Larson was able to drive away and remain in the hunt. The 07 lost all of his track position, however, giving the top spots to Corey Heim, Layne Riggs, and Ross Chastain. This trio swapped the lead multiple times over the closing laps, but Heim appeared in control with 30 laps left.
The No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota’s engine started sputtering and randomly cutting out with 20 to go. This gave the top spot to Riggs, and gave a slim hope back to Larson. A determined Larson slowly picked off trucks one by one, while the leaders racing each other kept the front within grasp. Heim’s engine woes continued, allowing Riggs to get back by in the final five laps. At this point Larson had nearly a half second a lap over the field with a far faster truck. The 07 made the winning pass coming to the white flag, and cruised to a comeback win.
“That was pretty unbelievable from my seat,” Larson said. “I wasn’t exactly sure if I could get back up there. Didn’t have the restart that I wanted, kind of took a little bit too long to start picking them off. Then just got to ripping the wall at both ends, and it was really paying dividends I think in (turns) one and two for me, just staying wound up.”
“I caught some of the guys that were doing just good enough up there where I couldn’t get by. That bogged my momentum down, but I got clear of them and then I’m not sure what happened to the 11. But that worked out in our favor for sure. I don’t think I would have gotten to (Heim) obviously I would have got to second probably, but it would have been tough to get to him. That last run was a lot of fun, thanks to Spire Motorsports, Rick Hendrick, and HendrickCars.Com for letting me come out and have some fun tonight. Learned a lot too, I think, I look forward to the rest of the weekend.”
“(The weekend sweep) is going to be tough, but I felt like the Truck race was probably going to be the toughest to win. I’m not that experienced in them, the runs are typically shorter, and I feel like I need long runs like that last one to get going. I feel better about Xfinity and Cup, but the competition just gets tougher and tougher as you’re getting on in the weekend. We’ll see, off to a good start so we’ll try.”
Behind Larson, Riggs, and Heim, Tyler Ankrum and Daniel Hemric were the top-five. Ross Chastain, Jake Garcia, Chandler Smith, Grant Enfinger, and Kaden Honeycutt rounded out the top-10.
Kyle Larson’s bid for a Homestead sweep remains alive, while the Truckers are back in action Friday from Martinsville Speedway. The Boys and Girls Club of the Blue Ridge 200 goes green at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, NRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Can any driver break Corey Heim’s stranglehold on this series, or will another Grandfather Clock go to Heim Time?
Written by Peter Stratta
Be sure to follow us on Twitter/X
Be sure to follow the writer on Twitter/X
Photo Credits to James Gilbert/Getty Images
