Nashville Cup Recap: Kyle Larson Faces Uphill Battle After Disappointing Qualifying
Nashville, TN – Kyle Larson approached the Nashville Cup race looking to overcome a troubling weekend that saw him crash out of both the Coca-Cola 600 and the Indianapolis 500. However, his performance continued to falter as he finished practice in 24th place, ultimately qualifying 28th out of 39 cars—the lowest among the four Hendrick Motorsports entries.
Larson’s previous worst start this season was 25th at Talladega, where he managed to secure a second-place finish. His lowest non-drafting track start before Nashville was 19th at Darlington, where he faced an early exit due to a wreck.
"Yesterday, I was just kind of loose entering the corners, which threw off my timing," Larson stated in an interview with NASCAR on Prime. "It took all of practice to find a rhythm, and it was too late for qualifying. I know our car is much better than 28th."
Despite the setback, Larson remains optimistic. "I think you need to be patiently aggressive. Take advantage of opportunities, but don’t risk getting into a crash," he elaborated.
Historically, a comeback from such a starting position is not unprecedented in Nashville—Joey Logano won the race last year starting from 26th on the grid. Larson will need a strategic approach to navigate the field effectively during the race.
As the race day approaches, all eyes will be on whether Larson can turn his season around and capitalize on any openings to secure a crucial victory.
