KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Kyle Larson swept the stages at Kansas Speedway on Sunday, winning from the pole and picking up a trophy for the third time in the opening 12 races of 2025.
Larson dominated the race, leading 221 of the 267 laps as he drove to his 32nd career NASCAR Cup Series victory. Larson crossed the line ahead of Christopher Bell, the other three-time winner this season, and with the addition of the fastest lap, Larson scored a maximum points day.
“I was trying really hard to pace myself,” Larson said to Regan Smith of FOX Sports. The driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet battled with tire wear during each of the long runs.
Early in the third stage, Larson’s teammate Chase Elliott got up to first place during pit stops. Elliott held onto the race lead during the next restart while Larson fell back to the third position.
“Chase was really good, and so I felt like I just needed to try to be better on my end,” Larson said. A flurry of late cautions forced the field to pit again, and Elliott’s crew suffered a slow stop.
The mistake cost Elliott valuable time and track position, ultimately ending his shot at the race win. Larson’s team is the fifth-best in the series, and he credited them for their race-day execution.
On the next restart, Larson fought for the lead with last weekend’s Texas winner, Joey Logano. Larson was able to clear the No. 22 exiting the second turn, reclaiming the lead for the final time.
“At the end, I was still struggling,” Larson said. “I don't know if the right rear was starting to wear a lot or what, but I was starting to lose a lot of grip.”
Larson saved enough tread to keep Bell at bay, winning back-to-back Spring Kansas races. Larson also moved William Byron out of the points lead for the first time since the third race of 2025.
During the race, Larson eclipsed 1,000 laps led for the season. This dominance aided Larson in becoming the 22nd driver in NASCAR history to lead 10,000 career laps.
Now, Larson’s focus shifts to practice and qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 and the NASCAR All-Star Race. It is the second straight year Larson will fly between the tracks to pursue victories.
As for Bell, the JGR driver nabbed his first top-five since Darlington. “To get home second with a lot of stage points was something that we needed after the last couple of weeks,” Bell said.
Bell felt his car just wasn't what he needed to contend with Larson in the closing laps. Bell said, “I’m really happy with it, and hopefully we can be a little bit stronger when we come back.”
The Cup Series returns to Kansas on September 28 in the Round of 12 for the 2025 Playoffs. The next stop on the NASCAR calendar is May 18 for the All-Star Race and its $1 million prize.
The All Star weekend begins with the Open event where the top two finishers earn their way into the feature with another driver receiving the fan vote. Coverage starts at 5:30 p.m. ET on FS1.