It was more of the same Sunday afternoon in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Nashville Superspeedway.
Kyle Larson dominated. Kyle Larson won.
Including the non-points All-Star Race last weekend, Larson has won the last four straight NASCAR races. In the Ally 400, Larson led 264 of 300 laps and the race’s second stage. Debris on the grille of his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet with just under 60 laps to go wasn’t even enough to derail his pace. Nor were concerns over fuel mileage.
The run to the finish was 68 green laps. Larson cleared the field off the restart and drove away as he’d done all day and went into fuel conservation mode. His margin of victory was 4.3s on Ross Chastain.
Nashville is Larson’s series-leading fourth win. Larson has not finished outside the top two since Kansas Speedway (19th) on May 2.
“It was a great day,” Larson said. “We never really had to run behind people, so I don’t know (how dominant his car was). If one of my teammates got out front again it probably would have been hard to pass them. This Valvoline Chevrolet was really good. It cut the middle of the corner really well and our pit crew did an awesome job again. That No. 1 pit stall helps a bunch, too.”
RETWEET to congratulate @KyleLarsonRacin on yet another win! pic.twitter.com/VhMqKllGS7
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 20, 2021
Chastain finished second in a run aided by having pitted 10 laps earlier than most of the leaders. Without having to save fuel, Chastain charged into the top five over the final laps.
William Byron finished third, pole-sitter Aric Almirola finished fourth, and Kevin Harvick finished fifth. It is the first time since May 16 at Dover that Stewart-Haas Racing has placed multiple drivers inside the top 10, and the first top-five finish of the season for Almirola.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished sixth with Daniel Suarez seventh. Kurt Busch finished eighth, Christopher Bell ninth, and Joey Logano 10th.
Concerns about a potential loose tire relegated Chase Elliott to a 13th-place finish. Elliott was running fifth with just under 25 laps to go when he began to nurse his Chevrolet. The reigning series champion won the first stage. However, he was disqualified for five loose lug nuts in post-race inspection, which means he loses the playoff point earned for winning the race’s first stage. In turn, Kurt Busch will be credited with winning the stage.
⬅️➡️⬅️⬅️➡️➡️@chaseelliott could cut down a tree with all that sawing. pic.twitter.com/HQL8BZL06f
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 20, 2021
Brake issues marred the first Cup Series race at Nashville Superspeedway. At least four cautions were due to drivers blowing brake rotors and crashing. Darrell Wallace Jr.’s spin, the first of two during the event, might have been linked to running over brake rotor debris from David Starr.
Ryan Blaney, Justin Haley, and Chase Briscoe all crashed after losing their brakes. Ryan Preece spun from a broken brake rotor.
The ally 400 featured 14 lead changes among seven drivers and 11 caution flags.
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