RICHMOND, Va. — The closing laps of the Toyota Owners 400 went south for one Hendrick Motorsports driver, but victorious for another.
Kyle Larson secured his first win of the NASCAR Cup Series season, after outlasting two late-race restarts in the final 21 laps.
“It’s really cool. We’ve been close to winning a couple,” Larson said. “William (Byron) has been extremely good this year. It was going to be between probably him, the 19, us, and the 20 was really good.
“So just things worked out. My pit crew had a great stop. So shout out to Brandon Johnson. He is our jackman. He just turned 30 today. Our spotter, Tyler Monn, he turned 30 today. Great day for them guys.”
After Larson’s win, HMS has now won three of the last five Cup Series races.
Larson’s teammate William Byron on the other hand, got turned by Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell heading into turn one on the second to final restart from the fourth position.
Byron would finish 24th after leading the most laps on the day, with 108.
Continuing the four-car team’s strong showing included a stout second-place effort from Josh Berry aboard the No. 9 Chevrolet, filling in for injured 2020 Cup Series champion Chase Elliott.
Berry and the No. 9 team gambled late in the race, keeping the 32-year-old out on track later than most during green flag pit stops. Fortunately for Berry, a caution with 29 laps to go due to a spinning Tyler Reddick would put him back among the leaders.
From there, Berry would have a great pit stop, placing him on the outside of Larson on the ensuing restart. Surviving another restart shortly after, Berry would hold on to the runner-up spot.
“Man, this is really cool. I have to give all the credit to this NAPA team,” Berry said. “Tom (Gray, crew chief), Alan (Gustafson) remotely, of course, and everybody at Hendrick Motorsports. They made some great calls.
“When we got some clean track, we weren’t running bad lap times. I’m so glad they tried something different to get us there at the end. Felt like we were decent the whole time. Just getting in cleaner air. We were free to run with Kyle. Man, what a huge day,” Berry continued.
“You know, to come here and start in the back, no practice, qualifying, get spun out, work through the field like that, just second place, it’s pretty cool.”
Behind the front two, Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain, Bell and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick completed the top-five on the three-quarter-mile D-shaped oval.
As It Happened
HMS driver Alex Bowman started on pole for Sunday’s race, after practice and qualifying got rained out on Saturday. Shortly after the green flag dropped, Bowman’s teammate Byron would take over the lead.
On lap 31, a competition caution would come out after Saturday’s washout.
Byron would score the Stage One win after a quiet opening stint for the Cup Series at Richmond.
Early on in Stage Two, Berry would get turned on the frontstretch by Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney. Berry would avoid any damage to his No. 9.
On lap 208, Bell would take over the lead from Byron. Though as the second stage came to a close, it was Bell’s teammate Denny Hamlin getting the better of the No. 20 Toyota, stealing the Stage Two win.
In Stage Three, a new face surged to the front in Martin Truex Jr. The 2017 Cup Series champion would leapfrog the likes of Byron and Bell during green flag pit stops, taking command of the front for 56 laps.
Another wave of green flag pit stops ensued, with Byron cycling back to the front in front of Truex with 33 laps to go.
After Reddick’s spin with 29 laps to go, it would bring the leaders down pit lane for one final pit stop.
Larson and teammate Berry would be the first out of the pits, followed by Byron and Truex.
Last year’s Spring Richmond winner Hamlin would suffer his second pit road speeding penalty after the final round of stops. Hamlin would finish 20th.
Byron’s spin would bring one final restart with 14 circuits remaining, with Larson surging ahead to victory.