Kyle Larson’s Race Ends With Costly Spin at Chicagoland

Strong Start Cut Short

Kyle Larson lined up on the front row for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway, starting second behind pole sitter Denny Hamlin. He quickly settled into the top three, capturing second place in Stage 1 and running third early in Stage 2. On a lap shortly after the stage began, his Chevrolet bounced over a notorious bump exiting Turn 4, lost grip, and spun into the infield grass. The car became embedded in the mud, forcing Larson to rely on safety crews to extract it under his own power.

Over the team radio, Larson summed up the moment in two blunt words: “I’m stuck.” The incident also triggered a flat tire and extensive scraping along the racing surface as he limped toward pit road. After nearly a full lap of damage, the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports crew managed to bring the car in for repairs.

Damage and Recovery

Following the extraction, Larson reported additional pain, uttering a profanity‑laden line that underscored the frustration of being “beached.” Radio communications revealed significant under‑car damage, with loud scraping noises echoing throughout the lap. The team’s repairs restored enough functionality for Larson to re‑enter the race, yet radio updates indicated the car had “a lot less grip” than before the spin.

Compounding the day’s woes, the Hendrick Motorsports squad had already endured pre‑race inspection setbacks. Their Chevrolet failed inspection twice on Saturday, leading to crew chief Jesse Saunders’ ejection for the remainder of the weekend and the loss of preferred pit‑stall selection. Despite these hurdles, Larson completed the event several laps off the leaders’ pace. The team’s warnings earlier in the week about Chicagoland’s aging surface and problematic bumps proved justified, as the Turn 4 irregularity became a decisive factor in the race’s outcome.