Kyle Larson

Talk about dominance on the track.

Kyle Larson won each of the four stages and took home the checkered flag in the longest race on the Cup Series circuit during an incredible performance in Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

CHECKERED FLAG: @KyleLarsonRacin sweeps the stages to win the 2021 #CocaCola600 in dominating fashion. He earns @TeamHendrick its 269th win in the NASCAR Cup Series, the most all time. pic.twitter.com/4gYXOgbDXK

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 31, 2021

https://twitter.com/aaronbearden93/status/1399190705839431683

He held off Chase Elliott, William Byron and the rest of the field with a lack of significant drama at the end.

This race has been all about parity of late, as Ellen J. Horrow of USA Today noted Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Austin Dillon, Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski were the only six active drivers who won this race in the past with Harvick and Truex each winning twice.

Truex also entered Sunday's race with three victories in 2021, although Keselowski was the defending champion.

Keselowski won last year's race in dramatic fashion in overtime after Elliott lost his late lead when Byron spun with a flat tire to impact the finish.

Larson took the early lead without any of that drama in the 2021 edition, coming off the pole position to set the initial pace. The start was not as clean for Ross Chastain, who was pushed to the back of the pack with a broken oil pump.

Larson cruised to a Stage 1 win from that position and led 89 of the first 100 laps while capturing his seventh series stage win.

He wasn't done and took home the win in the second stage as well. It wasn't quite as dominant with Elliott passing him for stretches, but Larson battled his teammate for the lead with a late push and took home an eighth series stage win.

The second stage was troubling for one of the marquee names, as Kurt Busch was forced out of the race with a mechanical issue when his car started smoking.

Larson has passed the 200 laps led mark for the evening, the third time that's happened this season. The previous two times (Atlanta, Dover) resulted in second-place finishes.#NASCAR

— Zack Albert (@zack_albert) May 31, 2021

.@RyanJNewman collides with the SAFER Barrier to bring out the yellow flag late in Stage 3.#CocaCola600 pic.twitter.com/zrzVC9mdg5

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 31, 2021

That's a penalty. https://t.co/oAxLEPPIWc pic.twitter.com/BIzVMNRVjv

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 31, 2021

Larson continued to control the race with another victory in Stage 3, although Byron put up a fight and temporarily took the lead. Larson won it while the race was under caution because Ryan Newman hit a barrier.

That wasn't the only issue, as Bubba Wallace was penalized for equipment interference as the cautions continued early in Stage 4. Truex also stalled with a flat tire, and the leaders had to deal with lapped traffic as they chased a victory.

Still, nothing stood in Larson's way during a head-turning showing.

Kyle Larson earned pole position for Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 after posting the best time during Saturday's single-lap qualifying at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.

Larson, who earned the ninth NASCAR Cup Series pole of his career and his first since 2019, narrowly edged out Ricky Stenhouse Jr. by seven-thousandths of a second in order to take the top spot.

The perfect lap.

RETWEET to congratulate @KyleLarsonRacin on his #BuschPole win! pic.twitter.com/UAB3GffG9D

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 29, 2021

Here's a look at the top 10 finishers from Saturday's qualifying:

1. Kyle Larson (5)

2. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47)

3. Chase Elliott (9)

4. William Byron (24)

5. Kevin Harvick (4)

6. Austin Dillon (3)

7. Alex Bowman (48)

8. Martin Truex Jr. (19)

9. Daniel Suarez (99)

10. Ross Chastain (42)

Larson said it's "pretty cool" to secure a pole in a year when NASCAR is only running qualifying events at select tracks:

.@KyleLarsonRacin will have plenty of friends around him to start the #CocaCola600.@teamhendrick places three cars in the top four! pic.twitter.com/wHimpuQ3uI

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 29, 2021

It's a continuation of a recent upward trend in performance for the Hendrick Motorsports driver, who finished second in the Cup Series' last three races at Darlington, Dover and the Circuit of the Americas.

The 28-year-old California native picked up a win back in March in Las Vegas, and he's finished inside the top 10 in nine of the 14 races so far in 2021. He's third in the standings behind Denny Hamlin and Byron.

Meanwhile, Stenhouse will hope the strong showing in qualifying can provide the spark his season needs after five straight finishes of 20th or worse. His only top 10 came on the Bristol dirt in late March.

Stenhouse is good at Charlotte. He has finished top-5 in two of the last three Charlotte oval races. Not too surprised he's starting second. @NASCARONFOX

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 29, 2021

Take the overall qualifying results with a grain of salt, however, as several drivers said on the Fox Sports broadcast they were focused on fine-tuning their cars for race conditions rather than worrying about their starting spot heading into the Cup Series' longest race of the year.

The Coca-Cola 600 green flag is scheduled for Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on Fox.

The NASCAR Cup Series' longest race of the season takes place in its traditional spot on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. 

The Coca-Cola 600 has been won by some of the most prestigious drivers in the sport, and recently it has been dominated by Joe Gibbs Racing. 

Joe Gibbs Racing has won three of the last six May races at Charlotte Motor Speedway. One of its drivers, Martin Truex Jr., won in 2016 before he joined Gibbs. 

Truex and the other 39 drivers in the field will determine their starting positions through a qualifying session on Saturday morning. 

That marks the second week in a row the NASCAR Cup Series race will have its starting grid determined by a weekend session. 

In previous weeks, the grid was made up by a pre-determined formula that took into account points and recent results.

           

Coca-Cola 600 Info

Date: Sunday, May 30

Start Time: 6 p.m. ET 

TV: Fox

Live Stream: FoxSports.com or Fox Sports app 

         

Odds

Via DraftKings Sportsbook

Kyle Larson (+500; bet $100 to win $500)

Chase Elliott (+600)

Martin Truex Jr. (+600)

Kyle Busch (+650)

Denny Hamlin (+900)

Kevin Harvick (+1100)

Brad Keselowski (+1200)

Joey Logano (+1200)

Ryan Blaney (+1400)

Alex Bowman (+1400)

William Byron (+1400)

        

Preview

Even though the Gibbs cars have had recent success at Charlotte, it is the Hendrick Motorsports drivers on top of the odds chart. 

Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott are the two favorites on top of the grid entering Sunday. Elliott won the rain-shortened race at the Circuit of the Americas last Sunday. 

Hendrick has two straight victories, with the other coming from Alex Bowman at Dover International Speedway. All four Hendrick cars placed in the top four in that event.

If the team extends its dominance into Charlotte, it can pick up its first Coca-Cola 600 victory since Jimmie Johnson in 2014. 

Elliott has the most-recent win on the circuit at Charlotte, but that occurred on the road course in October. 

Elliott was second to Brad Keselowski last May. Bowman led 164 laps in that event, but he finished in 19th.

Keselowski comes into the 400-lap race with speculation building about his seat for the 2022 season. The No. 2 car driver is being rumored with a move away from Penske Racing to Roush Fenway Racing, per Motorsport.com's Jim Utter. 

The reigning Coca-Cola 600 champion did not add much to the speculation when asked about it in the Charlotte garage, per NASCAR.com's Chase Wilhelm.

"I can't talk about that, but I appreciate you asking," Keselowski said. "When I can, I'll tell you."

When he won last May, Keselowski led just 21 laps and started in ninth position. Because of the length of the race, starting position is not as important as it is at other tracks. 

As the sun sets, the track conditions will change, and the crews must make adjustments and adapt their pit strategies to deal with the changing conditions on the track. 

For example, four of the top 10 drivers last May started 15th or worse, with Ryan Blaney's third-place finish from 26th the best of the lot. 

Saturday's qualifying session will be more of a turn back to a normal race weekend than a tone-setter for Sunday. There has not been a qualifying session or race on an oval since the Daytona 500.

        

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from NASCAR.com.

      

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Kyle Larson gave Alex Bowman everything he could handle Sunday. But he couldn't quite catch up to him at the end.

Bowman won the Drydene 400 at Dover International Speedway, claiming his second win in the process. Larson, who won both stages, finished second, with Chase Elliott, William Byron and Joey Logano rounding out the top five.

Retweet to congratulate @Alex_Bowman on his NASCAR Cup Series WIN at Dover!@TeamHendrick goes 1-2-3-4 at the @MonsterMile. Incredible. pic.twitter.com/xpwPc4f5ia

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 16, 2021

A historic day for Hendrick Motorsports at the @MonsterMile!

Congratulations to @TeamHendrick for becoming the first organization since Roush Fenway Racing in 2005 to finish 1-2-3-4 in a NASCAR Cup Series race! pic.twitter.com/tCWG4WmbMU

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 16, 2021

Hendrick Motorsports has 267 wins in the #NASCAR Cup Series. Petty Enterprises is the all-time leader with 268. pic.twitter.com/Q8xVWOFD2K

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 16, 2021

"We won Richmond and then had a really rough couple of weeks there and went to some really good racetracks for us and struggled," Bowman said after his win. "I told the guys last week, 'We're still the same team that did it in Richmond. This is another really good place for us.'"

"Help me, Tom Cruise. I'm on fire."@Alex_Bowman and @TeamHendrick smoke the competition in Dover. pic.twitter.com/m1kaGpsWak

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 16, 2021

"Just so proud of this pit crew," he added. "It was obviously a rough offseason for us and a big void to fill. Not that we're ever going to fill the void that Rowdy left, but ... the whole pit crew is doing a really good job."

Former Hendrick Motorsports pit crew member William "Rowdy" Harrell, 30, and his wife Blakley, 23, died in a car crash in November.

Bowman led for 98 of the 400 laps, while Larson led a race-high 263 laps.

Larson was disappointed not to come away with the win, though he was happy with his effort and the showing of his team:

"I honestly don't know if there was anything I could've done different to win the race after we came out second on pit road. ... Maybe I could have chosen the bottom on the restart ... but I feel like we maximized our day."

Kyle Larson says lap times were just too equal. pic.twitter.com/sxoO7MINHQ

— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) May 16, 2021

Kyle Larson tells team he gave all he had, but it wasn't enough to pass Bowman: "Too equal and track position was the key."

— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) May 16, 2021

It was a tough day for Aric Almirola, meanwhile. His race ended after he hit the wall with 99 laps remaining. It was the second weekend in a row he didn't finish and his fifth DNF result in 13 races.

"I'm okay. That was another hard hit. My body's hurting."- Aric Almirola pic.twitter.com/s8scUjuIE4

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 16, 2021

The NASCAR Cup Series will return next Sunday at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas at 2:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

The last five NASCAR Cup Series winners at Dover International Speedway top the odds chart for Sunday's Drydene 400.

Martin Truex Jr., who is coming off a win at Darlington Raceway, is the favorite to win at the Monster Mile. The No. 19 car driver owns three victories in 2021.

Truex and his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch won the last two races on the circuit, while Denny Hamlin sits atop the points standings for the team.

The Gibbs cars should be leading the pack for a good chunk of Sunday's race since Truex and Hamlin start on the front row. Four of the last seven winners at Dover have come from the top spots on the starting grid.

Kevin Harvick, Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson, all of whom have wins at Dover in the past three years, start inside the top eight, so it may be difficult for a long shot to upset the field.

            

Drydene 400 Info

Date: Sunday, May 16

Start Time: 2 p.m. ET 

TV: FS1

Live Stream: Fox Sports app or FoxSports.com

           

Odds

Martin Truex Jr.: +350 (bet $100 to win $350)

Kyle Larson: +450

Denny Hamlin: +600

Kevin Harvick: +750

Kyle Busch: +800

Chase Elliott: +800

Brad Keselowski: +1300

William Byron: +1600

Joey Logano: +1600

Alex Bowman: +1800

Via DraftKings Sportsbook.

       

Starting Lineup

All-JGR front row Sunday at Dover with Truex on the pole and Hamlin beside him. @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/WhU0y6WCzl

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 12, 2021

          

Preview

Sunday's race is set up for the Gibbs cars to have a ton of success.

Truex owns two victories at the track and took second in both races in Delaware in 2020. Hamlin won one of those competitions, and Busch placed third in the race that the No. 11 car landed in Victory Lane.

In the last two years, the Gibbs team put nine cars in the top 10 and captured a pair of victories at Dover, so it is hard to argue against betting on one of those three drivers to win.

Truex sits at even-money to land in the top three, while Hamlin is +155 and Busch is +210 to land one of those positions.

In addition to their recent success at Dover, the three Gibbs drivers carry plenty of momentum into the race. Busch and Truex are the last two race winners, and Hamlin possesses nine top-five placings.

If you shy away from the Gibbs teammates, Larson and Harvick are the two best options to consider.

Larson won at Dover in October 2019 and drives for a Hendrick Motorsports team that had five top-10 finishes in the past two races at the Monster Mile.

Harvick captured the second of two races in August and was fourth behind the Gibbs train in the first of those two competitions.

Harvick carries more betting value at +750, and you can also get him at +200 to land inside the top three. Larson is +450 to capture the checkered flag and +125 to secure a top-three spot.

William Byron and Alex Bowman are the best wagering options outside of the top five since the Hendrick cars achieved so much success at Dover in 2020.

Byron and Bowman each had a top-five finish in the second Dover race last season, and they both sit above +1600 to win outright.

If you go further than Bowman on the odds chart, it becomes harder to justify an outright winner selection since the Gibbs and Hendrick teams have raced well at Dover.

Cole Custer may not win, but he carries the best value of the long shots to finish inside the top 10. The No. 41 car driver took 10th and 11th at Dover in 2020 and sits at +450 to finish in that spot on Sunday.

            

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from NASCAR.com.

       

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).

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Joey Logano held off Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Denny Hamlin in overtime to win the Food City Dirt Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Monday.

Logano took control in the middle stage, claiming a Stage 2 win and remaining at or near the top of the leaderboard for the remainder of the evening. He led 61 laps, second-most in the field.

Inclement weather forced officials to postpone the race—the first NASCAR Cup event on dirt since 1970—by one day, but conditions couldn't have been much better in Bristol, Tennessee. That isn't to say the event was totally drama-free as 10 cautions were called over the 250 laps.

The final caution came with only four laps remaining, providing Hamlin, who was running in second, with a lifeline. 

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver miscalculated by attempting to pass Logano on the outside. The No. 11 Toyota slid to the top of the track and opened the door for Stenhouse to overtake him for second. That left Logano with a clear path to his first victory of the 2021 season.

Retweet to congratulate @JoeyLogano on his NASCAR Cup Series WIN on the Bristol Dirt Track!

@BMSUpdates | @Team_Penske pic.twitter.com/SpKqwkkANt

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) March 29, 2021

No matter how the Food City Dirt Race unfolded, Martin Truex Jr. was guaranteed to leave Bristol Motor Speedway with at least one victory Monday. The 40-year-old was victorious in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race that ran prior to the main event.

Truex's momentum carried over into the NASCAR Cup Series contest as he took the first stage.

Truex. Not a road course guy but wins on road courses. Not a dirt guy but cruising out there today. Pretty awesome! @MartinTruex_Jr #BristolDirtRace #NASCAR

— JR Hildebrand (@JRHildebrand) March 29, 2021

The JGR driver was fortunate early into the race as Aric Almirola lost control and spun out in the middle of the track. The No. 19 car managed to slow down and weave his way around to avoid being a part of the collateral damage.

The red flag is out after a big crash at the Bristol Dirt Track. https://t.co/vX3wLq74Ah pic.twitter.com/kTMQ4lOFsv

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) March 29, 2021

The dirt track was a great callback to the sport's history and made for excellent visuals. To those who actually had to do the driving, the novelty might have worn off quickly.

The surface provided less traction than a traditional concrete or asphalt track and presented different challenges in terms of managing the tires. Simply seeing where you were going was difficult at times as well.

Ride with @CBellRacing as the No. 20 car spins coming off the corner.

📺: FOX | 📲: https://t.co/oWWAusOO8X pic.twitter.com/9YT07GHMLZ

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) March 29, 2021

"Dude, you can't see anything. NOTHING."- Kyle Busch pic.twitter.com/GBF8qDrqbf

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) March 29, 2021

Past experience didn't count for much, either. This was far from Kyle Larson's first rodeo on the dirt, which made the Hendrick Motorsports driver one of the top contenders in the eyes of many. 

Instead, Larson was dragged into a wreck in the first stage and quickly fell two laps back. While the No. 5 car eventually returned to the 0.533-mile oval, some modifications were required to make it race-ready.

Trouble for two of today's favorites to win. Christopher Bell goes around and Kyle Larson has nowhere to go. pic.twitter.com/nhKfNCSawx

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) March 29, 2021

Kyle Larson would be ready to put this race in the rearview mirror but I think that fell off also. #NASCAR #BristolDirtRace pic.twitter.com/xBCdf4KLx5

— nascarcasm (@nascarcasm) March 29, 2021

Bristol already announced it will be bringing the dirt back next spring. That gives NASCAR plenty of time to make some adjustments based on Monday's action.

Drivers will get the weekend off before they're back on the track for the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway on April 10. Chase Elliott captured the checkered flag in the NASCAR Cup Series' penultimate race of the 2020 season at the 0.526-mile short track.

Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway will be unlike any other the drivers have participated in.

NASCAR opted to load the famous short track with dirt to provide a new wrinkle into a schedule that looks much different as a whole compared to previous seasons. Most of the competitors in the field have driven on dirt tracks before, but they have not been in stock cars. Typically, dirt races are reserved for smaller cars.

Because of the uniqueness of the dirt race, the odds chart looks different than it does for races on asphalt. Kyle Larson and others with more experience on dirt are favored, while Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch and the typical favorites carry more value than usual.

                  

Food City Dirt Race Information

Date: Sunday, March 28

Start Time: 3:30 p.m. ET 

TV: Fox

Live Stream: FoxSports.com or Fox Sports app

                       

Odds

Kyle Larson: +325 (bet $100 to win $325)

Christopher Bell: +800

Chase Briscoe: +1000

Alex Bowman: +1100

Chase Elliott: +1200

Ryan Blaney: +1400

Denny Hamlin: +1400

Kyle Busch: +1500

Tyler Reddick: +1800

Joey Logano: +1800

Martin Truex Jr.: +1800

Via DraftKings Sportsbook.

                    

Preview

Sunday will be the NASCAR Cup Series' first dirt track race since 1970.

To give the drivers a feel for how the cars will operate on the surface, NASCAR allowed two practice sessions Friday and four qualifying heats Saturday. It is the first time since Daytona that the drivers will compete to fill out the starting order.

Alex Bowman and Ryan Blaney topped the charts for the two practice sessions. Bowman had the fastest time in the first session and was second to Blaney in the final session. Denny Hamlin was the only other driver to finish in the top five during both practice heats, which could make him one of the favored drivers Sunday.

Larson comes in as the heavy favorite because of his extensive background on dirt tracks, but he will start at the back of the field on Sunday because of an engine change. That setback could open the door for drivers with longer odds to take home the trophy.

During a typical Bristol race, Larson would have had 500 laps to navigate through the field, and he could utilize a different pit strategy to gain positions. On Sunday, the drivers are competing over 250 laps, and pit stops for fuel and tires are allowed during stage breaks. The only exceptions are for teams involved in incidents.

The early reviews of the setup have been positive from the drivers, with Harvick making one of the most notable statements during Friday's practice.

Happy is Happy. @KevinHarvick | #ItsDirtBaby pic.twitter.com/6ocnrO9WMb

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) March 27, 2021

Bowman also admitted that he had fun running through the dirt track for the first time in a stock car, per NASCAR.com:

"I had a blast. I thought it was a lot of fun. The tire wear is a little concerning, but other than that, everything went great I thought. These cars are a lot of fun. They're really drivable on dirt. It got a little rough, but it's just character in the race track. I enjoyed the hell out of it."

It remains to be seen how the drivers will feel about the dirt as the weekend gets more competitive, but upon first glance, it appears NASCAR made the right call to go with an out-of-the-box idea to conclude the first two months of racing.

                 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from NASCAR.com.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).

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The revolving door of winners in the 2021 NASCAR Cup season continued Sunday, with Ryan Blaney becoming the sixth different driver to win in six races. 

Blaney stunned Kyle Larson down the stretch to steal a victory at the Folds of Honor Quiktrip 500 in Atlanta.

RETWEET to congratulate @Blaney on his first win of 2021! pic.twitter.com/0HBHEniCbi

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) March 21, 2021

Ryan Blaney scores his 1st Cup win of 2021 at Atlanta! (5th career win)

Has now won in the Cup Series for 5 straight seasons (2017-2021) and is the 6th winner in the first 6 races of 2021! #NASCAR

— Darian Gilliam (@BlackFlagMatter) March 21, 2021

Unofficial Top 10 at @amsupdates:

1. Ryan Blaney
2. Kyle Larson
3. Alex Bowman
4. Denny Hamlin
5. Kyle Busch
6. Austin Dillon
7. Chris Buescher
8. William Byron
9. Martin Truex Jr.
10. Kevin Harvick#FOHQT500

— PRN (@PRNlive) March 21, 2021

NEW LEADER: BLANEY

What a battle. 👁👁 pic.twitter.com/ivaAOiLws8

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) March 21, 2021

Larson was dominant for most of the day. The first-year Hendrick Motorsports driver began the race in sixth place and quickly took control. He won the first two stages and opened up a three-second lead over the rest of the field with less than 40 laps to go. 

STAGE WINNER: @KyleLarsonRacin was in the mood for some spring cleaning this morning.

He sweeps the first two stages at @amsupdates! pic.twitter.com/G2oJxbqNsZ

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) March 21, 2021

https://twitter.com/amsupdates/status/1373763532295180291

Kyle Larson led 269 laps but it was all for naught as he comes home P2 after being passed in the closing laps at @amsupdates #FOHQT500

— PRN (@PRNlive) March 21, 2021

Blaney put a dent into that margin with less than 20 laps to go, but that initially seemed to be part of Larson's strategy:

.@BradGillie has an update on Kyle Larson -- His lead is only 2 seconds because he's trying to save his tires and not push it too hard. Crew chief Cliff Daniels told him only go as fast as he needs to to keep Ryan Blaney an arm's length away #FOHQT500

— PRN (@PRNlive) March 21, 2021

.@Blaney has closed to gap to under one second with less than 20 to go! pic.twitter.com/fHx7AGewR2

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) March 21, 2021

The Penske Racing driver was the only driver close Larson at that point. On Lap 311, Alex Bowman was the only other competitor within 10 seconds. 

"It took us a little bit to get going," Blaney said on the Fox broadcast. "I was pretty free all day. We made a really good change to tighten me up where I needed it. Kyle was getting loose. I'm happy it worked in our favor that there was a couple long runs at the end there; that's where our strength was."

Ryan Blaney tells @WendyVenturini: "The 5 was crazy fast there all race. We started closing in, our car got a lot better towards the end of Stage 2...Really came to life and he was starting to struggle."

— PRN (@PRNlive) March 21, 2021

The No. 5 Chevrolet looked to be on track for his second victory of the season after winning at Las Vegas Motor Speedway two weeks ago. 

Instead, Blaney kept making up ground down the stretch and seized the moment when an opportunity presented itself. The victory ended a 28-race winless drought for the No. 12 Ford dating back to last June. 

The 27-year-old got a much-needed boost in the standings. He began the day in 13th place, 102 points behind points leader Denny Hamlin. 

Larson, Bowman, Hamlin and Kyle Busch rounded out the top five finishers at Atlanta Motor Speedway. 

The NASCAR Cup Series will head to Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee for the first Cup race on dirt since 1970 next Sunday. 

The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season has produced five different winners in its first five events.

The unpredictability of the first three races has given way to some of the top drivers regaining spots at the front of the field.

Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Larson won in the past two races to provide some normalcy toward the top of the standings, but with three unexpected drivers in the playoff field already, the pressure is on the leading competitors to produce better results.

Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski should be in the mix to earn their first wins of the season Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. They have two wins each in the past four trips to Georgia, and they have favorable starting positions for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500.

The high spots on the starting grid are significant because the winner in Atlanta typically comes from a top-10 position.

                 

Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Information

Date: Sunday, March 21

Start Time: 3 p.m. ET 

TV: Fox 

Live Stream: FoxSports.com and Fox Sports app

            

Odds

Kevin Harvick: +550 (bet $100 to win $550)

Kyle Larson: +650

Martin Truex Jr.: +650

Brad Keselowski: +750

Chase Elliott: +800

Denny Hamlin: +800

Joey Logano: +900

Kyle Busch: +1000

Ryan Blaney: +1500

Via DraftKings Sportsbook.

          

Starting Lineup

Hamlin on the pole, Truex on the front row Sunday at Atlanta. pic.twitter.com/Q9IUhwS7V5

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) March 17, 2021

           

Preview

Harvick is once again at the top of the odds chart because he has been so consistent at Atlanta.

The No. 4 car driver won this event in 2020 and owns three victories at the track.

Harvick has been close to earning his first victory of the season. He has four top-10 finishes, including a sixth-place mark at Phoenix Raceway last time out. His strong run of results has allowed Harvick to begin the race in the top 10. NASCAR is aligning its starting lineup at most tracks based off a formula instead of using qualifying sessions to set the field.

Dating back to Harvick's first Atlanta win in 2001, 23 of the 30 champions have started inside the top 10. He will be on the inside of Row 4 next to Christopher Bell. Keselowski will be three positions ahead of him in fourth.

Keselowski has also been close to securing a trip to Victory Lane, as he has three top-five placings, including two in a row from the West Coast swing at Las Vegas and Phoenix. Although he is fourth on the odds chart, he should be considered a co-favorite along with Harvick because of his recent success at the track.

Harvick and Keselowski sandwich Larson and Truex on the odds board. Larson has performed well in his first season with Hendrick Motorsports, while Truex has three straight top-six finishes. Their early-season success placed them on the first three rows of the starting grid alongside some of their teammates.

Denny Hamlin is on the pole next to Truex. Joey Logano will accompany Keselowski on the second row. Larson and teammate Chase Elliott are on the third row.

Hamlin and Truex both finished in the top five behind Harvick in Atlanta last year. Elliott, Keselowski and Logano all landed in the top 10. While the winner most likely comes from that group of racers, there is one competitor to consider as a longer shot to win Sunday.

Ryan Blaney took fourth at Atlanta in 2020 and is coming off his first two top-10 marks of the season. The No. 12 car driver starts in the top 10 and should have a chance to gain positions early on in the race.

If he banks off the confidence gained from his past two finishes, Blaney could beat out Harvick, Keselowski and others to earn the win.

                 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from Racing Reference.

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What happens in Vegas...is a victory for Kyle Larson. 

The Hendrick Motorsports racer won the Pennzoil 400 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, finishing ahead of runner-up Brad Keselowski.

Retweet to congratulate @KyleLarsonRacin on his WIN in Vegas!@TeamHendrick | #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/yfDIBBplk0

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) March 7, 2021

Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Ryan Blaney rounded out the top five. 

Larson led an impressive 103 of the 267 laps, topping the field. Keselowski won the first stage, while Larson took the second.

"It was such an awesome race car," he said on the Fox broadcast after his win. "[Crew chief Cliff Daniels] and everybody did a great job preparing this piece. It was so much fun to drive. I could go wherever I wanted to. I knew I had a really good car once we got single-filed out; drafting early in the run was tough."

He added: "Thank you so much [Rick Hendrick], Jeff Gordon, everybody at Hendrick Motorsports for the amazing opportunity I've been gifted. ... This is definitely special."

That's 20 winning Cup drivers for @TeamHendrick!@ReganSmith talks with @KyleLarsonRacin after victory No. 1 with his new team: pic.twitter.com/ikOhOQBtWE

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) March 7, 2021

First career win for my man @DanielsCliff, I’m so happy for you brother! A big congrats to @KyleLarsonRacin and @Hendrick5Team team!! @TeamHendrick

— Jimmie Johnson (@JimmieJohnson) March 7, 2021

It was Larson's first win for Hendrick Motorsports since joining the organization in October 2020 after he was dropped from Chip Ganassi Racing in April 2020 for using a racist slur during an iRacing streaming event. NASCAR also suspended him indefinitely, and he missed the remainder of the 2020 season.

Larson wrote a public apology afterward, which included the following excerpt:

"Since April, I've done a lot of reflecting. I realized how little I really knew about the African-American experience in this country and racism in general. Educating myself is something I should've done a long time ago, because it would've made me a better person—the kind of person who doesn't casually throw around an awful, racist word. The kind who makes an effort to understand the hate and oppression it symbolizes and the depth of pain it has caused Black people throughout history and still to this day. It was past time for me to shut up, listen and learn.

"The first lesson: The N-word is not mine to use. It cannot be part of my vocabulary."

As for the rest of the race, it was a tough afternoon for a few drivers, including Chase Elliott and Aric Almirola:

Look away, @chaseelliott fans. 🙈

He goes around but escapes major damage. (Via @NASCAR) pic.twitter.com/CIOfnj8TAX

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) March 7, 2021

Here's the trouble for Aric Almirola: https://t.co/382nZH4K1y pic.twitter.com/2iYBn6zfCp

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) March 7, 2021

While Elliott salvaged a 13th-place finish, Almirola fell to 38th. And issues with power steering hurt Bubba Wallace, dropping him to 28th.

The Cup Series heads to Arizona next week for the Instacart 500 at the Phoenix Raceway on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET.