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SPORTS Monday 7 october 2019

Larson flashes superstar potential with playoff win at Dover

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports continued to race in the
Writer dirt even when he landed
DOVER, Del. (AP) — Kyle his ride with Ganassi. Lar-
Larson was the can't-miss son had talked of wanting
future star who tore up the to pattern his career after
sprint car circuit and would someone like Tony Stewart,
lead a new generation of who started his career on
young stars into the next dirt tracks in open wheel
era of NASCAR. cars. Stewart in turn guar-
His promise yet unfulfilled, anteed Larson, who is half
Larson's path toward prom- Japanese, would be the
inence has been slow burn- next big thing in NASCAR.
ing in six-plus years in the "If not, you can take every-
Cup Series. He's been sad- thing I own, because I'm
dled with mediocre cars that confident," Stewart
that not even his raw talent said years ago. "It's not a
could salvage, and a fan- matter of if, it's when."
tastic 2017 was more a blip Larson's not there yet —
than a sign Larson would but just maybe he's get-
blossom into a perennial ting there. Here's what else
championship contender. happened at Dover.
But as Larson stood atop his RACE RUINED
Chevy with a two-year win- Logano and Elliott both
less streak behind him, per- had their races ruined be-
haps his playoff victory Sun- fore the race even finished
day at Dover International 10 laps. Logano failed to
Speedway was indeed a start the race because of
preview of a championship a broken axle on the No.
celebration ahead. 22 Ford. He eventually hit
Larson's wife, Katelyn, shot- the track more than 20 laps
gunned a beer in a sudsy down and finished 34th.
victory lane bash as he "We just used our mulligan
flashed a No. 1 sign behind up," Logano said. "We're
her, a worthy way to end a not a must-win but we must
75-race winless streak. do really well in the next
The 27-year-old Larson has two races."
been oh-so close toward Kyle Larson celebrates his win in the NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, Oct. 6, 2019, at Dover Elliott, who won last week
grabbing the checkered International Speedway in Dover, Del. at Charlotte, had the en-
flag since his last win Sept. Associated Press gine in his No. 9 Chevrolet
9, 2017, in Richmond. Lar- blow up just laps into the
son had nine runner-up fin- honestly, he's probably start to the second round. field of eight. "Everybody in race and he finished last.
ishes in the No. 42 Chevro- owed," Larson said. Truex won the spring race this playoff field is going to Elliott won Dover last sea-
let over that span and won Larson had four of his six ca- at Dover and didn't have be stressing next week at son and can't afford an-
the $1 million NASCAR All- reer Cup wins in 2017 and enough down the stretch Talladega except for me, other major slip-up to make
Star race this season. Dover marked his first one to catch Larson and com- so that's good," Larson said. the third round.
He cashed in at Dover with in the playoffs. He led 154 plete the season sweep. "Last time I was at Tallade- "I don't know where we'll
the Monster Mile-stone win laps late after Denny Ham- "We just ran out of time," ga I was on my lid. I could stack up," he said. "I as-
(it was the track's 100th lin faded from a dominant Truex said. still end up on my lid next sume we'll have to win one
race) that earned him an early run (he led 219 laps) Larson felt like a win or two week, but it's not going to of these next few weeks. If
automatic berth into the in the No. 11 Toyota that was within reach on the matter after this win. you ever make it to Home-
third round. Not only has opened the door for Lar- strength of a sensational Larson was expected to stead, you're going to have
Larson failed to win a title, son. Playoff drivers took the late-summer run of top-10 help bridge the gap be- to win down there."
long-time team owner top six spots: Martin Truex finishes. Larson escaped tween grassroots racing Clint Bowyer and Ryan
Chip Ganassi has never Jr. was second, followed the first round without any and NASCAR when Ganas- Blaney join Logano and El-
won a NASCAR Cup Series by Alex Bowman, Kevin serious drama and can si hired him before the 2012 liott as the bottom four driv-
championship, something Harvick, Hamlin and Kyle now head to treacherous season. Larson made his ers in the playoff field.
that's surely chapped an Busch. Chase Elliott and Talladega and then Kansas name by racing all over the UP NEXT
organization with handfuls reigning series champion to end the second round country in any series where NASCAR heads to Tallade-
of IndyCar titles. Joey Logano both suffered without any serious con- he could find a ride. Larson ga Superspeedway where
"It would be nice to get him serious blows to their cham- cerns. He's the first driver counted 92 races in 2011 Aric Almirola is the defend-
that championship that, pionship runs with a rough of the 12 contenders in the and 123 races in 2012 and ing race winner.q