Kyle Larson plays down NASCAR title 'edge' over rivals ahead of Phoenix finale
Kyle Larson is the only driver in the Championship Four field for the NASCAR Cup Series finale in Phoenix who has won the crown before, but he doesn't think that gives him an edge
Kyle Larson stands as the sole driver in the Championship Four lineup for the NASCAR Cup Series finale in Phoenix who has previously claimed the title.
However, he's not considered the betting favorite heading into the weekend. Speaking before Sunday's race, Larson confessed that his past championship experience doesn't provide him with a "competitive advantage" over his rivals: Chase Briscoe, Denny Hamlin, and William Byron.
"Sure, we could all probably think up a reason why there could be an edge that I would have," the humble Larson remarked about a field missing three-time Cup Series champion Joey Logano. It comes as Hamlin made a heartbreaking admission over his father's health as he eyes NASCAR title glory.
"We're all just so good and the teams are so good, I just don't buy into anything like that.
"But we'll see. I think having won before, I am a champion, so if I win another one, I'm thrilled on the list. There's that. But I don't think that give you any sort of competitive advantage."
Though Larson captured the circuit's 2021 championship, he hasn't displayed particularly strong winning form in 2024. He arrives this week amid a 23-race victory drought, with his most recent triumph dating back to May (Kansas), reports the Express US.
Nevertheless, Larson showcases 21 top-10 results this season along with an additional 14 top-five performances. He holds 14 career top-10 finishes at Phoenix, including his 2016 victory there.
"The door is wide open," Larson declared. "I really couldn't tell you who would be the favorite now. Where, I think if [Ryan] Blaney would have won [last week in Martinsville], we all would say he's the favorite.
Larson's 2021 Cup Series victory was his first season with Hendrick Motorsports. The team's legendary CEO, Jeff Gordon, expressed his support for Larson at Phoenix.
"Having a championship under your belt and doing it at Phoenix the way the [No.] 5 car [of Larson] has done in the past, all that experience and knowledge is good to have in your back pocket," Gordon stated.
"It's going to be an epic battle. You got four cars, two organizations, that are going to give it everything. It's going to be a fascinating week of preparation, seeing how it unfolds at the racetrack in Phoenix."