Much has been made this season about the lack of closing ability for Kyle Larson and Cliff Daniels and the entire No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports team. They’ve been so fast every single type of race track all year long, but only had a couple of victories to show for it.

Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway looked like it might be another one of those races for Larson who gained 15 positions across the first stage of the race before hitting the wall later on. 

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The wall hit did some sort of damage to Larson’s Chevrolet Camaro, and Larson dropped a few positions right after. Another fast car with nothing to show for it, it appeared.

But a little luck and good pit stops put Larson right back into contention for the race win. Larson’s pit crew got him the lead on Lap 313 of 367, and Larson did everything he could behind the wheel to get the victory in the opening race of the Playoffs.

“I messed up once and it got hung in neutral, and I slid and hit the wall,” explained Larson. “And I think bent the toe link a little bit, so it was kind of a struggle from there. Definitely had to fight it more than I was earlier, but we kept our heads in the game. That was really important. This race is all about keeping your head in it. What a great way to start the playoffs, and hopefully we can keep it going.”

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Larson’s third win of the season locks the 2021 champion into the Round of 12. Now the two-time Knoxville Nationals champion can focus on scoring stage points and playoff points at the next two races at Kansas Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway before beginning the second round of the Playoffs at Texas Motor Speedway on September 24.

Heading into next Sunday’s race at Kansas Speedway the four drivers below the cut line are Bubba Wallace (-1), Kevin Harvick (-2), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (-4), and Michael McDowell (-19). Christopher Bell currently holds the final spot in the Round of 12 by just one point. Defending champion Joey Logano is just three points ahead of the cut line in 11th.

NASCAR Cup Series Southern 500 At Darlington Unofficial Results