"I'd like to be kissing the bricks” once more

Within the Brickyard 400, solely three drivers have ever on back-to-back Cup races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Kyle Larson hoped to develop into the fourth on Sunday, ending a tough summer season stretch for the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

At one level, it seemed like he may as he was slashing away at Bubba Wallace’s benefit within the closing laps of a race, and lots of thought a late-race warning for rain was going to be helpful to Larson.

He lined as much as the surface of Wallace for 2 time beyond regulation restarts, however he was by no means in a position to maintain it there as Wallace cleared him earlier than reaching the backstretch each time. After that, Larson may solely keep in his draft and hope the No. 23 ran out of gas. However Wallace managed to save lots of sufficient, capturing the checkered flag in an emotional victory.

“Nothing you are able to do”

Watch: Bubba at The Brickyard: Wallace claims Indy thriller, playoff spot

“There’s nothing you are able to do right here (at Indianapolis Motor Speedway) to go, so no, I don’t actually suppose there was something I may do in a different way,” stated Larson after his runner-up end. “I used to be in second gear on the primary restart, and actually, that one labored out a little bit bit higher, however he virtually acquired away from me down the entrance stretch. After which on the second restart, he introduced the tempo down a little bit bit slower, so I wanted to be in first gear. It was sort of the identical factor with me final yr – he had the popular lane on the within and it’s actually arduous to beat that.”

Regardless of the loss, Larson praised his group for placing collectively a terrific race from start-to-finish, saying: “I am happy with my group as we speak. We simply executed. I do not suppose we handed many automobiles on monitor, however our pit crew did a terrific job and our group did a very good job with technique.”

This result’s Larson’s greatest since profitable at Kansas in Could, and it is also his second consecutive prime 5 end, because the No. 5 group lastly turns issues round. “I’d like to be kissing the bricks for the second yr in a row, nevertheless it’s been a tough stretch for us these days so to get two prime fives in a row is one thing I am proud about.”

He additionally supplied his congratulations to Wallace, who snapped a 100-race winless streak with Sunday’s dramatic victory within the Brickyard 400.