Kyle Larson Makes History!

^{Mar 24, 2025 | Edition #154}

👋 Dear Motorheads,

The stage was set, anticipation was high, and the Homestead-Miami tripleheader did not disappoint. But beyond the roar of the engines, this weekend delivered unexpected twists, some internal battles at Hendrick Motorsports, and a whole lot of smoky drama.

From No. 5’s race-winning moves to shocking missteps—even a few broadcasting blunders—the action kept us on the edge of our seats.

 🏁 Sunday’s Race Report

Larson Brings It Home in Miami

🏆 Kyle Larson etches his name in Hendrick Motorsports history, becoming the team’s third-winning driver with a dominant victory at the 2025 Straight Talk Wireless 400.

🤏 Alex Bowman, just a few seconds behind, delivers his best performance of the season so far, securing his first top-five finish in six races.

🫤 Amid legal turmoil, Michael Jordan finds a silver lining as Bubba Wallace powers to a strong P3 finish, keeping 23XI Racing in the spotlight.

📊 Other Notable stats from the weekend

• Ryan Blaney led a race-high 124 laps, only to suffer his third straight DNF.

• AJ Allmendinger stays hot! With previous P3, P5, P8, and P7 finishes—his Homestead dominance continues.

• Talk of Ty Dillon. That was a quiet surge! And, while we were talking of his replacement, he now has three finishes 16th or better in six races.

But overall what a day for FOX Sports and Kyle Larson! While the broadcaster was dealing with an embarrassing blunder, ‘Yung Money’ was doing what he does best, securing a hard-fought victory by remaining calm under immense pressure.

If you’ve been following FOX this year, they’ve been making some crazy headlines. First getting a backlash from Tony Stewart. Now with the IndyCar coverage abruptly cutting out at Homestead Miami, FOX has left fans frustrated. And all because of a small electric issue in the production truck. And their reasoning. We think it was way too casual. Take a look. 

Desperately scrambling for a fix, FOX switched to the NASCAR race in between IndyCar. Meanwhile, Kyle Larson was dropping from second to fourth on a restart with just 50 laps to go and even hit the wall a few times. Describing the position drop, Larson later said, “It was far from perfect, I gave up a spot and a half, almost two spots there by getting in the wall too many times. I knew I wasn’t going to get the best restart there. I knew I wasn’t good on the short runs.”

With just seven laps to go, Kyle Larson seized his moment, executing a race-winning pass on teammate Alex Bowman to capture his 30th career Cup Series victory. “I just had to keep plugging away at what I know and what’s good for me,” Larson reflected later.

In a race where talent, strategy, and determination made the difference, the HMS driver truly delivered his first Cup Series win of the year—a reminder that champions don’t dwell on setbacks; they bounce back stronger. Maybe FOX could take a page from his playbook, and put a stop to their broadcasting disasters.

Continue Reading: Jeff Gordon Nearly Lost His Cool Over the HMS Boys’ Big Battle in Miami

🔎 The In-Depth View

NASCAR’s Big Homestead-Miami Plans Leaked?

Well, be ready for some juicy rumors. It is about the location of the championship race(yes, the last race of the season). For almost two decades, Homestead-Miami Speedway has played host to the season finale, giving us some of the most nail-biting finishes in NASCAR history. But everything changed in 2020 when NASCAR switched things up and transported the Bill France Cup to the newly renovated Phoenix Raceway.

While ‘The Desert Oddball’ has had its moments, fans have always wondered if was it the right move. And, now, just in time. it looks like, William Byron has dropped a huge hint that the championship race might return to Southern Florida. He didn’t outright confirm anything. But mentioned how he’d love to see Homestead-Miami Speedway host the season finale once again. He said, “It’s due for hopefully being the final race.” And, that’s as close to a hint as we can get.

The folks over at Homestead are all for it. In April 2024, the City Council approved a proposal to bring the championship race to the 1.5-mile track in 2026 and it seems like Vice Mayer Sean Fletcher and the Speedway President are hoping for the same.

Apparently, Homestead’s website has a listing for the ‘2026 NASCAR Cup Series Reserved Grandstand with the date set for November 1st, 2026. That’s right around the time the Championship 4 race usually takes place. And, it’s adding fuel to the fire that Bill France Cup could return to South Florida once again next year. Check out their website reveal.

NASCAR hasn’t confirmed anything yet. While they have held internal debates about changing the season-finale venue, Las Vegas Motor Speedway has been touted as a possible destination. COO Steve O’Donnell said, “So it’s going to be hard to replicate if we were to move, I would not limit something just to Miami if we were to rotate it.”

But with William Byron’s comments and the buzz around Homestead-Miami Speedway, the prospect of the season-finale returning to its original home is looking more likely than ever before.

Continue Reading: Homestead Miami Leaks Vital Information Ahead of NASCAR Leaving Fans in a Bind

🏁 Lucky Dog’s Quick Poll 🏁

🗣️ Talk of the NASCAR Town

Larson Wins the Cup Race, But Busch’s Record Stands

Kyle Larson definitely had big plans for the Homestead-Miami triple header. After a thrilling Truck Series victory, the Yung Money had his sights set on an even bigger achievement—backing it up with an Xfinity Series win, a feat only Kyle Busch has pulled off.

He was unstoppable. Leading 132 laps and building a massive 16-second lead with just a few laps to go, victory felt inevitable. The HMS driver was right in a league of his own, putting on a masterclass. But it is NASCAR, and every turn and lap is a surprise.

Just when Kyle Larson had victory in his grasp, a late-race restart flipped the script. Sam Mayer, fighting for every inch, made a bold move—bumping Larson’s car and sending it sideways. In a heartbeat, Justin Allgaier and Austin Hill seized the opening, blowing past him. Just like that he went first to fourth in seconds. The heartbreak was real, and you could see it on Larson’s face. Here’s How Allgaier Stole the Win from Larson.

It wasn’t just about missing out on the Hard Rock Bet 300 though. Larson had a bigger goal in mind, to become the second driver ever to win all three races in one weekend. But in a sport defined by the finest of margins, a simple bump can make all the difference in the end.

Clearly frustrated, Kyle said, “I don’t know. I’ve lived through it a number of times here. But, yeah, obviously a bummer, again, to have another home series play out that way. Just, yeah, I can’t go when my rear tires drop to the ground. I did everything I thought I could. And the 41 just lagged back and slammed the s— out of me."

Meanwhile, Allgaier, who ended up winning the race, admitted he was lucky to be in the right place at the right time to snatch the triumph. And that is NASCAR for you!

The reigning Xfinity Series champ was disappointed at stealing Larson’s thunder, going on to say, “I’m bummed I maybe got the [weekend] triple from Kyle [Larson] because I think he’s going to have a great shot at [winning] it tomorrow.”

As it turns out, that’s exactly what happened. Larson ended up winning the 2025 Straight Talk Wireless 400 on Sunday afternoon, his first win in the Cup Series this year. And, we know, he’ll be back with another attempt before long.

Continue Reading: Kyle Busch Running Away From the Ghosts of His Past as He Ducks Responsibility With Young Drivers

 🎥 Sunday's Top Highlight

“I’m FUCKING Blown up…OHHHH My God!”

What hurt the most at Homestead-Miami was No. 12 going up in smoke—literally. While the crew chief remained confident about bouncing back in the next race, Ryan Blaney knew the brutal truth!

🗝️ From the Vault

The Untold Story About Alan Kulwicki’s Passing

It’s a story that still blows people away. When the 1993 season began, defending champion Alan Kulwicki was all set to do it all again. After all, he had already defied the odds in a self-owned, underfunded team to pull off one of the most shocking Championship triumphs in NASCAR history. Who could have imagined he would beat ‘Awesome Bill from Dawsonville’ by 10 points and lead the most laps in the final race to grab those bonus points as well? Pure genius. But then, just a few months later, everything changed.

April 1, 1993. It was a day that forever changed NASCAR.

Tragedy struck when Alan Kulwicki(special K), along with three others, lost their lives in a plane crash near Bristol, Tennessee. The news sent shockwaves through the racing world. This wasn’t just the loss of a driver; it was the loss of a motorsports champion, a wonderful son, and a beloved friend. Here’s a recap for you, there was silence, hope, and more.

Tony Gibson, who worked with Special K during his unforgettable 1992 championship run, recently opened up about that painful day as he sat down with Dale Jr. Fighting back emotions, Tony said, "We lost our owner, our driver, our friend, our job… we lost everything. He was our everything. Alan didn’t have a lot of really close friends, so we were his family."

When the news first broke, many refused to believe it. Maybe an April Fool’s joke, they hoped. But reality hit Tony the moment he arrived at the airport, “That’s when it hit home. This happened. It was real.” But that was it. Just like that, he was gone forever.

Speaking about his racing journey, unlike many, Kulwicki was forced to forge his own way in the NASCAR world. Alan didn’t have factory-backed teams or big sponsors. What he had was immense talent and a tireless work ethic.

His 1992 championship was nothing short of a miracle. With just six races to go, he was buried 248 points behind. The odds were impossible. But he fought like a warrior, clawing his way back with four top-five finishes and never placing lower than 12th. It all came down to the final race. Every lap led, and every position gained mattered. And Kulwicki knew it. When the checkered flag dropped, he had done the unthinkable.

That race will always be looked back at! Even some of NASCAR’s greatest veterans have backed that. And, they also shared a back story on Alan, his struggles, and laurels. Calling him the business manager, team manager, chief engineer, and everything. One can tell what impact he had on those who saw him grow and shine in the sport. Here, watch for yourself.

And, just like Dale Earnhardt’s passing, losing Alan Kulwicki did change NASCAR forever. However, his legacy lives on, inspiring young drivers and building great racers for years to come.

Continue Reading: “The Viagra Car?” – Dale Earnhardt Jr. Unlocks a Core Memory as He Reminisces About the Old NASCAR

📰 Lucky Dog’s Recommended Reads

1. FOX as “Poor Planning” Forces NASCAR to Lock Horns With Roger Penske - Full Story

2. Tony Stewart’s Partner Breathes Last Hope to Get ‘NASCAR’s Greatest Engineer’ Into HoF - Full Story

3. Calls Mount Against Richard Childress & Co After Kyle Busch Falls in RCR’s Failure Pit - Full Story

4. Dale Jr. “Got Busted” Due to His Notorious Crew Chiefs’ Unwavering Rule Bending Antics - Full Story

5. Joey Logano & Wife Brittany Announce New Chapter in Life - Full Story

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