RPW Exclusive Recap: Kyle Larson dominates Kansas in vintage performance
RPW EXCLUSIVE COLUMN BY: Steven Brien / RPW – KANSAS CITY, KS – Kyle Larson outdueled Chase Briscoe in the closing laps to score his second NASCAR Cup Series victory of the season Sunday afternoon in the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.
Larson led a track-record 235 laps and earned the maximum 76 points to extend his championship lead over Denny Hamlin to 26 points.
“I think it’s just easier to be the hunter rather than the hunted,” Larson said after climbing from his No. 5 Chevrolet. “I didn’t think we would have had a max points type of day, so I’m just thrilled.”
Briscoe finished fourth after leading 23 laps and being passed by Larson with seven laps to go before hitting the wall.
“It just went really, really free ultimately,” Briscoe said after exiting his No. 19 Toyota. “I just felt like I had to win there to stay in contention for a championship.”
Austin Cindric had an impressive performance, earning 17 stage points and finishing second.
“It’s one of the best race cars I’ve driven, it was a ton of fun today,” Cindric said. “I’m just proud of everyone from Team Penske.”
Hamlin finished third and stayed close to Larson in the points standings.
“Just didn’t quite have it today,” Hamlin said. “Third place car, driver, and everything today.”
Ryan Blaney finished fifth, Christopher Bell sixth, William Byron seventh, Chase Elliott eighth, Bubba Wallace ninth, and Ryan Preece completed the top ten.
Kyle Larson dominated stage one winning the stage by over five seconds.
Denny Hamlin was second, Austin Cindric third, Carson Hocevar fourth, and Christopher Bell completed the top five. Joey Logano, William Byron, Chase Elliott, Ty Gibbs, and Ryan Blaney also scored stage points.
The first caution for cause came out on lap 114 when Noah Gragson blew an engine entering turn one, leaving tons of fluid on the racetrack.
A big pileup ensued on the lap 122 restart when Hocevar tried to go for a three-wide move between Bubba Wallace and Gibbs. Hocevar hit Gibbs’ Toyota into Wallace, who spun down the track, collecting Erik Jones, Zane Smith, and Josh Berry.
Larson continued his dominance, winning stage two and sweeping the stages, to increase his stage win total to 8 on the year.
Cindric was second, followed by Hamlin, Byron, and Bell to round out the top five. Chase Briscoe was sixth, Blaney seventh, Logano eighth, Gibbs 9th, and Brad Keselowski completed the top ten.
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway next week as the Chase continues with its fifth round.
NASCAR Cup Series Race – Hollywood Casino 400
Kansas Speedway
Kansas City, KS.
Sunday September 27, 2026
- (2) Kyle Larson (C), Chevrolet, 267.
- (11) Austin Cindric (C), Ford, 267.
- (6) Denny Hamlin (C), Toyota, 267.
- (23) Chase Briscoe (C), Toyota, 267.
- (25) Ryan Blaney (C), Ford, 267.
- (3) Christopher Bell (C), Toyota, 267.
- (8) William Byron (C), Chevrolet, 267.
- (18) Chase Elliott (C), Chevrolet, 267.
- (7) Bubba Wallace (C), Toyota, 267.
- (9) Ryan Preece (C), Ford, 267.
- (15) Tyler Reddick (C), Toyota, 267.
- (16) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 267.
- (26) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, 267.
- (14) Daniel Suarez (C), Chevrolet, 267.
- (13) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 267.
- (30) Erik Jones, Toyota, 267.
- (5) Ty Gibbs (C), Toyota, 267.
- (33) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 267.
- (20) Todd Gilliland, Ford, 267.
- (1) Joey Logano (C), Ford, 267.
- (19) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 266.
- (24) A.J. Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 266.
- (12) Chris Buescher (C), Ford, 266.
- (17) Shane van Gisbergen, Chevrolet, 266.
- (34) Riley Herbst, Toyota, 266.
- (32) Austin Hill (i), Chevrolet, 266.
- (22) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 266.
- (36) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 266.
- (27) Connor Zilisch (R), Chevrolet, 266.
- (29) Cole Custer, Chevrolet, 266.
- (28) Zane Smith, Ford, 266.
- (31) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 266.
- (4) Carson Hocevar (C), Chevrolet, 264.
- (35) Cody Ware, Chevrolet, 262.
- (10) Josh Berry, Ford, 257.
- (21) Noah Gragson, Ford, Engine, 112.
