Katelyn Larson stole the show in victory lane; Kyle Larson details using no brake to win
Kyle Larson won the 100th Dover race and became the 37th different winner in the history of the NASCAR Cup Series at the track.
Larson now advances to the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Playoffs for the first time. But, it’s also the first time that Chip Ganassi Racing has advanced this far into the Playoffs as well.
Katelyn Larson is the sister of dirt sprint car racer Brad Sweet. Katelyn and Kyle Larson were engaged in December 2017 and became married in 2018.
She was on hand for Kyle Larson’s victory lane celebrations. Katelyn Larson stole the show as she shotgunned a Busch Beer in victory lane.
Related: Harvick Beer to replace Busch Beer in one-off paint scheme
Kyle Larson on his wife Katelyn Larson shotgunning beer
“Oh no, they got it on camera,” Kyle Larson told NBC as he watched the replay of his wife shotgunning a beer.
“That’s great,” Larson laughs.
“She’s right over there, in her phone. She’s gotten some fame from shotgunning beers. We’ve just been holding off on the win so she could shotgun one.”
“I can shotgun a White Claw. But, I sure as heck cant shotgun a beer.”
Larson is happy to be back in victory lane. The timing is perfect as he now advances into the Round of 8. But, there’s also an expensive trip coming.
“Katelyn and Laura Bowyer, they gotta go to New York and go on a shopping spree. So, I’m glad I won this race so I can afford that bill that I’ll be seeing.
Dover driving style change
After stage one, Kyle Larson changed his driving style and drove to the front.
“I was getting really tight on exit. A lot of times here, I charge the corner so hard and use brake. I think that just overheats the fronts.”
“So, I just started lifting earlier and using no brake at all to try a and keep the tires cooler. I don’t know if it works or not. You know, without seeing any tire data.”
“At that point, I was able to stay closer to those guys in the second stage. After we made the green flag stop, I ran them down from a long ways back and almost won stage two.”
“We were able to really cruise that whole third stage. Just trying to do whatever I could to take care of my fronts.”
“It’s really easy for me to try and carry to much speed here through the center. Then, I just get tight off. You add all that wheel and it just compounds your problems.”
“Just try to really be patient and I feel like it paid off.”
Larson on Dover package
Larson is usually one of the first drivers to find speed on the top. At Bristol, he’s known to head into the marbles just to force clear the track for himself.
But, he was glued to the bottom lane during his win at Dover.
“I think with this package, it’s hard to run the top. Especially with cool conditions like this.”
“It’s easy to go fast around the bottom. The top is such a long ways around that you have to enter harder. You’re just working your tires harder.”
“Even when I had to get around a lapper. I’d be good around the bottom then catch a lapper. Then move up for one lap to get by them. I’d go back down and I’d be tight for a few laps.”
“I feel like you can make small gains up there. But, it just eats your stuff up so much faster.”
Talladega
The rest of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series has a headache pending. That headache sits in Talladega, Alabama next week.
“I’m pumped. I can go and just cruise through it. We’ll help out our Chevy teammates the best that we can.”
“Last time I was there, I ended up on my lid. I mean, I still could do the same thing next week.”
“But, I’ll be flipping through the air with a smile on my face,” Larson concluded.
More
Links
Kyle Larson | Katelyn Larson | Dover International Speedway | NASCAR
