Kyle Larson's victory at Kansas a special moment for Hendrick Motorsports

Published

By Bob Pockrass
FOX Sports NASCAR Writer

KANSAS CITY, Kansas – Kyle Larson had nothing to race for on Sunday except a trophy.

Or at least that is what it seemed heading into the NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Kansas Speedway. 

Larson had already clinched a championship-contending spot thanks to a win a week earlier at Texas. But on Sunday he scored one of the more emotional victories of the year at the Hollywood Casino 400. He drove with a paint scheme initially driven by Ricky Hendrick, who was one of 10 people killed in a Hendrick Motorsports plane crash 17 years ago to the day.

"I didn't get to ever meet Ricky or the other men and women that lost their lives that day," Larson said. "But I felt the importance of this race no doubt."

Winning his third consecutive race and ninth of the season, Larson remains the only driver to have clinched a spot in the Championship 4, where four drivers will be eligible to capture the title Nov. 7 at Phoenix.

Looking for more NASCAR content? Sign up for the FOX Sports NASCAR Newsletter with Bob Pockrass!

Here are my three takeaways from Kansas:

Hats backward and looking above

The Larson crew took photos in Victory Lane with ball caps backward, something that Ricky Hendrick would do — and something that his father, team owner Rick Hendrick, didn’t necessarily, at least initially, approve of him doing. The crew members pointed to the sky.

Ricky Hendrick’s one national series victory came at Kansas in 2001, and he had already assumed a leadership role in the company prior to his death.

In addition to Ricky, Hendrick lost his brother and two nieces among the 10 people who died when a Hendrick plane overshot the airstrip near Martinsville and crashed into a mountain hours before the 2004 race at the track. Two Hendrick executives, including engine builder Randy Dorton, and both of his pilots were also among those who perished.

"So many great pillars in our company [were lost]," said team executive vice president and general manager Jeff Andrews. "Randy was just one of the pioneers of Hendrick Motorsports and one of Mr. Hendrick's very first employees. And so much of that company was built around him.

"And then, knowing Ricky and knowing where he was headed in our company, plans for what Mr. Hendrick and Mrs. Hendrick had planned for him in our company. I always hate we never get that opportunity to see that. But on days like today, you just have to stop for a few minutes and kind of take it all in and realize what's important."

Blaney taken out by Dillon

Ryan Blaney looked like he would enter Martinsville in a potentially comfortable points position, but that cushion was wiped out when Austin Dillon wiped out Blaney by accident.

"We got run into from two lanes below me," Blaney said. "Obviously, it hurts. Finishing 37th is not prime. ... [I] just got wiped out when we had plenty of room. That sucks. It is very unfortunate."

Dillon took the blame.

"I screwed up," Dillon said. "The air got taken off me. I lost it. I tried to save it the first time, and the second time I lost and just got into his [car]. That’s the last person I wanted to get into of anybody.

"I hate that. I’m close to Ryan. I know he’s racing for a championship. I 100% didn’t want that to happen to him."

How that wreck sets up Martinsville

While Larson has advanced, Chase Elliott enters Martinsville next week with a 34-point edge on the cutoff, and Denny Hamlin enters with a 32-point edge in trying to be among the Championship 4. Kyle Busch? He’s just one point ahead of Blaney for the last spot. Martin Truex Jr. is three points behind the cutoff, Brad Keselowski is six and Joey Logano is 26.

Elliott will clinch with a 15th-place finish even without any stage points; Hamlin would clinch with a 12th-place finish.

A win automatically puts a driver in with either two spots on points or three if Larson or a non-playoff driver wins Martinsville.

"I am not sure that any amount of points is safe," Elliott said. "I think anyone in this round can win next week. So, we are really going to have to be on it but looking forward to the opportunity and excited for the challenge."

Bob Pockrass has spent decades covering motorsports, including the past 30 Daytona 500s. He joined FOX Sports in 2019 following stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @bobpockrass. Looking for more NASCAR content? Sign up for the FOX Sports NASCAR Newsletter with Bob Pockrass!