Kyle Larson gets Indianapolis redemption in 2024 Brickyard 400 | 40 wins in 40 days

Editor’s note: This is the 24th in a 40-part series highlighting 40 of the greatest wins in the history of Hendrick Motorsports to finish its 40th anniversary season. A new installment will be released each day from Nov. 22, 2024 through New Year’s Eve. Votes were taken from Hendrick Motorsports employees as well as representatives of the NASCAR Hall of Fame and Racing Insights with all unanimous selections being ushered in automatically. The remaining wins were deliberated and decided upon by a small panel.

CONCORD, N.C. - The 2024 Brickyard 400 had a feel of freshness and rejuvenation as the NASCAR Cup Series returned to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval after three years of running on the facility's road course. 

But by July, Kyle Larson had already turned enough laps and answered enough questions on Indy to last an entire season. 

Larson took his first crack at the Memorial Day Double this past summer, committing to participate in the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 in the same day. 

However, little about the day went according to plan. After months of training, testing and preparation, Mother Nature intervened. Larson was named the event's rookie of the year, qualifying fifth and finishing 18th, but rain delayed the start well into the afternoon. By the time Larson tried to make his way back to Charlotte Motor Speedway, the 600 had already begun. 

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS 40 WINS: Jeff Gordon wins Winston Million in 1997

Substitute driver Justin Allgaier started in the Hendrick Motorsports No. 5 car but as Larson arrived, the rain that delayed the Indy 500 began to douse the Charlotte ever. The 600 was ultimately called early and Larson never logged a lap. 

In interviews since, Larson has expressed his disappointment with the day. A pit road penalty cost him possibly a top-five finish at Indy, not to mention missing a Cup Series start. Larson will have his chance at redemption this year as he'll take on the Double again - weather willing. 

But for all that went against him over Memorial Day weekend, he was owed a little good fortune from the Brickyard. And when he got it in one of NASCAR's crown jewel events, he was more than ready to take advantage. 

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS 40 WINS: Dale Earnhardt Jr. snaps skid at Michigan

Even with a break or two, several factors have to come together to have success in the Brickyard 400. The first one is a fast race car and Larson had that from the start. He qualified fifth and was second in 10-lap average during the event's only practice session. 

The second is good strategy. And that's what made all the difference this past July. Yet, crew chief Cliff Daniels is the first to admit that getting on the right sequence was largely the byproduct of a mistake. 

The turning point came relatively early in the race, on lap 70, in the middle of stage two. Most of drivers, including Larson, pitted under a yellow flag. But just two laps later, as the field came to the choose cone, Larson pulled back onto pit road with a loose lug nut on the right rear tire. 

RELATED: See Kyle Larson's No. 5 Valvoline paint scheme for 2025

That mired Larson back in the field and at a track notoriously tough to pass on, it necessitated the No. 5 team to try and think outside of the box for the rest of the race. 

So, later, on lap 123, Larson was pulled down pit road, off sequence from most of the leaders. Just after the No. 5 rejoined traffic still on the lead lap, another caution flag flew with Larson's car stuffed with more fuel than almost everyone in front of him. 

With most of the field forced to try and save to the end, Larson was suddenly free to play offense. And aggression was at a premium as he refired 23rd with just 31 laps remaining. 

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS 40 WINS: Kyle Larson delivers 500th win for engine shop

“To be honest, I was convinced that we could finish top 10, almost convinced that we could finish top five – in no way did I think we’d be able to get all the way up there and have a shot to win it,” Daniels said. “To see Kyle carve through the field the way he did was of course crazy impressive. Now, part of that was because guys were saving fuel, so a little bit of it looked more inflated that what reality was."

The No. 5 car sliced and diced through the field, making it all the way up to third with nine laps to go. That's 20 passes in 21 laps. 

That's where Larson remained when another caution came out with three laps to go after Kyle Busch tagged the wall. That ended being the best spot possible when leader Brad Keselowski ducked onto pit road from the inside lane coming to green for an overtime restart. Larson simply moved up a row and had the preferred position on second-place Ryan Blaney when the race went green. 

A massive crash erupted in turn one, necessitating a red flag. But by that time, Larson had pulled ahead of Blaney for the lead. With the preferred lane and with more fuel, Larson was able to hold Blaney off on the second restart and he cruised to victory lane. 

It marked the 11th Brickyard 400 win for Hendrick Motorsports, more than twice as many as any other NASCAR organization. And it also provided a little redemption for Larson at Indianapolis. 

“Pretty wild the way it all ended up from where we thought we were out of it because of the unscheduled pit stop,” Daniels said. “Because of that issue and what the circumstances were and for Kyle’s drive at the end, man, it was pretty special.”