Kyle Larson Details Why Chase Rivals Missed Free Stage Points at Talladega 

At Talladega Superspeedway, a driver can spend 500 miles fighting for position and still lose ground in the championship without being beaten to the finish line. Stage points offer a chance to build a cushion before the checkered flag, but collecting them requires the right drafting partners, track position, and a willingness to take risks. At a track where one misplaced move can end a championship run, deciding when to push is rarely straightforward.

That calculation shaped the YellaWood 500, where RFK Racing broke away from the field in Stage 1 while several championship contenders struggled to capitalize on the points available. With the third lane failing to develop consistently and fuel-saving strategies dictating much of the early running, drivers faced a difficult choice between chasing stage points and protecting their chances of surviving the race. Kyle Larson explained the factors behind that approach in conversation with Dale Earnhardt Jr.

“There were a lot of factors, I think, that went into it, to where we were kind of just controlling the two lanes,” Larson said on the Dale Jr. Download Podcast. “And at that point, from what I remember, coming to the end of the first stage, the third lane wasn’t really able to get developed. Then, at the end of the second stage, it was kind of a green-and-white checkered to the end of that, so it was hard for the third lane to get developed then.

“And two, I think, at that point, everybody’s still trying to get to the end of the race, so there’s less ballsy moves at that point. So, yeah, it was just a lot of factors, but I’m glad that we were able to position ourselves and make the right moves to get to the front of those lines. And I feel like I won the first stage, even though we were half a lap behind the winner.”

RFK Racing’s opening-stage gamble demonstrated what could happen when drivers abandoned the prevailing strategy. Chris Buescher, Ryan Preece, and Brad Keselowski stopped playing the fuel-saving game and worked together in their three-car Ford formation. They built a lead exceeding 40 seconds, leaving the rest of the field to fight for the remaining stage points.

The payoff was immediate. Buescher won Stage 1, Preece finished second, and Keselowski took third. Larson was fourth, with William Byron fifth. But RFK’s success came with a trade-off. Buescher suffered damage in a late accident and finished 32nd, while Keselowski finished 24th. Preece salvaged a 13th-place finish. Their strategy delivered the stage points, but it did not guarantee a strong finish.

For championship contenders, the opening stage presented a different challenge. Larson collected seven points in fourth, while Byron earned six in fifth. Chase Briscoe finished seventh and secured four points. Denny Hamlin, meanwhile, ended the stage 15th after losing his drafting partners.

The No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota had been running with Briscoe and Ty Gibbs when Briscoe moved to the Chevrolet line as it gathered momentum. Gibbs followed, leaving Hamlin without the support he needed to maintain position. Hamlin’s frustration was evident over the team radio, but the immediate consequence was clear: he missed the stage points available to the top 10.

Hamlin eventually recovered to finish eighth, but he failed to score stage points. Briscoe, by contrast, finished third in Stage 2 after taking seventh in the opener. That contrast illustrated how quickly a drafting decision could change the points picture. At Talladega, staying loyal to a teammate can matter, but so can recognizing when another line offers a better chance to move forward.

Chevrolet’s strength added another layer to the contest. Hendrick Motorsports’ Larson and Byron finished first and second, while Chevrolet drivers also featured prominently in the lead pack. Team Penske remained competitive, and RFK’s Fords had controlled the opening stage, but Chevrolet had the numbers and speed to influence the race across multiple lanes.

Larson acknowledged that advantage when discussing the way the field settled into position.

“I thought Chevys were the fastest in the field, too. So, we were able to control a lot of the positions out there,” Larson said. “And yeah, I think that was just important. So, the Penske guys, you know, they did good, as they always do, but then you had the Hendrick cars up there, Trackhouse; Ross was racing hard to try and get back on the lead lap.

The Chevrolet advantage also complicated life for Toyota’s championship contenders. Briscoe’s move away from Hamlin showed how drivers had to weigh manufacturer alliances against their own immediate needs. The crowded lanes left little room for hesitation, and a driver who lost a push could quickly fall out of contention for stage points.

Ultimately, Larson made the most of the opportunities available. He scored points in both stages, then won the race, while Hamlin left without stage points despite finishing eighth. At Talladega, the difference between a useful day and a costly one can come down to a single decision in traffic. The championship rewards the drivers who recognize those moments before the opportunity disappears.

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