At Sonoma Raceway, Kyle Larson was the absolute class of the field and won the race. Very few drivers managed to challenge him, including Martin Truex Jr and Chris Buescher. Unfortunately, poor old Denny Hamlin could not count himself among those challengers on the road course. This was because his Toyota engine exploded spectacularly in the opening few laps, relegating him to an early shower.
However, he did acknowledge Larson’s skill behind the wheel and noted that he was unstoppable that day. According to the Joe Gibbs Racing star, everyone headed into the race weekend with a solid game plan in mind. However, once the multiple cautions came into play, all plans had to be hurriedly scrapped.
Thus, it was back to the drawing board, where they had to take into account elements like fuel, laps remaining, and tires. Hamlin noted that the cautions definitely separated all the teams on a strategic level. Initially, Truex Jr and Buescher looked strong, but then no one could account for the sheer speed of Kyle Larson.
Of course, one driver gave it a good go, and that was Ross Chastain. Denny Hamlin admitted that on Actions Detrimental, saying, “He [Ross Chastain] would have finished 6th or 7th. Except for that last lap fiasco, that happened with Truex dropping and then Kyle Busch. Ross had the next best speed in the field and he only was able to get to the Top 5.”
“It just tells you there was a pivotal moment in that strategy call, during the race, that the #5 was able to make up spots really, really quickly. He was able to gap the field, pit later, and just be on those fresher tires and mow those guys down and pass them. That takes skill, technique, and a fast car, all the above. He was the only one that was able to make that work.”
The #11 driver believed that Chastain was the second-fastest driver on the track. With the right strategy in place, he could have been a threat. Hamlin doubted that the Trackhouse Racing star could have made an impression on Kyle Larson. However, he did mention that Larson and Hendrick Motorsports were really on the ball with their strategy.
Denny Hamlin analyzed the various strategies
While the JGR star continued his stance on the strategy that worked, he also inferred the driving style. He said, “If you’re everyone else, it depends on your driving style. It’s kind of a split argument of which strategy you think was probably best. One won the race, but the bulk of the other finishers in the Top 10, were the other strategies. Had the #19 gotten out in front of the #17 quicker, it was kind of a perfect storm for Kyle because he kind of had the #17 backing the field up to him.”
“He was slowing up the #19, the #19 got around him in a fairly efficient manner, for as few laps as he was running behind him. Then he blew the next corner that he had. It was interesting to see it all play out, but I think that the best driver and team won on the weekend, the right car won.”
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