When the race reached its conclusion, Larson found himself puzzled by his fifth-place finish and his status among the five drivers who completed the race on the lead lap.
Reflecting on his performance, Larson confessed, “I think it was all accidental. I don’t really know what happened… A bit confusing on how that all played out and happened, but happy we were able to make it live there at the end.”
Early on Sunday, it became evident that tires weren’t adhering to the concrete surface as expected, resulting in excessive wear, often lasting no more than 50 laps.
The discourse swiftly shifted to tire management and pit strategy, yet Larson remained a contender for the win.
However, during a pit stop under what transpired to be the final caution of the race, Larson incurred a penalty for equipment interference, forcing him to restart from the rear of the field.
Subsequently, the race continued uninterrupted, compelling everyone, Larson included, to make a green flag pit stop for new tires before the finish. Larson capitalized on the timing, which proved pivotal in his ascent back to the front.
Reflecting on the peculiar turn of events, Larson remarked, “For whatever reason, it all cycled through. We all had to make a green flag stop and just kind of nursed it home from there. So yeah, that was odd… It all just kind of weirdly worked out. I still don’t really know how we ended fifth, but we will take it and move on.”
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the tire situation and its significant impact on the race outcome, Larson was unequivocal in his displeasure.
“It was weird and interesting. I thought some rubber was going to be laid down, but after the second run, we realized that wasn’t going to be the case… I hope I never have to run a race like that again. It wasn’t fun to ride around like that. You never really knew how to manage your stuff… Then there at the end, we were all dying and whatnot, and everybody’s afraid to pit because you just didn’t want to get caught on pit road with somebody spinning out and then you’re laps down.”
