Kyle Larson’s example cited by NASCAR Insider in highlighting Bristol’s unique racing product

NASCAR insider Jeff Gluck has pointed out Kyle Larson’s race at the Bristol Motor Speedway as a prime example of the track’s unpredictability. He feels that Larson’s team had possibly built the fastest car on the track, but tire wear and other factors affected his result.

Gluck has used the case of Larson to explain why Bristol is very unique and difficult to race at. The Bristol racing product is special since it is not simply the case of pure speed, but a game of strategic skill using tires, timing of caution, and saving fuel.

Even on top teams such as Larsons, which specializes in preparing speedy vehicles that can go hamper down, Bristol conditions compel drivers to be both aggressive, patient and flexible as getting victory is frequently determined by making strategic choices and adapting to unusual race conditions.

Jeff Gluck said on his podcast with Jordan Bianchi, The Teardown:

"I understand completely why Larson and the five team and anybody else that's a good fast team here would not like this kind of racing here. Because these people work their butts off to bring the fastest car possible to be able to go hammer down. This opens the door to a wild strategy, various circumstances, getting caught by caution at the wrong time. You can't make your car go as fast as possible. It doesn't matter how fast your car is in some ways, because it's more about saving and conserving and playing with strategy and all that."

Kyle Larson had a difficult time at Bristol Motor Speedway. While minding the difficult situation of rapidly fading tires on the high-banked short track, Larson qualified for the Round of 12, securing the required result but could only manage a 32nd place finish.

---

Kyle Larson breaks down the challenge of traffic at Bristol

Kyle Larson detailed the unique challenges of racing at Bristol Motor Speedway, particularly the difficulty posed by constant lapped traffic on the short, 15-second lap track.

In a conversation with NASCAR reporter Mamba Smith, Larson explained how drivers must be quick on their feet and use "different angles" to manage handling issues on the highly banked concrete oval.

Larson also emphasized the challenge of dealing with handling extremes like being too tight or too loose, which makes the racing surface demanding and often leads drivers to be on the edge of losing grip while maintaining speed. On an episode of Inside The Race, Larson said:

"If your car is not handling right, you know, if you're too tight, you know, then you're trying to create different angles or different speeds and different points and it becomes just really difficult. Same if you're too loose, too. I mean, it's not a fun place to be kind of bouncing on your right rear through one and two and just being sharp and on the edge of you losing grip." [6:05 onwards]

Kyle Larson also reflected on the unique complexity of pit road decisions at Bristol, highlighting how drivers must stay mentally sharp to avoid mistakes under green-flag conditions.

Get the latest NASCAR All-Star race news, Xfinity Series updates, breaking news, rumors, and today’s top stories with the latest news on NASCAR.

Edited by Tushar Bahl