NASCAR: Five Lessons Learned From The Auto Club 400 at Fontana

Kyle Larson is Ready to be a Top Driver

Kyle Larson proved a lot with his win on Sunday.

Not only did he silence any critics who may have thought that this young driver was good, but not good enough to win, but he proved that he can handle competing against the top drivers in NASCAR.

Larson had a fast car all day. From winning the pole to the first stage, it was clear that as long as his team helped get him out of the pits fast and Larson was able to avoid making mistakes on pit road, he would be racing for the lead toward the end of the race.

That’s exactly what happened at the Auto Club Speedway, and while Larson did have some issues with slowing down in the pits during the second stage, it’s what helped propel Martin Truex Jr. out in front by over seven seconds at one point, Larson eventually rebounded and took to the front of the field.

What’s even more impressive about his win is how he held off drivers like Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Truex Jr. and Brad Keselowski during all the late race cautions. Larson never stumbled, hit all his marks and out-raced some of the top drivers in NASCAR to win his first race of the 2017 season.

He now sits first in the standings with a win and has a ton of momentum heading into Martinsville next week.

This young driver and his team proved they are ready to be one of the next top groups in NASCAR, so don’t be surprised if you see Larson and the 42 team end up in Victory Lane at least one more time before the playoffs start.

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What did you learn from the Auto Club 400? Let us know in the comments below. For all of your NASCAR racing news, make sure to check out BeyondTheFlag.com.