NASCAR Cup Series: Can Kyle Larson make it five wins in a row?

By Asher Fair | Mar 16, 2018

FONTANA, CA - MARCH 26: Kyle Larson, driver of the #42 Target Chevrolet, does a burnout after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway on March 26, 2017 in Fontana, California. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images) /

Kyle Larson hasn’t failed to win a race on a 2.0-mile oval since the 2016 NASCAR Cup Series season. Will he win his fifth race in a row on these tracks this weekend?

The last time the NASCAR Cup Series visited a 2.0-mile oval and Kyle Larson didn’t win the race, Donald Trump had not yet become the Republican Party’s nominee for the 2016 United States presidential election.

In that race, which took place at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan in June of 2016, Larson, who had zero career Cup Series victories at the time, rolled to a 3rd place finish after starting in 7th. Since then, he hasn’t finished lower than 1st place in any of the four races on 2.0-mile ovals.

All four of these races have taken place at either Michigan International Speedway or Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, as those 2.0-mile ovals are the only 2.0-mile ovals on the Cup Series schedule. Three of them have taken place at the former, with one having taken place at the latter.

In August of 2016, Larson started the second Michigan race of the season in 12th place, and he went on to win it after leading 41 of its 200 laps. This win was the first of his Cup Series career.

More from NASCAR

In March of 2017, Larson doubled his career win total by winning at Fontana after starting the race from the pole position and leading 110 of its 202 laps, which marked his second consecutive victory on a 2.0-mile track. Later that season in June, Larson started from the pole position at Michigan and led 96 of the race’s 200 laps en route to his third straight victory on a 2.0-mile track.

Later that season in the August Michigan race, things were not looking good for Larson. The race was scheduled for 200 laps, and Larson led zero of those 200 laps. However, despite the fact that he started in 9th place and did not lead any of the race’s scheduled 200 laps, Larson was able to grab the lead in overtime and lead the final two laps of the 202-lap race en route to a shocking victory, which was his fourth straight victory on a 2.0-mile track.

Only one of Larson’s five career Cup Series wins so far has not come at a 2.0-mile track, with that win being his win at Richmond Raceway to close out the regular season last year.

As a whole this season, Larson has been the top Chevrolet driver. In fact, he is the only Chevrolet driver in the top 11 in the championship standings, and he is sitting in 8th place with a top finish of 3rd at Las Vegas.

With two top 2 finishes at Fontana, including his victory last season, in just four career starts at the track, Larson should be a frontrunner this Sunday in attempt to win his fifth consecutive Cup Series race at a 2.0-mile track.

Next: Top 10 most unbreakable records across Formula One, NASCAR and IndyCar

Be sure not to miss the Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway on Sunday, March 18th to see whether or not Kyle Larson can win his fifth consecutive race on a 2.0-mile track. The race is set to be broadcast live on Fox.