Kyle Larson delivered another commanding performance to claim the Food City 500 Bristol Cup Series victory, marking his second NASCAR win over the weekend.
Starting from third position Larson dominated the event by leading an overwhelming 411 of the 500 laps, showcasing both skill and strategy in a race that lasted just 2 hours, 38 minutes, and 43 seconds.
Driving the No. 5 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, Kyle Larson demonstrated his intent to secure Bristol Cup Series victory after sweeping both opening stages and maintaining a consistent pace at the 0.533-mile concrete oval.
Larson’s weekend was particularly emotional and impressive as it followed a tripleheader schedule where he had already shown strong form. He placed second in the WEATHER Guard Truck Race on Friday and won the SciAps 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday before his dominant win on Sunday.
The Food City 500 was marked by high speeds, strategic pit stops, and only three caution periods that accounted for 40 laps, allowing for a relatively uninterrupted contest dominated by Larson’s flawless execution.
The only multi-car incident happened early in the race involving Shane Van Gisbergen and Cody Ware which brought out one of the three cautions. Van Gisbergen’s spin on lap 178 was the first caution of the race but most drivers chose to stay out on the track allowing Larson to maintain his commanding lead.
The green flag pit stops around lap 388 briefly saw Larson lose the lead to Ryan Blaney, but after Blaney’s own pit stop, Larson quickly regained control and extended his advantage to secure the win.
Denny Hamlin driving the No. 11 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing later emerged to be Larson’s primary challenger, aiming to extend his winning streak in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series with a third consecutive victory following his Darlington win.
Hamlin’s performance was commendable as he consistently kept Larson within striking distance but ultimately the latter’s pace and racecraft proved superior.
Larson’s lead was further cemented in the final laps where he managed to hold off Hamlin’s late charge, crossing the finish line 2.250 seconds ahead to claim an emotional emotional Bristol Cup Series victory.
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This marked his second win in 2025 NASCAR Cup Series, his third at the iconic track and 31st in his overall career. The Hendrick Motorsports driver dedicated his victory to the late Jon Edwards, the team’s longtime public relations chief who had recently passed away.
“This one’s definitely for Jon,” said Larson. “He’s just a great guy. Successful weekend here. Wish he was going to be here with us to celebrate, but I know he’s celebrating with us in spirit.
“Just a flawless race once again here at Bristol for the No. 5 team. Really, really good car. That was a lot of fun.”
Larson’s dominance at Bristol is part of a recent trend as he has now won three of the last six races held at this venue including a commanding 462-lap lead at the Bass Pro Shops Night Race the previous fall.
His mastery of Bristol’s challenging concrete surface and short-track dynamics cements his status as one of the premier drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Meanwhile, Denny Hamlin finished in second ahead of his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Ty Gibbs and Chase Briscoe who took third and fourth respectively, demonstrating the team’s depth and competitiveness.
Ryan Blaney rounded out the top five to mark the highest-finishing Ford driver. Other notable performances included William Byron and Ross Chastain who finished sixth and seventh, respectively, for Hendrick Motorsports and Trackhouse Racing.
Christopher Bell, A J Allmendinger and Austin Dillon completed the top ten with Allmendinger earning the fastest lap of the race, clocking a 15.380-second lap.
Pole sitter Alex Bowman suffered a huge setback after his engine failed midrace. The No. 48 Chevrolet was forced to retire to the garage and finished 36th, a disappointing end to what had been a promising start.
