August 21, 2022 | By Lee Spencer

Kyle Larson bowls over the competition at the Glen

Kyle Larson made a clean sweep of the weekend at Watkins Glen—and he did it in dramatic fashion.

After winning the Xfinity Series race on Saturday, Larson started the Go Bowling at The Glen from the front row on Sunday.

Although he didn’t lead a circuit until the final five laps, Larson bowled over his teammate Chase Elliott on the final restart and held the point until the finish.

“These restarts are crazy,” Larson said. “When you’re the leader, the left lane is the preferred lane. But you are at risk of a guy dive-bombing you and using you up on exit. That’s what I had to do.

“I’m not proud of it—especially on a teammate—but I felt like that’s what I had to do at that moment to get the win. Honestly, I would have expected the same thing had I been the leader in the left lane. As you get down to these late restarts, it gets more brave and brave every time.”

AJ Allmendinger took advantage of Elliott’s misfortunes and snatched second-place on the restart. He finished 0.882-seconds behind Larson at the finish. Joey Logano was third followed by Elliott, Daniel Suarez, Michael McDowell, Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell, Chris Buescher and Erik Jones.

After nearly an hour-long rain delay, Elliott started from the pole and led a race-high 29 laps. Chase Briscoe won Stage 1. Logano won Stage 2. When the final stage started on Lap 45, Elliott was second and cycled back to the lead four laps later. The No. 9 team elected to pit on Lap 60—three laps after Larson. With a solid stop, Elliott ended up sixth—and ahead of Larson on the track. Cole Custer had the lead but the front five cars had yet to pit. Elliott regained the point on Lap 72.

Elliott and Larson traded paint on the penultimate restart following Joey Hand’s spin in Turn 1 on Lap 80 but the No. 9 Chevy retained the lead. Three laps later, Loris Hezemans spun into the gravel trap and triggered the fifth and final caution with eight laps remaining. Elliott’s spotter Eddie D’Hondt warned his driver that Allmendinger, who was fourth before the restart, would attempt to out-brake him entering Turn 1.  Ultimately, Allmendinger wasn’t the antagonist. It was Larson who pushed Elliott wide and off of the course.

“I just got beat there,” Elliott said. “I just got beat there and had an unfortunate Turn 1 and lost the event.”

Elliott’s consolation prize was winning the regular season championship. For Larson, who swept a race weekend for the first time since 2017 at Auto Club Speedway, it’s his first Cup trophy since February in Fontana and his second-consecutive Glen Cup win.

“We got the job done today,” Larson added. “The team did a great job. The race car was extremely good from the first laps of practice, yesterday. I’m proud of them for that. Good to get some bonus points, too. I haven’t won enough this year. I haven’t won any stages, hardly. So to get some points late here in the season is good.”

The tour moves to Daytona next weekend for the regular season finale. The last two drivers currently in contention on points—Ryan Blaney and Martin Truex Jr., finished 24th and 23rd, respectively. Blaney has a 25-point advantage over Truex.