Kyle Larson victorious in NASCAR’s return to North Wilkesboro in Truck Series race

He probably already was in some other context, but now it’s for certain: Kyle Larson is an answer to an interesting trivia question.

Larson won the Truck Series race on Saturday afternoon at North Wilkesboro Speedway — and that makes him the first driver to win a NASCAR race at the historic racetrack since the NASCAR Cup Series left 27 years ago.

Some more trivia?

Larson’s boss at Hendrick Motorsports, Jeff Gordon, won the last time NASCAR was here in September 1996.

“It’s extremely special,” Larson told reporters in the media center at the North Wilkesboro Speedway infield. “I didn’t think that I would ever step foot on this facility to even have the need to look at it, you know? I’ve driven by it a few times. But I never thought that I would race here for sure.”

He added: “I didn’t grow up pavement racing, and I didn’t grow up watching races when I was 4 years old, either. So I didn’t even know how Victory Lane worked. I didn’t even know you ride this elevator up (to the roof of the media center). Honestly, that’s probably the coolest Victory Lane I’ve ever been in. So that was neat. The trophy’s really cool. The surface, you can tell, it’s old. All the legends basically have raced here.

“So to be on the winner’s list is special.”

Larson’s win comes a day before he will run in the headlining NASCAR All-Star Race on Sunday evening. But even though it was in a lower series, it was anything but an easy ride.

Despite having the fastest vehicle on the track — and deftly maneuvering it over the fresh asphalt on the inside apron, racing the track so well it seemed like he grew up on it — Larson, in the No. 7 truck, had to make a few big decisions down the stretch.

The biggest one arrived with 27 laps to go, when a caution came out and Larson elected to file down pit road and take four fresh tires. That put him behind a few trucks that didn’t go down pit road, all of whom hoped that their scuffed tires could last with the handful of laps remaining in the race.

One of those trucks belonged to Bubba Wallace — another Cup driver who had an admirable run on Saturday in the Truck Series. Larson and Wallace fought it out for several laps before Larson eventually cleared Wallace on the outside with 12 to go.

Larson extended his lead over the field thereafter.

A caution and a drama-free overtime restart later, and Larson took the checkered flag and made a Polish victory lap around the track to underline his historic win.

Ty Majewski finished second. Matt DiBenedetto finished third, followed by Carson Hocevar in fourth and Wallace in fifth.

Two other Cup drivers ran in Saturday’s race: Ross Chastain finished ninth, and William Byron finished 11th.

Larson emerged victorious in a race that saw 12 cautions that ate up 81 laps. He was one of five leaders on Saturday. He led for 138 laps. Corey Heim, the race’s pole-sitter, led for 75.

The racetrack that hasn’t been repaved since 1981 seemed to operate a lot like drivers expected it would: It was slippery and bumpy — but it still left room for action and passing and fun.

One prominent example of this could be seen in the day of Zane Smith, who started at the rear of the field after failing pre-race inspection three times before Saturday’s race — and yet still found a way to finish Stage 2 in second place. (His day was foiled by a speeding on pit road penalty in Stage 3 followed by a wreck in the back of the field.)

Another example of this fun, of course, could be seen in Larson’s day.

Where does this win rank in Larson’s decorated professional racing career?

“Even though it’s in the Truck Series, it’s still really special,” Larson said. “To say where it ranks for me, I don’t know. It’s definitely up there. I think if I can win tomorrow night, then it would march it’s way forward for sure.”

Results from North Wilkesboro

This story was originally published May 20, 2023 at 4:34 PM.

Alex Zietlow

The Charlotte Observer

Alex Zietlow writes about the Carolina Panthers and the ways in which sports intersect with life for The Charlotte Observer, where he has been a reporter since August 2022. Zietlow’s work has been honored by the Pro Football Writers Association, the N.C. and S.C. Press Associations, as well as the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE) group. He’s earned six APSE Top 10 distinctions for his coverage on a variety of topics, from billion-dollar stadium renovations to the small moments of triumph that helped a Panthers kicker defy the steepest odds in sports. Zietlow previously wrote for The Herald in Rock Hill (S.C.) from 2019-22. Support my work with a digital subscription