Kyle Larson expressed surprise at securing a third-place finish in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix on Sunday, despite facing difficulties throughout the 312-lap event. The driver of the No. 5 car was not anticipating a podium result given the performance struggles they encountered on the 1.0-mile track. Larson’s race took place at Phoenix Raceway in Arizona, where he and his Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) teammates encountered a tough day on the circuit.
His teammates William Byron, Chase Elliott, and Anthony Alfredo—who substituted for the sidelined Alex Bowman—each faced setbacks of their own. Byron managed to finish seventh, Elliott settled for 23rd after being caught in multiple crashes, and Alfredo exited early with a 33rd-place DNF following a collision.
Concerns Arise Over Hendrick Motorsports’ Performance at Phoenix
After the race, Larson acknowledged his unease with how he and the HMS team performed during the weekend. In a post-race interview with Frontstretch, he admitted there were reasons to be concerned, especially given their history of struggles at Phoenix Raceway.
“It’s concerning, but we’re always really bad here at Phoenix. At least me. William’s had his moments of being pretty strong. I feel like the rest of us three have always been really bad. We just were worse today,”
Larson said.
He was uncertain whether the changes in Chevrolet’s new body design or the increase in horsepower affected their race day performance. Ultimately, Larson attributed their difficulties to an ongoing lack of competitiveness at the track but noted that their prior experience at Phoenix helped them find a way to secure a respectable finish.
“Because we are so bad here, I feel like we know how to fight through it and get a third-place finish like we typically do here. Performance wise, that’s not where we should be running. So with that, yeah, I’m proud of the team. For Phoenix, we’ve got to get way, way better,”
he added.
Challenges Faced by Hendrick Motorsports Drivers at Phoenix
While Larson earned a third-place finish, reflecting the same result that contributed to his Cup Series championship victory at Phoenix last year, his teammates encountered more difficulty. William Byron, finishing seventh, was unable to contend seriously for the lead, struggling with pace. Chase Elliott was hampered throughout the race, getting involved in two crashes that ultimately relegated him to 23rd place.
Anthony Alfredo, who stepped in for Alex Bowman due to vertigo, was involved in a crash with Ross Chastain and Austin Cindric, resulting in a 33rd-place DNF. These setbacks highlighted a challenging day for Hendrick Motorsports overall.
Larson’s Reflection on Performance and Outlook for Upcoming Races
Despite the rough weekend, Larson praised his team’s effort to battle through adversity and extract a strong finish. He admitted the car was difficult to handle during the entire weekend but expressed pride in the team’s ability to qualify well and persevere through tough conditions.
“A good fight by our team. We kinda struggled with our car all weekend, was able to qualify well, and then just kinda fight through today and salvage a third. Was not expecting that with how bad we were, but again, proud of the team,”
Larson said.
Now in his sixth season with Hendrick Motorsports and the defending Cup Series champion, Larson has accumulated two titles and 26 wins. After four races in the current season, he stands 10th in the points rankings. The NASCAR circuit will next move to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a track where Larson boasts three career victories, offering an opportunity to regain momentum.
Kyle Larson Finishes 3rd at Phoenix: "I was not expecting that with how bad we were"
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— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) March 9, 2026
