Farah Ben Gamra
The NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs take a turn this weekend as the Round of 16 comes to an end at Bristol Motor Speedway. That raises the intensity at a track already famous for its unpredictability. Few, if any, arrive with more confidence than Kyle Larson.
Three-time Bristol winner Kyle Larson joined Mamba Smith on NASCAR Inside the Race this week to talk about why “The World’s Fastest Half-Mile” is all about awareness and adaptability. With the track changing every lap, Larson explains the specific techniques he uses to find grip and pass when others are still looking.
“Well, this looks like it’s early in the race from the spring, probably right when I first get to traffic and everybody’s still buried at the bottom, you know, nervous about moving up because of the rubber and all that, or lack of rubber,” Larson said. “But I started going and I don’t know, just right here, just front of the bottom until I would catch people.”
Where other drivers are uncomfortable leaving the preferred groove, Larson is willing to look for new lines, often finding speed where others feel uncomfortable exploring.
Inside Kyle Larson’s Passing Technique at Bristol
Larson went on to detail one of his most effective passing techniques at Bristol — the diamond line.
“I assume I’m probably going to go into three here and diamond, enter high and exit low like I did to get by the 88. It’s just an efficient way to pass slower cars, I feel like. And yeah, I’m just able to kind of use it to my advantage. I catch traffic, and they’re a little indecisive on where the track conditions are at that point.”
By entering high and cutting down late, Larson builds momentum off the corner, while his runs are clear through traffic , a move that becomes even more powerful as the track’s grip changes throughout the race.
But this weekend’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol has more weight than normal. This is the final race of the Round of 16 in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Which means four drivers will leave the NASCAR Cup Series after Saturday‘s race.
Kyle Larson enters this elimination race with significant momentum. In the last two Bristol races, he has led 873 of the total of 1,000 laps and won both events.
