Kyle Larson’s Texas Dominance Cut Short After Rouge Wheel Drama Jeopardized Second Rick Hendrick Star’s Race

The troubles arrived in Texas for Kyle Larson during Stage 2, as the #5 Chevrolet’s right rear tire fell off around lap 117. Larson brought out the fifth caution of the race after securing a Stage 1 victory for Hendrick Motorsports. Everything was going well for him till the lost the tire, considering he even claimed the pole position for the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400.

Only a few laps prior, on 114, Carson Hocevar of Spire Motorsports spun his #77 Camaro Zl1 from the 23rd position on Turn 1. Halfway through the Texas race, Legacy Motor Club’s Jimmie Johnson warranted the first yellow of the 400-mile event.

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Nevertheless, Larson’s tire problems are only one of the few on display as P2 qualifier Ty Gibbs had to pit twice in the first stage after a pit gun socket remained attached to the #54 Toyota’s wheel on the green-flag pit stop. Moreover, Larson is not the only Hendrick driver who has faced problems at the 1.5-mile racetrack on Sunday, as #48 Alex Bowman wrecked due to John Hunter Nemechek on lap 101, as a casualty of Christopher Bell spinning into the SAFER barriers off Turn 4.

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Two-lap penalty for Kyle Larson for losing a wheel.

— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) April 14, 2024

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Funnily, Larson was unaware of his tire falling off the vehicle as he could be heard telling his pit crew that he had “a flat tire”. Larson had no tire and will face a two-lap penalty. The excitements await at the end of a grueling 267 laps.