NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. (May 20, 2023) – One day before Kyle Larson goes for his third NASCAR All-Star Race victory, Larson hopped in Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet truck, flew to the front and avoided ruffling any feathers on his way to a convincing Tyson 250 win at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
Larson – subbing for the injured Alex Bowman – qualified eighth and led a race-high 138 laps. He steadily moved up the field and, after winning Stage 2, set his sights on victory in the closing stages.
Larson pitted for new tires after a late-race caution and wasted little time in catching and passing Bubba Wallace for the lead to score his third career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series triumph. Wallace put up a valiant effort on worn tires, but Larson remained patient and, once his Chevrolet’s nose moved beside Wallace’s Toyota on Lap 238, took the inside line and the lead for good.
A caution with six laps to go bunched up the field and gave those chasing Larson one last shot, but Larson quickly removed any doubt as to who would win North Wilkesboro’s first NASCAR national-series race in nearly 27 years.
Ty Majeski finished second with Matt DiBenedetto third, Carson Hocevar fourth and Wallace fifth. Pole winner and Stage 1 winner Corey Heim was sixth, followed by Matt Crafton, Chase Purdy, Ross Chastain and Grant Enfinger.
KYLE LARSON, NO. 7 SPIRE MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET (WINNING DRIVER): “It was a lot of fun racing. It was a longer race than normal for the Truck Series, and we got to run a lot of green flag laps. There were some varying strategies there at the end, but we had a really great truck, and I was able to pick my way to the front. … I was just focusing on getting a good launch on that green-white-checkered and we got to the white, and then to the checkered. … It’s extremely special (to win here). I didn’t think I’d ever even set foot in this facility. … That’s probably the coolest victory lane I’ve ever been in. To say where (winning this race) ranks, I don’t know, but it’s definitely up there, for sure.”
TY MAJESKI, NO. 98 THORSPORT RACING FORD (RUNNER-UP): “I feel like we sort of missed it today as a team with all the ThorSport guys. We didn’t have a great run, but we got a decent finish out of it.”
MATT DIBENEDETTO, NO. 25 RACKLEY W.A.R. CHEVROLET (THIRD-PLACE FINISHER): “I said we could run top-three today, and we finished top-three. Really proud of this Rackley Roofing team. Our guys busted their butts, and it paid off today.”
TUNE-IN:
Fans can catch Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Race at 8 p.m. ET on FS1, or listen live on MRN Radio and SiriusXM.
MORE INFO:
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