“In Xfinity, I do get motivated, and this is going to come across like very cocky, but I want to embarrass them, honestly,” said Kyle Larson last year while explaining why he still enjoys racing in the then-NASCAR Xfinity Series (current NOAPS). At the time, the comment raised eyebrows across the garage. But fast forward to the latest NOAPS race at Las Vegas, and Kyle ‘Yung Money’ Larson may have just backed up those words. After a late-race twist involving a fellow Chevrolet driver, the Cup champion seized control and left the field scrambling behind him.

Late restart opens the door for Kyle Larson

“But the last restart, we had some guys stay out. Me just being able to run the line allowed my front tires to build when it needed to just my car being ok in the long run,” said Kyle Larson while explaining how he seized control late in the race.

Once he got out front, the rest of the field never really had a chance. Kyle Larson stayed in command for the final 47 laps of The LiUNA!, cruising to victory at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Driving the No. 88 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, the Cup champion claimed his 18th career win in the series, making a powerful statement in his first start of the 2026 season.

Behind him, Chase Briscoe brought home the runner-up finish in the No. 19 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, but he trailed Larson by a comfortable 2.557 seconds at the checkered flag. The turning point came thanks to a dramatic moment involving another Chevrolet driver.

On lap 148, Sheldon Creed got into the rear of Taylor Gray entering Turn 3. The contact sent Gray bouncing off the wall and brought out a caution that reshuffled the field. When racing resumed on lap 154, Brandon Jones controlled the inside lane with Anthony Alfredo on the outside. The outside line initially struggled to launch, but Larson timed his run perfectly. Charging off Turn 2, he blasted past Jones before reaching Turn 3 and instantly grabbed the lead.

From that moment on, Larson simply checked out. What followed was the kind of dominant closing stretch that echoed his bold comments from a year ago. Today’s race was another reminder of just how high the bar can be when a Cup champion like Kyle Larson drops into the Xfinity field.

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Can Larson break the JGR stronghold?

After dominating Saturday’s NOAPS race, the big question now is whether Kyle Larson can carry that momentum into Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It won’t be easy, though, especially with Joe Gibbs Racing locking down the top three starting spots.

Christopher Bell will start on pole, with Denny Hamlin alongside him in second and Ty Gibbs rolling off third. Larson, meanwhile, qualified fifth, placing him right behind the JGR trio and within striking distance when the green flag drops. So far, Kyle Larson’s 2026 Cup Series campaign has been a mixed bag.

His season began with a 16th-place finish at the Daytona 500, followed by a rough 32nd-place result at Atlanta. But the No. 5 team has rebounded nicely since then, finishing sixth at Circuit of the Americas and third at Phoenix Raceway. There are clear signs that the speed is starting to come together.

Momentum certainly isn’t lacking this weekend either. In addition to his NOAPS victory, Larson already scored a win earlier in the week at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway during the 2026 Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing season opener. Driving the Paul Silva-owned No. 57, he started fifth and passed Gio Scelzi on lap 18 before fending off a late charge from Corey Day to win by just 0.096 seconds, marking his 10th career High Limit Racing victory.

And history suggests Las Vegas suits him well. Since February 2023, Kyle Larson has had two wins in six starts at the track, along with an impressive 4.3 average finish. With strong form across multiple disciplines this week, Kyle Larson could be in a position to pull off something special. A potential Las Vegas triple sweep!