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NASCAR penalizes Kyle Larson for speeding on pit road at Phoenix

Brian Jones Profile Picby: Brian Jones03/08/26brianjones_93

NASCAR penalized Kyle Larson for speeding on pit road during the Straight Talk Wireless 500 at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday. Per Jeff Gluck of The Athletic, Larson was forced to restart at P25 before the start of Stage 2.

“Kyle Larson penalized for speeding on pit road,” Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic said. “His dash lights were not working properly on the pace laps, and the team said it would look for fix.”

Kyle Larson was running solid early at Phoenix, finishing 13th in the first stage. However, the defending Cup Series champion started the race in the P2 position behind Joey Logano.

Larson was coming off a strong performance last week, finishing sixth at COTA. Entering Sunday’s race, Larson was in 15th place in the NASCAR Cup points standings. The top 16 drivers at the end of the season qualify for the 10-race Chase to determine the champion.

Kyle Larson stays committed to Hendrick Motorsports

In early February, Hendrick Motorsports announced that it had signed Larson to a five-year contract extension, taking him through the 2031 season. “I’m incredibly grateful to continue my career with Hendrick Motorsports and HendrickCars.com,” Kyle Larson said in the press release. “This team, this organization, and this family have given me everything I need to compete at the highest level. We’ve accomplished a lot together, but I truly believe the best is still ahead. I’m grateful to Mr. Hendrick and JB for believing in me, and I’m excited to keep chasing wins and championships with Cliff and the 5 team for many more years.”

“When you look at what it takes to succeed at the highest level year after year, it starts with people,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and chairman and CEO of Hendrick Automotive Group. “Kyle is one of the most complete drivers in our sport. His talent, work ethic, and instincts give us a chance to win every time we race.