Larson and a victory built from the pits in Texas

Kyle Larson made a risky decision in the closing minutes of the Andy's Frozen Custard 300 race. His crew chief Mardy Lindley called him to surrender the lead for fresh tires while he held a comfortable advantage. The seemingly counterintuitive move paid off this Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway.

With just 20 laps remaining and a six-second lead over his pursuers, the caution flag for Corey Day's crash changed all plans. While six drivers stayed out on worn tires, Larson restarted seventh but with fresh rubber.

The driver of the Chevrolet No. 88 for JR Motorsports, substituting for injured Connor Zilisch, capitalized on his mechanical advantage. He moved to second during the first restart, then passed Sam Mayer in the final overtime. The margin of victory: 1.265 seconds over Taylor Gray.

A race with double comeback

The final result only tells part of Larson's story. His day began from 20th on the grid, far from the favorites. He gradually advanced positions while Justin Allgaier controlled the lead.

A penalty for a loose tire during his first pit stop forced Larson to repeat the process. For the second time he had to recover from the back. His patience and consistent pace brought him back to the front.

"It was tricky," Larson commented after the win. "I took some hits and we worked hard on adjusting the balance. Once I got to the lead I knew I could keep it, but I couldn't pass Justin because he was running my line."

"It was tricky. I took some hits and we worked hard on adjusting the balance. Once I got to the lead I knew I could keep it, but I couldn't pass Justin because he was running my line."

Allgaier: From control to retirement

Justin Allgaier's race told a different story. The driver of the No. 7 Chevrolet led 99 of 208 laps, dominating much of the event without apparent challenge.

His fortune changed during green flag stops. After pitting, Allgaier was running 12th trying to regain positions when he encountered Kris Wright's No. 5 Chevrolet exiting Turn 4.

Wright missed his bottom line and slid up into Allgaier. The impact sent the No. 7 into the outside wall, ending his day prematurely.

"That's on me. They were having issues with their car. I was trying to catch the 88 and put myself in a vulnerable position. The worst part is today's my mom's birthday and I wanted to give her this trophy."

Gray and Herbst: Capitalizing on chaos

Taylor Gray delivered a quiet but effective performance. Starting 12th, he kept his Toyota in the top ten most of the day. In the final restart chaos, he advanced from fourth to second in the last two laps.

Riley Herbst had a similar story. Starting 27th, he made a remarkable recovery to finish third, taking advantage of every restart opportunity.

Austin Hill, who won the pole and led 57 laps in three different segments, finished fourth. Sam Mayer, after losing the lead on the final restart, completed the top five.

A win without championship pressure

For Larson, this victory came without usual pressures. As a substitute driver, he wasn't racing for championship points, which may have facilitated some decisions.

"I appreciate JR Motorsports for the opportunity," Larson mentioned. "I wish Connor could have been in the car, but I'm glad I could make the most of this chance." The race had 11 cautions and 12 lead changes among six different drivers, reflecting how difficult it was to maintain positions during 208 laps on the Texas oval.

Complete Results - Andy's Frozen Custard 300