Incident in Closing Laps Leaves Larson with 32nd Place at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

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In: Xfinity Series News

Rolling to the track where the No. 32 Turner Scott Motorsports team claimed the organization’s first NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) win two years ago, rookie Kyle Larson had high hopes for a repeat of his team’s previous performance in the Sam’s Town 300 on Saturday. Dialing in the Clear Men Camaro after the first two rounds of pit stops, Larson took the lead coming out of turn four on lap 87, but was pushed up into the retaining wall and sustained heavy right side damage. After repairs, Larson was nearing the finish when another incident on the backstretch terminated his day and served him a 32nd place finish.

Extensive rain on Friday postponed NNS practice until Saturday morning prior to the 200-lap race, leaving teams with less than an hour to prepare their race vehicles. After lining up based on 2012 owner’s points, Larson began his day from the 13th position and radioed to crew chief Trent Owens early that his Camaro was much improved from their short practice session, but was still a tick too tight. Following the first round of adjustments on the team’s first trip to pit road under the competition caution on lap 35, Larson was very pleased with the handling and began making his move towards the top-10.

Looking to give his driver clean air, Owens chose to take fuel only on the second pit stop of the day, placing Larson in the second spot for the restart on lap 86. Racing on the outside and taking the lead coming off of turn four after taking the green, Larson was tapped on the left rear quarter panel and sent into the outside wall, causing heavy right side damage to the No. 32 Chevy Camaro. Larson’s Turner Scott Motorsports team quickly went to work and repaired the Clear Men machine as best they could, sending him back out onto the track to make laps and gain as many points as possible.

Riding just outside the top-25 with 11 laps remaining, Larson was racing for position down the backstretch after a restart and was caught up in another incident. This time around, the damage was too extensive for repair, and the California native ended his first trip to Las Vegas Motor Speedway with a 32nd place finish.

“It was a long day for this No. 32 team, but I’m proud of Trent Owens and this whole crew for not giving up and putting together a really fast Clear Men Camaro. I felt like we easily had a top-five car and the adjustments they made after the first round of pit stops were really good,” Larson explained. “Unfortunately it just wasn’t our day, but we’ll move on to Bristol next week and hope to get up front and battle for the lead again.”

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