Kyle Larson Wins Service King 300

The NASCAR Xfinity Series continued to stay out west this week, only this time it was at Auto Club Speedway. It would be the final stop on the NASCAR Goes West tour.

Joey Logano, who has already won an Xfinity race earlier this season at Las Vegas, won the pole in qualifying early Saturday morning. Alongside him, was 26-year old Richard Childress Racing driver Daniel Hemric. 35 laps made up stage one and two, with 80 laps in stage three which made up the 150 laps overall.

The race shortly got underway with Joey Logano clearing the field on lap 1. Kyle Busch, who started 16^th, was already up to third on lap 20. Just two laps later, Busch was up to second. The race was clean and green until lap 29, where Matt Tifft spun on the backstretch to bring out the first caution.

Under a pit stop, Logano was caught speeding on pit road which set him back to 35^th position for the restart. There was a one lap restart to end stage one, and this saw Kyle Busch held off Elliott Sadler to win stage one. Sadler was the highest Xfinity Series regular in stage one. Logano finished 35^th after the penalty.

The green flag came back out on lap 41, with Busch and Sadler being the leaders. Kyle Larson took the lead on the restart after being in third. Busch rebounded and took the lead back on lap 48. Busch held the lead for the final 22 laps to win stage two. Elliott Sadler, was once again the highest Xfinity regular in this stage. The leaders came down pit road and Larson was busted for speeding on pit road. Busch was able to remain the leader after pit stops. 

Kyle Busch and Joey Logano took the green flag to begin stage three on lap 77. On the same lap, Logano took the lead off turn four. The lead, however, was only for a short while as the caution was brought out on lap 81 for Ross Chastain, who had cut down a left rear tire.

The race restarted on lap 88 with Logano and Busch as the leaders. Busch took the lead until lap 91 where Logano retook the top spot. On lap 94, a caution was brought out for Paul Menard after Erik Jones accidentally came down and turned Menard hard into the frontstretch wall. There were some problems on pit road as the jack came off Logano’s car. Logano was able to stay on the lead but restarted in the 26th position. 

Busch and William Byron were the front runners for the restart on lap 103. On lap 105, Cole Custer was sent spinning into the fence in turn one after contact with Ryan Seig. Kyle Busch stayed out under caution, while Larson and others pitted. 

Busch and last week’s winner Justin Allgaier was up front on lap 113. After the restart, Busch cleared the field down the backstretch. With 33 laps to go, Logano passed Busch for the lead off turn two. Busch slipped back to fifth after brushing the wall. With 23 to go, Larson began rallying Joey Logano for the race lead. After a couple of laps chasing the leader, Larson caught Logano with 19 to go.

It wasn’t easy for Larson as he would hit the wall after taking the lead. This allowed Logano to go by him for the lead. Larson rebounded and took the lead with 11 laps to go. The race changed pace with 9 to go, when Brandon Jones brought out the final caution of the race. Larson won the race off pit road after the whole field pitted.

It still wasn’t easy for Larson as he had to hold off a strong car of Joey Logano, and 2015 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kyle Busch for the final restart. Logano gave Larson one last run and challenge to the checkered flag, but it was Kyle Larson’s race to win as he would win the Service King 300.

There were 6 leaders among 20 lead changes. 

There were 7 cautions for 43 laps.

This was Larson’s second career win at Auto Club Speedway.

It would be Larson’s sixth career NASCAR Xfinity Series win.

Larson led four times for 21 laps.

This also continued a 24-race win streak by a Cup regular, who has visited victory lane in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

The series takes a few weeks off before heading to Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday April 8.