Kyle Larson Goes Back-To-Back At Lawton

For the second time in as many nights, Kyle Larson is an Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 main event winner.

Jun 9, 2020 by Tim Truex

For the second time in as many nights, Elk Grove, California’s Kyle Larson is an Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 main event winner, doing so during Cometic Gasket Thunder Through The Plains presented by Hercules Tires competition at Lawton Speedway in Lawton, Oklahoma, on Monday, June 8. Accompanied by a $5,000 payday, the Lawton victory required patience and perseverance, once again forced to fend off some of the best in the business, all while navigating a tricky, yet narrow racing groove.

Watch full coverage from the All Star Sprints at Lawton Speedway on FloRacing

The victory bumped Larson’s All Star win count to three in 2020, simultaneously increasing his overall All Star victory tally to 12.

“To come out here and win two in a row like this says so much about this team and what we have going on,” Kyle Larson said, who was victorious one night prior at 81 Speedway in Park City, Kansas. “It’s pretty incredible to see so many people out here supporting this deal, especially on a Monday night. It’s exciting to be a part of it.”

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Despite a pair of cautions delaying the initial start, Larson was unrattled, utilizing his row two starting spot to get the jump into second before the completion of lap one. Powering ahead from the pole position, two-time and defending All Star champion, Aaron Reutzel, set the early pace, keeping things in check during the first nine circuits.

Traffic came into play for the first time on lap ten giving Larson an opportunity to close the gap on Reutzel. Putting himself in striking distance early, Larson eventually made a bid for the lead on lap 13, executing a perfect slider through turns three and four before out-sprinting Reutzel back to the flagstand.

Although Larson was the sole leader from that point forward, Reutzel did not go down without a fight, nearly reclaiming the top spot on several occasions with aggressive sliders through turns one and two. All of Retuzel’s attempts were eventually denied, as Larson was able to diamond off the corner and retake command before the exit of turn two. In total, three slide job attempts were carried out by Reutzel in hopes of dethroning Larson, but as aforementioned, all three were negated.

Meanwhile, as the front runners diced for positions, Lawton Speedway’s racing real estate started to narrow forcing all feature competitors to move into the rubbered-up racing groove that formed around the middle and bottom of the speedway. Although wide in some spots, the abrasive surface made passing tricky.

After a fuel stop with 29 laps recorded, instigated by another caution and a dissipated fuel window, action resumed with Larson still on the point. Even with Reutzel and Danny Dietrich applying the pressure, Larson hung on the final 11 circuits, maneuvering the abrasive surface carefully and even surviving a final encounter with traffic.

“There’s a lot of strategy that goes into racing on a surface that gets like that. It makes it fun in a way, but it can be really stressful,” Kyle Larson explained, driver of the Paul Silva-owned/Tarlton and Sons/Finley Farms/No. 57 sprint car. “I knew Aaron’s (Reutzel) only shot to get by me was going to be a slider in one of the corners. I was just trying to run easy. I didn’t want to get too close to the guys in front of me, and the track was still really wide at that point. He was almost carrying too much speed when he got by me that he actually slipped up out of the rubber.”

Less than a second back, Aaron Reutzel crossed the line in the runner-up spot, followed by Danny Dietrich, Josh Baughman, and DJ Netto.

Catch up with the top three after the feature:

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What’s Next:

Watch the All Stars Sprints LIVE at Outlaw Motor Speedway on FloRacing

The Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 will continue the 2020 edition of Cometic Gasket Thunder Through The Plains presented by Hercules Tires with a return to Outlaw Motor Speedway in Oktaha, Oklahoma, on Tuesday, June 9. The event was originally slated for Saturday, June 6, but Mother Nature stepped-in and ruined the evening just as the second set of warm-ups were hitting the speedway. All Star hot laps are slated to begin at 7:15 p.m. Those seeking additional news and notes pertaining to the event should visit Outlaw Motor Speedway on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Outlawmotorspeedway1/.