Alex Weaver catches up with Kyle Larson after his Sonoma Raceway win, crediting the No. 5 Hendrick group as 'the best team' in NASCAR.
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00:00 >> Third win of the season for the number five of Kyle Larson.
00:02 He does it again at his home racetrack.
00:05 An eventful day to say the least.
00:07 But you managed to come up through the field there in the final stage.
00:10 So let's just go through the final stage.
00:12 How did you manage to go basically from the back to victory lane?
00:15 >> Yeah, it was a lot of fun.
00:18 It was so many yellows early on.
00:19 I was just wanting to go racing.
00:22 We got to that third stage and I was surprised that -- they weren't -- the team wasn't surprised.
00:26 I was surprised, man, I'm going to start 22nd here.
00:32 I was trying to keep an eye on Ross and Reddick and Chase, guys on the same strategy as me.
00:38 I wanted to be the lead guy on the freshest tires.
00:42 I was able to get through traffic pretty good.
00:44 It was a lot of fun.
00:45 I think we got to 12th, 13th or so pretty quickly.
00:52 Those guys started pitting and I led for a while.
00:54 Was able to put together some good laps.
00:56 Then, yeah, we pitted again and then I didn't quite realize for a lap or two that I was
01:01 going to be racing those guys.
01:02 I was hoping they were going to have to pit again.
01:04 It would be easier.
01:05 When he said I had to race those guys, I was like, oh, my gosh, I don't know if I'm going
01:09 to have time here.
01:11 I knew I would be a lot faster for eight or so laps.
01:14 But I thought once my tires would get up to similar temperature as them, I would not be
01:19 better than them anymore.
01:20 But thankfully we had just enough still, you know, grip in the tires.
01:24 Once we got to them, I could still be on offense.
01:26 And then, you know, they got battle in front of me.
01:29 Got by Buescher pretty easy as they ran side by side.
01:32 And then I was hoping Martin, you know, not yet leading, would miss an apex and he missed
01:37 the first one he got to.
01:38 So then I got by him and he kept the pressure on, though.
01:42 So he's so good here.
01:44 He's really the best here at Sonoma.
01:46 So feels good whenever you can beat him.
01:48 And our team did a really good job to strategize our way to the win.
01:52 >> I've talked to some of your crew, your crew chief, your engine tuner, and I know
01:56 that it's been an insane month for this team.
01:59 And they have put in so many hours and so much hard work as of you.
02:02 What can you say about this team and what this win means to these crew?
02:05 >> Yeah, you know, they have put in a lot of work here the last -- I mean, really all
02:10 year but especially the last couple months with different drivers in the car, getting
02:14 different seats and stuff in there, all of that.
02:16 But we have the best team.
02:19 And they can handle it.
02:20 And Cliff has done a really, really great job of piecing this team together and keeping
02:25 everybody motivated and working really hard and continuing to get better, too.
02:30 I think that's what he is such a great leader at, is pushing us to keep pushing forward.
02:36 So yeah, the team is awesome.
02:40 Everybody back in the race shop, engine shop, everybody involved at Hendrick motorsports
02:43 does a phenomenal job.
02:44 So just us four drivers that get to drive the car are just very fortunate that we get
02:50 to race the best team.
02:51 >> Congratulations.