NASCAR Barometer: Larson Holds Off Harvick to Win All-Star Race

Larson won both the Monster Energy Open and the All-Star Races Saturday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The No. 42 didn't have a guaranteed spot in the main event and had to race his way into the big show. Once there he didn't disappoint, starting the final stage in 13th position and working his way forward in the pack to grab the lead from Kyle Busch and then go on to hold off the charging Kevin Harvick to claim the win. This trip to Victory Lane means he won't have to worry about not having a guaranteed spot in future All-Star Races, and it came with a million-dollar check to top it off.

This week, the field returns their focus to championship progress. The longest race of the season is on tap for Sunday night in NASCAR's Memorial Day weekend classic, the Coca-Cola 600.

UPGRADE

Kyle Larson – As expected, Larson advanced to the All-Star Race by winning the final stage in the Monster Energy Open. Contact with Daniel Hemric in the final laps of the first stage left him with excess ground to cover after repairs were made on his car. He worked hard and didn't give up, though. That effort got him the win and a start in the big show, which he then used as a springboard to hold off Kevin Harvick to win. It was a huge accomplishment from him considering the bad luck the team has experienced much of the season so far. The monkey now appears to be off his back. Larson has four top-10 Charlotte finishes from 10 starts and finished seventh in the 600 last season.

Kyle Busch – Busch drove his way to the first stage win of Saturday night's All-Star Race. It was a relatively smooth stage for him. Despite having a small dust up in the third stage that resulted in damage to his nose he still went on to finish third after leading 15 total laps. Busch has been the guy to beat so far this season and nothing short of a complete disaster appears likely to change that momentum. He dominated last year's Coca-Cola 600, leading 377 of the 400 laps. Charlotte has been a good track for him, and fantasy owners should be looking his direction as they complete their lineups for this weekend. Unfortunatel, his success will make him a high-priced option.

Alex Bowman – Bowman perhaps had a car that could win a stage in the Open Saturday night, but after coming up short, he still made the main race by winning the fan vote. Three consecutive runner-up finishes heading into the exhibition weekend likely led to that rise in popularity. He didn't disappoint in the All-Star Race either, running consistently in the top 10 to an eight-place finish. Bowman has been racing extremely well recently and it looks like wins will come soon. Fantasy owners should keep in mind he finished ninth in the 600 last year and should be a driver worthy of a spot in many lineups this weekend. This is a driver showing the signs of getting comfortable at the front of the field.

William Byron – Byron used an overtime finish to the first stage of the Monster Energy Open to force his way to the front and claim the first transfer spot of the night. He went from fourth to first in the final lap in an impressive restart, and that was enough to put him into the main show. Once there, he ran well and finished the night in ninth position. Byron's performance in advancing from the Open and then running up front in the All-Star Race shows that Hendrick Motorsports' resurgence isn't fading. This will be great news as they prepare to get the team back into Victory Lane this weekend. Fantasy players should ignore his 39th-place finish last season and heavily weight his practice and qualifying times instead.

Kevin Harvick – Harvick won the second stage and led the most laps in Saturday night's race. He didn't have what it took to overcome Larson in the final laps and ultimately missed repeating his win from last season. He had the best car much of the night and even fought back from midrace trouble to be in the mix for the win. Harvick has yet to get the win that would guarantee his spot in the championship fight, but he does have a comfortable cushion in the standings. A win for this team, with three top-fives in the last five races including Saturday's exhibition event, could break the seal and start a run of wins and top finishes. Just small tweaks around the edges appears to be all that is necessary at this point.

DOWNGRADE

Clint Bowyer – Starting on pole was the highlight of the evening for Bowyer. Everything went downhill for him after that. For much of the night he struggled and was bouncing off other cars and the walls. A late-race confrontation with Ryan Newman left him with even more car damage after he spun into the wall after the race was over. Bowyer didn't take kindly to that and immediately exited the car to confront Newman on pit road with a flurry of punches. It was the culmination of an exceptionally frustrating night for the No. 14, who has four top-10s from the last five points races. He'll need to compose himself and focus on the task at hand this weekend.

Denny Hamlin – Once again Hamlin came out on the down side. His 18th-place finish in Saturday's All-Star Race was his fourth straight race finishing outside of the top 15. Luckily, Saturday wasn't a points effort. His wins will see him safely into the playoffs, but Hamlin is lacking the momentum his teammates have had the last few weeks. A cut tire from close racing was the instigator of his crash in the final stage as he was hit from behind by Ryan Blaney while slowing. Hamlin has a week to fix whatever has been ailing him but can still rest comfortably knowing his spot in the title hunt is secure. Fantasy owners may want to wait until he returns to top finishes before selecting him again, though.

Daniel Suarez – Suarez did not have an automatic entry in Saturday's All-Star Race, but he did have a nice history at Charlotte to suggest he should advance. After fighting in the top five through the first and second stages, he raced Wallace hard for the stage win but came off on the wrong side. Damage to his car was significant, and despite the team making repairs, he was unable to climb back into the top 10. While the exhibition race weekend may have ended in disappointment, he could still be a valuable fantasy option next week. In three Charlotte oval starts, he has a best finish of sixth and an average result of 10.7. Circumstances Saturday night just didn't pan out.

Daniel Hemric – Hemric had the dominant car to start the Open race, but a late caution ruined his chance of leading every lap in the opening stage. Fighting hard late in the second stage with Ryan Preece left Hemric in the wall and then to the garage. Damage from the contact was too much for the No. 3 machine to continue for the rest of the night. Hemric had been one of the fastest cars throughout the weekend among the Open contenders but watched his chance at an All-Star start go up in smoke. Next week will mark his first appearance in the Coca-Cola 600. Last year in the Xfinity Charlotte race on the same weekend he finished seventh.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

Darrell Wallace Jr. – Wallace used track position and tenacity to win the second stage in the Monster Energy Open and claim a spot in the All-Star Race. He battled door to door with first William Byron and then Daniel Suarez, finally getting his stage win on the second try after contact with Suarez. It was a tenacious and ferocious fight to the lead that proved he wanted it and would do anything to get it. In the All-Star Race he also raced admirably, finishing in the top five. This team has struggled tremendously this season, but Saturday shows they have potential if they can solve their issues. Wallace finished 16th after starting 24th in last year's 600-mile contest and could make a good driver to consider this weekend.