Kyle Larson was at peace being the NASCAR Cup Sequence championship runner-up at Phoenix Raceway, trailing Ryan Blaney to the end. Larson, the 2021 collection champion, felt that was all he might do Sunday afternoon.

“I do know it didn’t look perhaps prefer it that final run,” he stated. “That was all I had. Our staff did a extremely good job of placing us in that spot. I’m nonetheless clearly extraordinarily bummed, as I’m positive Denny [Hamlin] was final week. Although I didn’t really feel like I had the quick automotive, I had a chance. It’s a bummer if you don’t win.

“On the similar level, I’m in all probability arising this shut, in all probability extra looking forward to the next season already. I do know the place I want to enhance and I’m simply able to get again on the observe and work on all that. Yeah, bummed but in addition desperate to get into the offseason, get working and prepared for subsequent yr.”

Though Larson got here off pit street main the championship contenders for the race’s remaining restart with 31 laps to go, he might solely maintain them off for 10 laps. The go for the championship got here with 21 laps to go when Blaney drove across the outdoors of the No. 5.

Larson restarted third, the second driver within the inside lane. His Hendrick Motorsports teammate and fellow championship rival, William Byron, restarted within the row behind him whereas Blaney restarted to Byron’s outdoors.

Blaney shortly dispatched Byron to maneuver to 3rd place within the operating order and second within the championship hunt behind Larson. It took two extra laps earlier than Larson was caught by the Penske automotive, and after the 2 labored totally different lanes and sized one another up, Blaney used the surface lane to make the go.

“After I noticed him get to 3rd as shortly as he did, I knew I used to be going to be in hassle,” Larson stated. “I felt like I might perhaps maintain off William for the size of that run. Holding off Ryan was going to be robust. He (Blaney) might simply transfer round rather a lot higher than me, form of be extra comfy on the sting. He undoubtedly seemed free, however he might nonetheless push the automotive. I couldn’t push the automotive actually additional than what I used to be.

“I felt actually dedicated to the underside. Even once I would transfer round and make my automotive really feel higher, it was slower on lap time. I knew I used to be in slightly little bit of hassle and was going to attempt to put up a struggle. I felt like I wasn’t going to have the ability to maintain him off. He did a extremely good job. His staff continued to enhance on the race automotive all through the previous couple of months. They deserved to win.”

Larson didn’t lead a lap Sunday. In three seasons with Hendrick Motorsports, Larson has received 17 races and completed no worse than seventh within the championship with two Championship 4 appearances.