SPEED with Harvick and Buxton
SPEED with Harvick and Buxton

Kyle Larson Outlasts Carnage & Breaks NASCAR Winless Streak in St. Louis

September 15, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Kyle Larson’s 51-race winless streak finally ended in the most chaotic race of the NASCAR season—18 cautions, widespread brake failures, and 13 of 16 chase contenders suffering problems at World Wide Technology Raceway. The win vaulted Larson to second in the standings, nine points behind Denny Hamlin, and gave Hendrick Motorsports its first real sign that the team may be returning to form after a difficult stretch with the new Chevrolet body. But the episode covered far more than just St. Louis: the O’Reilly’s series saw Jesse Love snap his own 25-race drought, Formula One’s Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madrid circuit drew heavy criticism for producing fewer passes than Monaco, and Ugo Ugochukwu became the first American FIA Formula 3 champion.

NASCAR Cup: Larson’s Win, Brake Failures, and a Chaotic Chase Picture

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (00:00) **Race Chaos & Kyle Larson's Winless Streak Ends** - The episode opens with immediate discussion of the chaotic St. Louis race, featuring a season-high 18 cautions, and pivots to Kyle Larson breaking his 51-race winless streak.
  • 2 (03:28) **Hendrick Motorsports Form & Chaotic Chase Implications** - The conversation shifts to whether Hendrick is back to form and the shocking impact of the chaotic first two playoff races on the points standings.
  • 3 (03:49) **Anatomy of the Chaos: Brake Failures** - The hosts dissect the primary cause of the 18 cautions, focusing on widespread brake rotor failures due to increased horsepower and the low-downforce package.
  • 4 (06:49) **Playoff Contenders in Turmoil** - The discussion focuses on the staggering stat that 13 of 16 playoff contenders had problems, and how this chaos is reshaping the championship hunt.
  • 5 (08:20) **Carson Hocevar's Overtime Spin & Fan Service** - The incident where Carson Hocevar spins Shane van Gisbergen in overtime is analyzed, followed by praise for Hocevar's post-race fan engagement.
  • 6 (09:44) **Points Standings & Championship Outlook** - The hosts break down the current points standings, identifying who is in contention and who is likely out of the championship fight.
  • 7 (12:40) **Zane Smith's Vicious Crash** - The hosts discuss the severity of Zane Smith's crash, providing an update on his condition and analyzing the physics of the impact.

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Guests on this episode

Show Notes

Kevin Harvick and Kaitlyn Vincie breakdown Kyle Larson’s huge win at World Wide Technology Raceway, analyze the massive pit-lane pileup in the O’Reilly Series, and debate whether Formula 1’s new Madring circuit failed to live up to the hype.

Plus, history is made as Ugo Ugochukwu becomes the first American to win the FIA Formula 3 Championship! Is INDYCAR in his future? All that, plus MotoGP madness, CARS Tour tempers, new INDYCAR IR-28 testing & wild weather all around the racing world.

Chapters:

00:00 - Intro

01:00 - NASCAR St. Louis: Larson Wins, 18 Cautions & Stage 3 Wrecks

13:41 - NASCAR O'Reilly Series: Jesse Love Wins & Terrifying Pit Road Crash

18:30 - F1 Spanish GP: Antonelli Wins For The 8th Time In 2026

20:19 - Was Madring a Failure?

25:47 - F3 History: Ugo Ugochukwu Becomes 1st American Champion!

28:55 - Social Speedway: Tesla vs. McLaren Drag Race & More

33:54 - Mailbag: Racing While Injured

35:40 - Around the Racing World: IndyCar IR-28 Testing, MotoGP, WRC, Suzuka, Sprint Cars & More

53:45 - Driver of the Week & Final Lap

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SPEED with Harvick and Buxton