Xfinity 500 Predictions: Can Kyle Larson Equal Jimmie Johnson at Martinsville Speedway?

In the last couple of races, Kyle Larson has been in blazing hot form. The driver recently boasted a record of the most laps as the race leader in a 36-race season. Now, the Hendrick Motorsports star is eyeing even more records to topple. Apparently, the latest one belongs to a certain Jimmie Johnson.

As a seven-time Cup Series champion, it is obvious that there are times when he has been supremely dominant. That happened during the 2007 season when he won his second of five consecutive championships. Apparently, the Hendrick Motorsports legend romped to 10 wins, including four in a row.

Now, Kyle Larson is steadily closing in on that record. He has already nabbed two hat-tricks in the same season, a feat that the late great Dale Earnhardt clinched in 1987. Larson has also recorded nine wins this season and is in the middle of another streak. So the big question is, can Larson snatch a win at the Martinsville Speedway and equal Johnson?

Kyle Larson will definitely have a fight on his hands

Of course, the #5 driver knows that the win will not be easy, even though he is in excellent form. He could count himself as fortunate that he reached Victory Lane ahead of his rivals. However, he knows that he needs to keep this up over the final two races, as one slip up could mean disaster for him.

Oct 17, 2021; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson (5) poses with the trophy in victory lane after he wins the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 in the NASCAR round of 8 opening race at Texas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Meanwhile, the likes of Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, and Martin Truex Jr have to really hustle. The same applies to Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, and Brad Keselowski. One thing is for sure, all the above-mentioned drivers will pull out all the stops to try and nab the three remaining places. Meanwhile, Kyle Larson can either let them win or make things more difficult by gunning for a fourth consecutive win.

READ MORE: Kyle Larson Shatters Jeff Gordon’s NASCAR Record at Kansas

The post Xfinity 500 Predictions: Can Kyle Larson Equal Jimmie Johnson at Martinsville Speedway? appeared first on EssentiallySports.