Late charge propels Kyle Larson to O'Reilly Series win in Vegas

Larson surges to victory in the final laps at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Mar. 15, 2026 at 7:10am

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Kyle Larson won the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, surging into the lead late and pulling away to victory. Larson, driving the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, took the lead on a late restart and went on to win by over 2.5 seconds ahead of Chase Briscoe. Sheldon Creed finished third, followed by series points leader Justin Allgaier and Sammy Smith.

Why it matters

Larson's victory continues his strong performance at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where he has now won twice in the NASCAR Cup Series and once in the O'Reilly Series. The win also marks the fifth different winner in the first five races of the 2026 O'Reilly Series season, highlighting the competitive nature of the championship battle.

The details

Larson took the lead from the seventh position on a late restart on Lap 154 of 200 and pulled away to the victory. Briscoe recovered from a brush with the wall and flat tire to finish second, while Creed's third-place run was marred by an incident where he made contact with Taylor Gray, sending Gray into the wall. Series points leader Allgaier led a race-high 48 laps but had to settle for fourth at the finish.

  • The race took place on Saturday, March 14, 2026 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
  • Larson took the lead on Lap 154 of the 200-lap race.

The players

Kyle Larson

The winner of the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, driving the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. Larson has now won twice at Las Vegas in the NASCAR Cup Series and once in the O'Reilly Series.

Chase Briscoe

The runner-up in the race, driving a Toyota. Briscoe recovered from a brush with the wall and flat tire to finish second.

Sheldon Creed

The third-place finisher, driving a Chevrolet. Creed's race was marred by an incident where he made contact with Taylor Gray, sending Gray into the wall.

Justin Allgaier

The series points leader, who led a race-high 48 laps but had to settle for a fourth-place finish.

Sammy Smith

The fifth-place finisher, driving a Chevrolet.

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What they’re saying

“I was a bit nervous. I knew the 00 (Creed) and Briscoe were ripping the top. I tried it once, and I didn't feel good up there at all.”

— Kyle Larson (NASCAR)

“Even with the adversity we were dealing with, I knew if we got a lucky break, we were going to hopefully get back up there. Honestly, it wasn't an unfortunate break with the tire -- I think it was my own fault. I just drove it into the fence and cost myself. I had a lot of fun. It was certainly fun slipping and sliding around the race track.”

— Chase Briscoe (NASCAR)

“I just got into him. I was trying to pack some air. I didn't know he was that close to the 17 (eighth-place finisher Corey Day). I could have cut him more of a break there, and I didn't. That's not the way I wanted to race him.”

— Sheldon Creed (NASCAR)

What’s next

The NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series will next race at Phoenix Raceway on March 28, 2026.

The takeaway

Kyle Larson's late-race charge to victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway showcased his talent and the competitive nature of the 2026 NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series season, where five different drivers have now won the first five races.