NASCAR Cup Series

Chase grid profile: Kyle Larson, No. 10

Published Sep. 13, 2016 2:06 p.m. ET

Tim Durr

Driver: Kyle Larson

Seed: 10

Team: Chip Ganassi Racing, No. 42 Chevrolet

Crew Chief: Chad Johnston

Best Finish: 1st, Michigan 2

Age: 24

Hometown: Elk Grove, California

Kyle Larson posted an impressive rookie season in 2014 but struggles and inconsistencies emerged over the next year and a half. At the Pure Michigan 400, Larson erased that theme and broke through with his first career Sprint Cup win, and secured his first berth in the Chase for the Cup.

Larson's been the most impressive driver over the past three races heading into the Chase. He followed up his first Sprint Cup win with a third at the 'Lady in Black' and then marched up to finish second in overtime at Richmond.

Five-defining moments

1. Pure Michigan 400 – Larson finally broke through in his 99th Sprint Cup start to lock himself into the Chase and end the talks of his No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing team being unable to put a full race together.

2. AAA 400 at Dover – Larson came so close to winning his first race when he battled back and forth with Matt Kenseth in the final laps at Dover. Larson didn’t go for a bump-and-run or any hard race moves and even though he lost, earned some respect for racing clean at the finish.

3. STP 500 at Martinsville – Larson followed up a 39th place finish at Auto Club Speedway with a third at Martinsville. The inconsistencies for the No. 42 were evident early in the season, but third at a place we’ll see in the Chase is never a bad thing.

4. GoBowling.com 400 at Kansas – In between finishes of third at Martinsville and second at Dover; Larson posted a stretch of five races where he averaged a 25th place finish, capped by a crash and a 35th place finish at Kansas.

5. Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond – The momentum kept swinging in Larson’s favor as he heads into the Chase on the highest note outside of Denny Hamlin, with three top-3 finishes right before the Chase.