But when all the money was on the line, Larson ended up on the short end of the stick.
MORE: Logano wins | Larson laments | Kenseth confused | All-Star Race images
Larson, who won the Sprint Showdown earlier in the day by holding off rookie Chase Elliott just to gain entry into the Sprint Cup All-Star Race, was passed by Joey Logano with two laps remaining in the final segment of the all-star event and slammed into the wall, forcing him to the garage and a 16th-place finish.
Logano easily maintained his lead to take home the checkered flag and the $1 million race prize.
“I tell you, Larson is a hard racer,” Logano said after the race. “I watched him in the Showdown earlier today and I knew what I was up against. I knew he was gonna run hard. I’m a hard racer, I knew it was gonna be a fun battle for sure.”
“What a crazy battle for a million dollars at the end. This is the All-Star Race. It’s special just to be in the race. Forget winning it, it’s just special. It’s neat to be in victory lane.”
The unique format for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race included two 50-lap segments with mandatory green-flag pit stops and a 13-lap trophy dash. While the race provided excitement, a number of drivers were still confused about how the race was scored.
“They got everybody together, a lap down, the lead lap, a lap down. It’s the most screwed up all-star race I’ve ever been a part of. I’m glad this is the last one,” Tony Stewart told Fox Sports after being involved in a wreck with Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle and Kasey Kahne.
“I’m alright. I’m just madder than hell. I don’t understand how the hell they officiated this whole thing from start to finish.”
Race results:
