It was nearly another victory in the 2025 NASCAR Cup season for drivers with a last name starting with ‘B’, as Alex Bowman came one position shy of the win at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Alex Bowman took the lead with 33 laps to go, sliding by Bubba Wallace as he got tight at the exit of Turn 2. They drag-raced down the backstretch, but Wallace was unable to hold back the charge.

But the battle for victory was far from over as Kyle Larson made a final charge against his Hendrick Motorsports teammate. As Larson rapidly closed on the pole-sitter, Bowman tried to move higher to match Larson’s line but got into the outside  wall in a crucial mistake with just six laps left. Larson pounced at the opportunity, taking the lead and setting sail.

It was Larson’s 30th career Cup Series win, and his second of the weekend after winning Friday’s Truck race. He came one win shy of the weekend sweep, losing the lead on the final restart during Saturday’s Xfinity race.

A winning car with battle scars

The car was not without its battle scars with scrapes along the right front and right rear fender after several close encounters with the outside wall. There was also a hole in the dented left-side door after a collision with Josh Berry on pit road.

“It was far from perfect,” Larson told FOX Sports 1. “I gave up a spot and a half, almost two spots there by getting in the wall too many times. I knew I wasn’t going to get the best restart there. I knew I wasn’t good on the short runs and just thought if I could hold off the 11 [Hamlin] and the 45 [Reddick] behind me, you know, I could get (to) in the top and the 19 [Briscoe] too. Then I got in the wall and let him by. Just kind of had to keep plugging away at what I know and what’s good for me. So just proud of myself, proud of the team. Just a lot of gritty, hard work there today between damage on pit road, you know, qualifying bad, bad restarts, all that stuff.

“Just super pumped. One of the coolest wins I think in my Cup career just because of the heartbreak I’ve had here, the heartbreak yesterday, and to just keep my head down and keep digging feels really good.”

The best of the rest

Bowman finished second, 1.2s back of the lead at the finish with Wallace finishing third while also collecting the bonus point for fastest lap. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Chase Briscoe and Denny Hamlin were fourth and fifth, respectively. Chris Buescher, AJ Allmendinger, Tyler Reddick, Ryan Preece, and Justin Haley rounded out the top ten.

The race was fairly clean with only two cautions for cause — the first when Christopher Bell spun and later when Ryan Blaney’s engine detonated after leading the most laps. Blaney and Carson Hocevar were the only two drivers who failed to reach the checkered flag. 

Watch: Bubba Wallace talks ‘really good’ third-place finish from Homestead

Photos from Homestead-Miami – Race