Overview
- Starting outside the pole, Axsom took the lead early and never officially surrendered it following Larson’s Lap 16 crash while navigating C.J. Leary’s slowing car.
- Larson’s car sustained right‑front damage, including a bent axle and broken shock as reported, which ended the defending champion’s bid despite a dominant week.
- Axsom, 21, drove the No. 39A Swindell Speedlabs entry to the Golden Driller on his sixth Chili Bowl start.
- He withstood late pressure to prevail by under four tenths of a second, with Kevin Thomas Jr. charging to second from 18th and Hank Davis Jr. finishing third.
- Axsom praised Larson’s pace, saying the veteran’s “90 percent is my 110 percent,” and called him his primary early threat before the accident.