Larson's flat tire on final turn gifts Bowman victory at Pocono

A flat tire kept Kyle Larson out of NASCAR's history books.

Larson was denied his fourth straight victory due to a flat tire on the final turn, allowing Alex Bowman to steal the checkered flag at the Pocono Organics CBD 325 at Pocono Raceway.

Bowman had grabbed the lead out of a restart with 20 laps to go and maintained his narrow lead until Larson finally passed him with four laps left. Larson then pulled away and appeared to be cruising to the finish line until the flat.

No Cup Series driver has won four straight races since 2007.

"Disbelief, still," Larson said after the race, according to The Associated Press. "... I felt something in the middle of the tunnel. I wasn't sure what it was yet. It kind of shredded the tire."

Bowman's surprising triumph over his Hendrick Motorsports teammate was his third of the 2021 season and Hendrick's team-record sixth straight victory.

The 28-year-old won by less than a second over second-place Kyle Busch. William Byron, Denny Hamlin, and Ryan Blaney rounded out the top five, while Larson had to settle for a ninth-place finish.