The harder you work the luckier you get. That’s a mantra a lot of sportsmen like to believe in and most interviews confirm the series of obstacles every one of them had surpassed to reach a certain level. But in life, some things get beyond one’s control.
Kyle Larson is riding a wave of success. From dominating the Chili Bowl to breaking through in Australia, he’s been nearly unstoppable this offseason. Now, after pocketing $120,000 ($100,000 in Australia and $20,000 at the World of Outlaws) with a big win at Volusia Speedway, Larson heads to Daytona with momentum. But even with everything going his way, there’s one major roadblock standing between him and his first Daytona 500 victory—something no amount of skill or preparation can fully overcome.
Kyle Larson opens up not being master of his own destiny
Superspeedway racing is unpredictable. It’s a game of inches, split-second decisions, and, sometimes, sheer luck. And for all his confidence, Larson knows that destiny is out of his hands at Daytona. “Things are going well, but… it’s a cr*pshoot” Speaking after his Volusia win, Larson reflected on his recent success and what it means for the Daytona 500. “It does, it definitely doesn’t affect confidence or anything, but, um, I don’t know, it just seems like things are going well for me right now,” he said. “And, uh, it would be neat to, you know, check off another box that’s kind of, you know, wound me for so long.”
What Larson cheekily refers to as just “another box” is a trophy that has managed to elude him for years. While his win in Volusia was incredible, the lack of a trophy at a certain track 23 miles east of Volusia remains a glaring error on his record. What makes this even worse is the lack of Top 10 finishes, with Larson’s average finish at the track being 24.3.
But as much as he wants it, Larson understands that no amount of preparation can change the chaotic nature of the race. “You can control your destiny here,” he explained, referencing his Volusia win. “You can’t really control your destiny a whole lot, uh, over there, so it’s just kind of a cr*pshoot.” And that’s the dilemma. Larson is in peak form, but Daytona has a way of leveling the playing field. One wrong move, one mistimed push, or getting caught in someone else’s wreck could end his race in an instant.
After capturing the overall Volusia Speedway Park “gator” with two victories among the four nights of World of Outlaws racing, Kyle Larson said he checked off boxes during the “offseason” with solid wins in Australia and Volusia. Could the Daytona 500 be next? @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/8gfU7lBueJ
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 9, 2025
Larson has spent the offseason rewriting history. Australia had been a struggle for him in the past, but he finally found success. “It was awesome to go to Australia, you know, a country and place where I just haven’t had much success,” he admitted. Volusia was another track where he rarely found the results he wanted. “I just always come here and don’t finish very well, so it was good to finally come here and have speed, and speed all night long.” Larson said
So far, everything has been clicking. But superspeedway racing isn’t like dirt racing. It’s not just about speed, setup, and execution—it’s about survival. At Volusia, Larson had control over his race. He managed his tires, adjusted to the track, and made the right moves at the right time. “My car felt good, and then it takes rubber, and then the lane just narrows up, and then it’s really hard to carry your momentum,” he explained. “So your car’s not handling the way you want it to, I guess, so it just makes it difficult.” Looking at how the season ended last year, with seemingly random crashes when Yung Money was cruising ahead of most competitors, the concern lingers for fans.
Will he finally conquer his last major roadblock? Or will the “cr*pshoot” nature of the Daytona 500 prove to be the one thing he still can’t overcome? One thing’s for sure—Kyle Larson is in top form. Now, he just has to hope fate is on his side.
The never-ending battle between Larson and Bell
In the dust-choked intensity of dirt tracks, where every fraction of a second writes history, two names have constantly been there to ignite competition: Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell. Their rivalry, starting from their sprint car days, has now blown up again in the dirt scene, leaving everyone thrilled by each lap.
With three laps to go, Larson and Bell engaged in a fierce duel that had Bell stuck to the bottom in the Kreitz Racing No. 69K, and Larson was pressing hard on top. When the checkered flag dropped, it was Bell edging out Larson by a razor-thin 0.05 seconds. “I thought I did a pretty good job on that last restart,” Larson said of the finish. I rode with him down the front stretch and thought maybe I could make enough of a run. But this place is so wide. Running the top is a long way around, and I just came up a little short.”
Not to be outdone, Larson returned the next night with a vengeance. Starting from the pole, he dominated the 25-lap feature to secure his first-ever win at Volusia. “It feels good to finally win here,” Larson said. “We’ve run here maybe 15 times without a win, so it’s been lingering in my head.” Their intense head-to-head battles have defined 2025 so far, with the pair splitting wins evenly across the World of Outlaws, Chili Bowl Nationals, and Tulsa Shootout. “It’s pretty neat that two Cup guys are tied for the point lead in the Outlaw Tour,” Larson noted. “Bell’s not been racing this stuff for a long time, but he’s extremely fast.”
Behind Larson’s resurgence on dirt is his longtime crew chief, Paul Silva—a partnership marked by little chatter and mutual understanding. “We don’t really talk,” Larson joked. “I build my schedule, and Paul knows what I want to do.” As both drivers head back to NASCAR duties in the build-up to Daytona, their dirt rivalry remains a captivating subplot, showcasing raw talent, relentless determination, and a battle that pushes them both to new heights on every track.
The post $120,000 Richer: Kyle Larson Concedes His Only Daytona 500 Roadblock With “Cr*pshoot” Verdict appeared first on EssentiallySports.
