Kyle Larson is the kind of driver who makes racing look effortless—most of the time. Whether it’s dirt tracks, short tracks, road courses, or anything in between, he’s got that rare ability to adapt and thrive. But there’s one place that continues to haunt him, one glaring weak spot in an otherwise dazzling resume: superspeedways. Daytona and Talladega have never been kind to him, and as another Daytona 500 slipped through his fingers, Hendrick Motorsports icon Jeff Gordon is starting to worry if the battle is no longer just with the track—but inside Larson’s own head.
Kyle Larson’s Daytona 500 curse rears its ugly head again
Larson’s 2025 Daytona 500 was supposed to be different. A fresh start. A chance to shake off years of frustration and rewrite the story. Instead, it followed a painfully familiar script: flashes of promise, a race spent dodging trouble, and then—bang—one late-race wreck, another shattered opportunity. Larson rolled into Speedweek determined to break the cycle. He wasn’t outwardly stressed about it—at least, not at first. He even cracked a joke at Media Day, comparing himself to Tony Stewart, another all-time great who never managed to win the Great American Race. “I’m not going to lose sleep if I don’t ever win this race,” Larson said with a shrug.
But the race showed that his carefree mindset didn’t reflect on the track. He struggled for outright speed in qualifying, meaning he’d have to earn his place on the grid in the Duels. Those races are a recipe for chaos at the best of times, and sure enough, Kyle Larson found himself in the middle of it. A last-lap wreck left him with a damaged car and a 22nd-place starting spot for Sunday’s race.
Starting mid-pack, he picked his way forward with patience and precision, biding his time, dodging wrecks left, right, and center. And for a while, it looked promising. He was in the mix when it mattered, running inside the top ten as the laps wound down. But superspeedway racing is unpredictable, and fate had one last cruel twist in store. Cole Custer and Christopher Bell triggered a late-race pileup, Denny Hamlin spun, Ryan Preece was sent flying into the #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy, and Kyle Larson—once again—got caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Jeff Gordon said after the race, “I love Kyle and he’s great but this is a challenge for him.” It’s getting to him, and Jeff Gordon isn’t afraid to say it. “It’s in his head now,” he admitted, hinting that this superspeedway struggle might be morphing into something more psychological than mechanical.
#BluntGordon tonight
Jeff was asked about Larson’s superspeedway struggles and said ‘I don’t know’ and ‘it’s in his head now.’
Larson said over his radio that every move he made was the wrong one.
Jeff: “I noticed”
He says he loves Kyle and he’s great but this is a challenge
— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) February 17, 2025
His car limped back to pit road, the damage too much to recover from. Another Daytona 500, another finish outside the top 20. Meanwhile, his Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron survived the chaos to make history, becoming the first back-to-back Daytona 500 winner since Hamlin in 2019-2020. Byron’s execution was flawless. Larson, once again, was left watching someone else celebrate.
Even his 10-year-old son, Owen Larson, seemed to pick up on the tension. Owen was asked about his dad’s chances in the 500 and his response was as brutally honest as it was hilarious: “He probably has to try really hard because he’s not good at superspeedways.”
Can Larson ever conquer his demons?
Kyle Larson isn’t used to being second-best at anything. But when it comes to superspeedways, the numbers don’t lie. In 41 starts at Daytona and Talladega, he’s never won. His best Daytona 500 finish remains a P7 from his Chip Ganassi Racing days, and since the Next Gen car arrived, he hasn’t cracked the top ten.
So, what now? Gordon thinks the answer isn’t in the car—it’s in Larson’s mindset. That’s easier said than done. Superspeedway racing isn’t just about raw speed or talent—it’s about instinct, positioning, and sometimes just dumb luck. For a driver like Larson, who thrives on control and precision, that randomness is maddening. He can out-drive just about anyone in a sprint car, on a short track, or on a road course. But at Daytona and Talladega, he’s still searching for the missing piece.
For now, the monkey on his back isn’t going anywhere. But if there’s one thing we know about Kyle Larson, it’s that he doesn’t quit. He’ll be back. And maybe—just maybe—one day, he’ll finally get the last laugh over his son.
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