After a rough patch that included a flipped dirt car, a devastating day at the Triple Crown, and media silence, Kyle Larson broke through at this weekend’s Viva Mexico 250. The weather-plagued debut Cup race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez gave Larson a shot at redemption, and he seized it by digging deep to salvage what could’ve been a total loss.
While his overall finish did not top the leaderboard, his pace and resilience in Mexico after a turnaround sparked conversations and controversy. One long-time NASCAR insider, clearly in awe, has taken notice of Larson’s effort. Despite being 37 laps down, the speed, the discipline, and the sheer refusal to mail it left many wondering, not for the first time, if Larson might just be built differently.
Kyle Larson’s performance in Mexico has Freddie Kraft in awe
Kyle Larson’s race in Mexico did not go to plan, but it still turned into a statement. After wrecking out and ending up 37 laps down, most drivers would’ve just coasted to the finish. But not the No. 5 team. Larson returned to the track with blistering speed, eventually laying down the fastest lap of the race, a gutsy move that earned him an extra championship point in the respect of the NASCAR garage.
Freddie Kraft did not hold back on a Door Bumper Clear episode. He said, “But did you watch him come out? It was f—–g incredible. Back in the day, if you wrecked and were multiple laps down, they fixed your car, and you just went back out there and rode around. You got on the apron, and you got the hell out of the way. Kyle came out there and ran qualifying laps. By the way — how many points did he lose the championship by last year? One.”
Facing a disappointing finish outside the top five in Michigan, Kyle Larson’s weekend in Mexico completely unraveled after a messy multi-car crash on lap eight. The incident was triggered when Kyle Busch lost control, took Larson out of contention, and left him dead last in 36th place. Yet, despite the carnage, Larson refused to throw in the towel. Tommy Baldwin chimed in, saying, “Kudos to the 5 team—aired up those tires and laid down the lap to get an extra point.”
And he’s got a point. Last year, Larson lost the championship by just one point. That fastest lap might not feel like much now, but come playoff time, it could be golden. Even Matt Weaver was floored by how Cliff Daniels kept the team motivated after such a tough hit. He said, “I love that Cliff was able to keep his guys motivated, and I just think that’s why Cliff Daniels is one of the best leaders in NASCAR.”
That single lap pulled him back into contention for the championship, showing just how razor-thin margins can be in NASCAR.
Determined to claw back something from the wreck, Larson rallied in the final stage. He sought to post a blistering fastest lap of the entire race at 92.896 mph. For a team operating under full damage repair, the lap wasn’t just fast; it was a statement that they were still in this fight.
Freddie Kraft, to Matt’s point, responded, saying, ” This will encourage teams to fix their cars the right way. You’re gonna take maybe a little extra time to make sure it’s done right.” Heading to Pocono, Larson is second in the Cup standings with 537 points, trailing teammate William Byron by 67 points. Earning the Xfinity Fastest Lap Award in Mexico, his third of the season, grabbed him that crucial bonus point.
Kyle Petty believes Kyle Larson will attempt the Double again
Since his second go at the Double Duty, competing in both the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day, something has felt just slightly off. Despite a strong top-five showing in Michigan and Kyle’s bittersweet Mexico race, Larson is still not where he wants to be.
Though his pace hasn’t wavered, his demeanor has. The grueling 1,100-mile challenge is an Everest few drivers conquer, and this time, it got the better of him. After crashing out in both races, placing 27th at Indy following a lap 91 wreck and then 37th at Charlotte after leading for 34 laps, Larson heeds his disappointment, calling it a bummer, suggesting he may not chase the Double again. But not everyone’s buying that. Veteran NASCAR voice Kyle Petty believes Larson’s words were a heat-of-the-moment reaction.
In a recent conversation with Motorsport Report, Kyle shared his thoughts. “I think the disappointment and the emotion of having two races back-to-back that were terrible races, really terrible races, when you look at the caliber of driver that he is… I think that might have been emotion speaking.”
Moreover, Petty added on saying, “I think the opportunity, if it comes up again, because we feel in Cup racing that he is a guy like Kurt Busch, like a Kyle Busch who just has so much talent that they can get in anything, anytime, and drive and compete. I’m not saying they can win, but they can compete, and he represents NASCAR well by going there.”
Petty added that Larson brings legitimacy to any crossover attempt, representing NASCAR proudly on the world stage. And he’s not alone; seven-time Cup champ Jimmie Johnson concurs with this sentiment.
On NASCAR Inside the Race, Johnson applauded Larson’s ambition, saying, “I love that he’s doing it, and I hope that he sticks with it. The uptick for motorsports worldwide is measurable; like when people do ‘The Double,’ it matters. And Kyle’s a guy that can drive anything, as we know.”
Even if the result wasn’t what Larson envisioned, Johnson alerted him to shake off the critics and trust his gut when considering another shot at history. Yet again, as NASCAR heads to Pennsylvania, eyes will be on Larson.
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