Kyle Larson: The racer’s racer looks to capture the NASCAR Cup once more

AVONDALE, Ariz. — Barrels be warned — Kyle Larson is back for vengeance.

Kyle Larson returns to the Championship 4 for the second time in the NextGen era, dating back to 2022. He has a chance to add another NASCAR Cup Series title to his resume this weekend at Phoenix Raceway.

Larson travels to the desert as the only member of the final quartet to sit atop the Cup Series mountain before. His lone championship — in 2021 — capped off a dominant season and the end of the previous generation.

In contrast to that season where he seemed untouchable, his pursuit for a second title has fallen short of that same excellence in the NextGen era.

A Round of 12 exit in 2022 ended his title defense earlier than expected. His 2023 Championship 4 run unraveled with his costly pit road incident late at Phoenix. Then, last season, he came up short at Martinsville and failed to advance to the final round again.

A second championship has been just out of reach. Now, Larson is back — reaching out to reclaim his Cup Series crown in 2025.

Kyle Larson in 2025

Larson’s 2025 started hot. In the first third of the season, he found victory lane three times — at Homestead, Bristol and finally Kansas — and scored eight top-five finishes in the opening 12 races.

The No. 5 team looked ready to dominate their way to the playoffs but their hot start faded fast.

The morning after his Kansas win, Larson jetted into opening practice for the Indianapolis 500 as he started his second attempt at The Double.

What followed were a pair of underwhelming double DNFs at Indianapolis and Charlotte — foreshadowing an uneven end to the regular season.

Larson only claimed three top-five finishes in 14 races — raising serious questions about how his early dominance could translate to the playoffs.

Unfortunately for Larson, those doubts seeped into the playoffs. Uninspiring runs at Darlington, Gateway, and Bristol — a track circled as a favorite — were enough for him to advance but not enough to inspire true confidence.

With the points reset and a fresh slate ahead, Larson was set on a rebound round. New Hampshire Motor Speedway had never been a stronghold to Larson and Hendrick Motorsports in the NextGen era — yet Larson and company found a way to grind out their first top-10 finish of the playoffs.

From there, they reignited the flame with a spark of resilience that launched them into the Championship 4 after showing great speed at Kansas, Charlotte Roval and Las Vegas.

Larson may be the only finalist without a playoff win, but he enters Phoenix as dangerous as ever.

When he’s locked in, he makes the extraordinary look effortless. Guided by his patience, precision, and redemption-fueled focus, Kyle Larson has a fighting chance to reclaim the Cup Series title again this weekend.