"I assumed it was my nose that cut his tire": Kyle Larson on battling reigning World of Outlaws champion during first Wild West Shootout victory

Kyle Larson ended a tough week of racing with an impressive victory at the Wild West Shootout at Vado Speedway Park. For the second consecutive season in the Kevin Rumley N.6, Larson picked up his first win of the mini-series on Saturday night.

He had a great battle with the reigning World of Outlaws champion Bobby Pierce and was relieved that he was not the one who gave him the flat tire that ended his race.

The win came with six laps remaining when Kyle Larson chased down Pierce, ran into his back, and made a pass. In a post-race interview, Larson expressed relief that Pierce had a flat tire before the collision, saying:

“That’s good to know because I got underneath him and I just assumed it was my nose that cut his tire. I wasn’t going to get too excited taking the lead that way. I hate that for Bobby whether I gave him the flat or not."

With a $26,000 winning prize pool up for grabs, Larson prevailed and denied reigning World of Outlaws champion Bobby Pierce's quest for the $100,000 bonus. This annual race series of Super Late Models features six races over eight nights and attracts some of the biggest names, with big money prizes throughout the week.

Reflecting on the race in that post-race interview, Larson said:

"I think our tire selection was just better than his. That’s all. My car was good against the cushion. It wasn’t good on the bottom early but up top."

Kyle Larson's win came after a tough week, which included a main car crash in Friday's heat race. Amid the setbacks, Larson’s backup car proved vital, putting him in contention for victory all weekend.

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“Phenomenal” Kyle Larson can win the Indy 500 in his first attempt, says Alexander Rossi

On May 26th, Kyle Larson will race in the Indy500 and Coca-Cola 600, and he wants to win both these events on that day.

If anyone could do that, it would be the NASCAR Cup Series champion of 2021, according to Alexander Rossi.

"[Larson is] going to be a fantastic addition. He's going to be up to speed right away. He's going to be a challenger to win the thing. I don't need to watch him race to know that. Oh, he's phenomenal."

That weekend could be historic if Kyle Larson becomes NASCAR's first driver to win at The Brickyard and then do the same at a Crown Jewel race later that day.

Larson’s calendar for 2024 is full. This season will be his first Indy 500 appearance with Arrow McLaren, with support from NASCAR's Rick Hendrick.