Is Kyle Larson racing in the 2025 Chili Bowl Nationals? All you need to know

Kyle Larson, driving for Hendrick Motorsports in the NASCAR Cup Series, will be racing in the 2025 Chili Bowl Nationals, the 39th running of the prestigious dirt racing event. Larson has been racing in the biggest race of the midget series for over a decade and a half.

Kyle Larson made his Chili Bowl Nationals debut in 2008 at the age of 15. Thirteen years after his debut, he won his first Chili Bowl, in 2020 before doubling his win tally the very next year.

Larson didn't participate in the 2023 Chili Bowl, as he wanted to experience other things during the NASCAR off-season. However, he made a comeback in 2024, albeit, a very late entry. The #5 HMS driver explained why he came back to the Super Bowl of Midget Racing and why he will keep doing so in the future.

NASCAR: NASCAR Cup Series Championship - Source: Imagn

Kyle Larson said before the 2024 Chili Bowl Nationals, (via Floracing)

“Who knows if I'll be back next year. There's other stuff that ... I want to experience with myself and my family. But the Chili Bowl is the Chili Bowl. It's a super fun event and just being here for the 12 hours ... the real reason I love this event is just the friends I have here and the overall time.”

"The racing part of it, the Driller, is cool. But just being able to spend time with your friends and be altogether is probably the coolest thing about this event and what in the future will keep me coming back.”

The 2025 Chili Bowl Nationals will be held from January 13-18. Kyle Larson will be featured on Monday night for the preliminary round i.e. January 13. He will return to race in the Silva Motorsports, FloRacing #1K entry.

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Kyle Larson explained why he didn't race at the 2023 Chili Bowl Nationals

Kyle Larson talked about the purse of the Chili Bowl after the 2022 event, where he finished sixth. The American received criticism for his comment and decided not to participate in 2023.

However, he came out before the 2024 event to explain that the purse wasn't the reason behind his absence in the 2023 race:

“Last year, I think a lot of people only really read into those comments, rather than ... I've been racing in this building half my life and I wanted to go experience something different? And I did that. I did not miss the Chili Bowl last year. But this year, as it approaches, and you get watching and I realized how quickly the program is done and there's this window of maybe doing it ... I really want to go back.”

AUTO: NOV 09 NASCAR Cup Series NASCAR Cup Series Championship - Source: Getty

Kyle Larson's 2025 entry in the Chili Bowl was also under doubt, as he had a three-day event at Perth Motorplex on December 28-30 lined up with Jason Pryde Motorsport. Nonetheless, he made time in his busy schedule for the 2025 Chili Bowl Nationals.