“It doesn’t suit me”: Kyle Larson makes feeling clear as NASCAR returns to Bowman Gray Stadium 

Kyle Larson is set to kick off his fifth season with Hendrick Motorsports this weekend (February 2) with a pre-season clash at the historic Bowman Gray Stadium. The 32-year-old driver will return to the quarter-mile short track where he first competed in the 2012 ARCA Menards Series East.

The former Cup Series champion concluded the 2024 NASCAR season as the most dominant driver, leading in both wins and laps. He also ended the year with an impressive victory and the largest payday in Australian Sprint car history.

Continuing his momentum, the Elk Grove, California native showcased his talent by winning his third Golden Driller trophy at the 2025 Chili Bowl National earlier this year.

Despite his success, Larson believes the short track at Winston-Salem, North Carolina, "doesn't suit" him while competing in a stock car. Nevertheless, the No. 5 Chevrolet driver for HMS aims to start the upcoming season on a high note at the exhibition race.

Reflecting on his previous start at Bowman Gray Stadium, Larson said (via Hendrick Motorsports):

"I don't remember a ton about the race. I remember qualifying just slipping and sliding and I just remember basically dirt tracking it for a couple of laps, just trying to build heat in the tires. So, just being sideways for a couple of laps.

"But then in the race, I'd never raced on a track that small in a stock car, so it was difficult, similar to Martinsville it just does not suit me. So, I could never quite get into a rhythm. I still think I finished OK ... just kind of went backwards and probably tried to survive."

It is worth noting that Kyle Larson secured the pole position during his last visit to Bowman Gray Stadium and finished the race in P5.

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Kyle Larson opens up on the "one area" that needs room for improvement

After a dominant 2024 season, Kyle Larson acknowledged that he still has room for improvement, particularly in avoiding wrecks, while competing in NASCAR's premier division. He discussed this aspect in a conversation with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio:

"I don't know I feel like we haven't won a championship in a few years. So there's still definitely a room to improve on yourself and on the team, and car. For me personally, you look at the personal statistics at the end of the year, and I feel like I still crash about the most.

"That's probably one area I've probably tried to get better even though it doesn't seem like it," Larson added. "Yeah, that's the thing that I look at for this coming years is how do I maintain who I am without crashing as much? So it's a constant battle with myself but I feel like I can figure that out, and you know be more successful."

Following the pre-season clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, Larson will return to action for the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway on February 16.