Kyle Larson drops a 4-word verdict after a victorious start to his new season

Kyle Larson, the NASCAR driver for Hendrick Motorsports, recently shared a post on Instagram highlighting his performance in the 2025 Chili Bowl Nationals at Tulsa Expo Raceway.

The 32-year-old achieved a remarkable feat marking his third championship win at the 2025 Chili Bowl Nationals. Larson started strong when he established a considerable lead over the field with his car being noticeably fast. With 17 laps still in the balance, the California native ran into trouble when he collided with another car which stalled his car temporarily. He was able to resume the race and maintain his pole. With four laps to go, Larson faced another obstacle when he skidded into the outside wall while he attempted to navigate across the back markers. A caution flag saved him this time to retain his lead. In the dying moments of the Super Bowl of Midget Racing, he withstood pressure from the advancing Daison Pursley and won the race.

Larson took to Instagram to post a short highlight package of his performance and combined it with the Kendrick Lamar song - tv off (feat. Lefty Gunplay). He encapsulated the post in four words:

“Perfect Start to 2025”

Kyle Larson is gearing up for the rest of the season in which the fans will see him competing for Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team (#17 Chevrolet) and his NASCAR team, Hendrick Motorsports (the long-trusted #5 Chevrolet Camaro). He will attempt to complete “The Double” by racing in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day, a feat that requires him to complete 1100 miles of racing on Memorial Day weekend.

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“A mountain for me to mentally get over”: Kyle Larson looked back on his maiden Chili Bowl win that catapulted him into a ‘mature racer’

Kyle Larson recently reflected on his first victory at the Chili Bowl Nationals, describing it as a transformative moment in his racing career. After winning his third Golden Driller trophy on January 18, 2025, Larson revealed that his initial win in 2020 alleviated the immense mental pressure he had placed on himself. To FloRacing he said:

“I think just honestly just like winning that first one, like it was such a mountain for me to like mentally get over. I would put so much pressure on myself and like, just have bad thoughts creeping in my head all the time that like, as soon as I won that like I don't have any of those anymore.

“I think that was my first big race I won. I hadn't won a Knox Nationals yet, I hadn't won a Kings Royal yet, I hadn't really won a big NASCAR race yet, obviously a championship. So yeah, I really think that first win kind of helped me become a better, you know, more mature racer and a stronger minded racer, which helps. [1:50]

He noted that prior to this victory, he struggled with negative thoughts and self-doubt, but overcoming that hurdle not only boosted his confidence but also contributed to his development into a more mature and mentally resilient racer.