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PRN's new social media post on X has come out, focused around a potential rivalry between Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin, two of NASCAR’s top drivers. The post breaks down their head-to-head battles.
In the video, Petty highlights that Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin have finished first and second in races seven times during their Cup Series careers. Until the recent Bristol race, Hamlin had won every single one of those matchups. Larson finally broke that streak at the 2025 Food City 500, taking his first win in a direct 1-2 finish over Hamlin. The video posted on PRN’s official X account was captioned:
“NASCAR Rivalry? Larson vs. Hamlin #NASCAR.”
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However, Kyle Petty was cautious against calling it a full-blown rivalry. He compared it to historic NASCAR rivalries, like Richard Petty and David Pearson's; the duo finished 1-2 an incredible 62 times. Petty said via PRN:
“Seven, eight, ten times, you begin to have a little bit of a rivalry and it has nothing to do with punching people in the face, or wrecking people on the racetrack. It is a pure rivalry on the racetrack when you run first and second.”
Before Larson’s latest win at Bristol, Hamlin had beaten him in every race where they finished first and second. These races included Richmond (2016), New Hampshire (2017), Darlington (2021), Kansas (2023), Bristol (2023), and Dover (2024). The narrative shifted on April 13, 2025, when Larson finally beat Hamlin.
Larson led 251 laps to win the Cup Series race at Bristol, holding off Hamlin late. It was also Larson’s 31st career win, and it stopped Hamlin from registering his third win in a row.
Kyle Larson ties Martin Truex Jr.'s record with dominant win at Bristol
Kyle Larson didn’t just beat Denny Hamlin at Bristol — he also matched a major NASCAR milestone. With his wins in Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the Food City 500, Larson tied Martin Truex Jr. for the most stage wins in NASCAR Cup Series history: 66.
Truex set the benchmark over a 22-year career and 694 starts and won the 2017 Cup Series championship. Kyle Larson reached that number in far less time - just 13 years and 374 starts.
On April 13, driving the No. 5 Chevy Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports, he led all 130 laps of Stage 2 and won. Larson won both stages, led 411 laps overall, and secured his second Cup Series win of the 2025 season. He maintained this winning streak through the weekend, winning the Xfinity race the day before.
Martin Truex Jr. has 34 career wins, 25 poles, and nearly 700 starts. He also logged 291 top-10 finishes and raced competitively in the Xfinity Series. Meanwhile, Larson, with 31 wins, 188 top-10s, and 21 poles, has matched Truex Jr.'s stage win count in nearly half the time.
The numbers back it up — Kyle Larson is one of the most dominant drivers on the grid right now. This season alone, he has two wins, four stage wins and sits just one point behind third-placed Christopher Bell.
