“Real racers don’t care what they’re racing”: NASCAR veteran opines on how Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell ‘made Tulsa Shootout better’

Former NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace reacted to Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell's nail-biting race at the 40th annual Tulsa Shootout on Saturday, praising both drivers for competing in the micro sprint racing event.

Bell narrowly defeated Larson, who had flown 15 hours from Australia to compete in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the Non-Wing Outlaw final race. Bell, a three-time Chili Bowl winner and a member of Joe Gibbs Racing, last raced on dirt in 2022. He returned to Tulsa after his team allowed drivers to race in non-NASCAR events.

During Sunday's episode of his "Coffee with Kenny" podcast, Wallace said that two NASCAR Cup Series drivers giving their time to the small-scale event made it better.

"A lot of these real racers, they don't care what they're racing; they just racing, and it's very serious to them," Kenny Wallace said [10:18 onwards].

"If you're a racer, you race. If you're racing a damn go-kart, we're going to race...There's a reason Kyle Larson flew from Australia, over there in Perth Motorsports Complex, to come over here to win $2,500. Because these kids love racing. And I’m—I’m gonna say this: they made the Tulsa Shootout better," he added (10:51).

Bell started the 55-lap Non-Wing Outlaw main event at Tulsa from the front row and took the lead on Lap 35 after Steven Snyder, who had been running a daring high line, suffered tire issues. This gave Bell a clear path, but a caution allowed Larson, who had started 14th, to catch up.

Larson closed in on Bell during the final lap but couldn't pass him. Bell held on to win, crossing the finish line out of Turn 4 to take home the Golden Driller trophy.

"I’ve got four words, thank you Joe Gibbs,” Bell said after the race (via Sportsnaut)

Oklahoma native Bell also won the Winged Outlaw championship at Tulsa in 2018.

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"I hate running second to Bell" - Kyle Larson on missing the win at Tulsa

Kyle Larson returned to the Tulsa Shootout after 15 years. He traveled to Oklahoma after winning the High Limit Racing event in Australia. Larson had previously won the Silver Driller at the 25th Tulsa Shootout.

The Hendrick Motorsports driver spoke about the loss to Bell in the Non-Wing Outlaw main event, saying:

"I hate running second to Bell but when it’s a finish like that, I’ll take it. I’m happy he's allowed to run dirt cars again because the sport needs it." (via Sportsnaut)

However, he won the Golden Driller trophy in the Outlaw Winged on Saturday, January 4. Kyle Larson grabbed the lead after TJ Smith made a mistake. The 2022 Golden Driller winner Smith tried to catch up, but Larson stayed ahead to win.