WATCH: Kyle Larson’s front left wheel falls off his car at COTA

Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson ran into trouble amid the second stage of the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. The driver of the #5 had his right front tire fall off his car, resulting in an unscheduled pit stop.

FOX NASCAR posted a video of the incident via X that plagued Larson's performance in the first road course race of the season, writing:

"Well, that's not good. Kyle Larson's wheel fell off. 🫣"

The incident put the 2021 Cup Series champion one lap behind and out of contention for his first win of the season. The California native started the race seventh, finished seventh in stage one, but ultimately ended the day with a 32nd-place finish. Larson has never won at COTA before but had a best finish of second at the track in 2021.

It was a trying day for Larson's HMS teammates as well. Chase Elliott, driver of the #9, spun out on the first turn of the first lap after contact from Ross Chastain. However, the 2020 champion bounced back to finish fourth. Alex Bowman, driver of the #48, had a spin-out of his own in the final stage and committed a track limits penalty as well. He also bounced back to finish ninth. William Byron, driver of the #24, place runner-up without incident in the race.

Larson is coming off a third-place effort at Atlanta last week, which was the 32-year-old's best finish on a drafting track. He finished 20th in the season-opening Daytona 500. After two races, Larson sat 16th in the points standings.

Kyle Larson seeking second Cup championship in 2025

Coming off of scoring a season-high six wins in 2024, Kyle Larson is looking for more this season. The driver of the #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet is gunning for his second Cup Series championship.

Kyle Larson joined HMS ahead of the 2021 campaign. Amidst his first season with the team, Larson scored his first career Cup title and won 10 races. It's the most races anyone has won in a season since Jimmie Johnson won 10 races in 2007, while also driving for HMS.

Larson has made two Championship 4 appearances in 2021 and 2023. However, he was runner-up to Ryan Blaney for the championship in 2023. Since joining HMS, Larson is the winningest driver of the decade with 23 victories.

Kyle Larson's Cup Series career began back in 2014 when he took over the #42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet, replacing Juan Pablo Montoya. He found success early as he won Rookie of the Year, but didn't win until Michigan in 2016. He then won four races in 2017 and picked up another win with the team in 2019. Larson left the organization after 2020.