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Kyle Larson is one of the most fun drivers to watch in NASCAR history. With his dirt racing background he can basically drive anything well and a large part of this is due to his hyper aggressive, go at 100% or more 100% of the time driving style this can give him the highest of victories and the most unlikely of defeats. So today we look back at this during his tenure at Hendrick Motorsports and ask, “Is this Kyle Larson’s fatal flaw?”
Link to The Teardown Episode:
Video Credits:
Bart Simpson YT
Black Flags Matter
FOX Sports
Jeff Gluck
Minnesota Vikings
Motorsports on NBC
NASCAR
NASCAR Productions
NBC Sports
Phillip Schlosser
SkewToo
The Teardown Podcast
Thumbnail Credits:
Getty Images
James Gilbert
Jayski
Outro Song:
Strange Animal (Crowder Remix) by Gowan
Songs:
Super Mario World Game Over LoFi Hip Hop Remix uploaded by Phillip Schlosser
#NASCAR #Motorsports #racing
31 comments
Do you think that Kye Larson’s gunslinger mentality will cost him a title one day?
Larson has always seemed like the crafty guy who would go full send in a Mario Kart race.
Normally, I would say yes, but with how NASCAR’s Playoffs work, being a gun slinger can be just as much of an advantage as it is a disadvantage.
really you got to go there 2 weeks before pheonix
Kyle Larson is the definition of go big or go home. He’s either in victory lane or on the wrecker.
Kinda like Ricky Bobby, either your first or last
It’s been that way for his entire career.
Checkers or wreckers my friend
Larson is super talented, but sometimes I feel like he needs to tone done the aggressiveness whenever he’s going for wins (except for championships). What he did yesterday was pretty unprofessional if you ask me
Larson definitely has a go big or go home mentality that can cost him big time
I think that Kyle Larson is going to be a driver we’re going to look back upon and think “what if”. And I don’t mean that like he’s underperforming. He’s still on track for 30+ wins and at least another title. I mean that in the sense that he had potential to be an all time great. He’s already arguably one of the best drivers of all time from a raw pace perspective, just can’t seem to finish a lot of races. Point being, on paper Larson’s going to be in the camp of Joey Logano, Kurt Busch, Brad Keselowski, and Martin Truex Jr, when in reality he had the potential to be on the level of Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon.
He’s on track for around 50+
He’s at his best on dirt. He won the chili bowl, the kings royal and the knoxville nationals all in the same year. He won races in both sprint cars and late models. He also won 10 cup races and a cup championship that year. Those stats would be impressive over an entire career and he won them all in one year!
Is it actually is driving skill or lack thereof at times or is it the fact that he is driving the best car in the field that money can buy anybody could get in that five car and make a perform when you’re Hendrix Motorsports a 300 million dollar Enterprise and $500 employees more than any other team in NASCAR and getting bigger you will find no team can compete with that.
@DRIVERS LQQK remember that same 5 team was the same team that Jimmie had literally same people and all and he couldn’t buy a win at the end so do with that info as you wish
Also one more thing, while yes Larson hasn’t been as dominate as 2021, ever since the next gen car really nobody has. The cars done exactly what nascar wanted it to do, create parity. If we were still using the gen 6 I guarantee you he’d be the Max Verstappen of nascar.
Actually, if you disregard wins, Larson has been SUPER dominant this year. He has led the most laps by over 200 at this point, which is pretty dominant, and is the first driver to lead over 1000 laps in the NextGen. I think this year he learned A LOT and has the potential to pull another 2021 next year.
Larson and Byron have dominated this season the only difference with next gen is there’s not 3-4 guys with 4-5 wins year there’s 1-2
At this point, it depends on which Kyle shows up at Phoenix. The one that goes for the win and suceeds or the one who pushes the car too far or miscalulate an situation and possibly wrecks out of a championship.
As a Larson fan myself, I will admit that he is talented but has to learn how to control his aggressiveness and be a little bit more wise in the future
I think the aggressiveness is a symptom of the format. With the win and in/advance format, his checkers or wreckers style is kinda what is needed. Look at MTJ. He is a far less aggressive driver, would rather settle for 3rd then wreck going for the win, and he may not advance to the championship 4.
Don’t blame the driver, blame the format that promotes that kind of racing
@Nathan1SixteenAgreed
Fast but Fragile
I think one of the biggest test for Larson will be his title chance later in Phoenix. If he is in the same position he has been so many times before, how will he drive his car against his championship 4 competitors?
He already had one of the best championship runs ever, so I think he probably cares more about getting more wins than championships
Larson is one of few drivers that each week his driving style truly shows. Wreckers or checkers. Lovin every minute of it
I think Kyle’s weakness is not knowing how these cars work. He admits that. I think that he drives the car he is given and makes it work the best he can. If he were to understand car set up better and be able to communicate that to the team, Look OUT.
The gen 6 in 2021 suited his driving style Kyle himself said it was like driving a sprint car. Right up his alley. He’s had to adapt to this gen 7 in such a way that he has to drive slightly different. Regardless I’ve said it a lot. He’s only got one gear. Flat out. He just needs to think about the bigger picture better and clean up the mistakes and he will get there. Greatness takes time to develop.
I have a video idea for you. How the days of consistency are no more. For example: average finish, top 10s, and laps led are all down for everyone. Last season only 3 drivers had 20+ top 10s and this season only Byron can have 20+ top 10s (Maybe Bell, he does have 18). In 2021, 8 drivers had 20+ top 10s and 7 in 2020. Byron has an 11.1 average finish this season, Elliott 12.5 in 2022, and 8.4 for Hamlin in 2021. This car really has brought some major parody, even in the 2nd season with running the car. It could be nothing but I’m a stats guy and it just intrigues me how much the stats have changed.
People can say stiff like this all they want. But thats what makes me like him. Always puts it on the line, getting everything out of his car, and is entertaining to watch. Cliff Daniels is the perfect Crew Chief for him to help him refine what he needs to, and gets him back on track when hes down on himself. They say mid 30s is usually a driver’s prime, he aint there yet, nothing to worry too mucj about
Larson is like Senna was in F1. And I think we need these stars who can do incredible things but their own mistakes still keep the title chasr interesting every year. I like Larson as he is now and I wish he would never change.
I prefer drivers with character and flaws (Hamlin, Chastain Logano etc.) over perfect driving machines who never make mistakes. That is one of the main reason why I am turning to NASCAR from F1.
As a Larson fan myself since the 42 days, it does get difficult to see at times, he’s had the speed to be on a similar pace as 2021, with 8-10 wins currently but his 110% at all times mentality definitely comes back to bite him. I think gunslinger is a perfect comparison/nickname, I hope he learns to get more in control and on top of it, because if he does, oh boy.