DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Young Owen Larson made an interesting projection about his father, Kyle Larson, regarding the Daytona 500, predicting that victory would elude him due to his difficulties with superspeedway racing. The astute 10-year-old noted that his dad often finds himself struggling on tracks like Daytona and Talladega, where pack racing poses a unique challenge.
As such, Kyle Larson, the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion, extended his winless streak at Daytona to 22 races and 42 when Talladega is considered, finishing in 20th place during the iconic race. Observers from the Hendrick Motorsports No. 5 team noted his frustrations, as Kyle expressed, “I make all the wrong moves. Any move I make is the wrong one,” over the radio throughout the event.
The pressure intensified for Larson as his teammates from Hendrick Motorsports showed marked success; William Byron notched a victory for the second year in a row, while Alex Bowman and Byron both secured top-six finishes. Chase Elliott finished just outside the top 15 in 15th place, further emphasizing Larson’s struggles amidst his team’s success.
Jeff Gordon, a three-time Daytona 500 champion and current vice chairman at Hendrick Motorsports, acknowledged that Larson’s challenges with racing at Daytona are evident and didn’t hesitate to support him. “I can be hard on him because I love Kyle and I think he’s amazing,” Gordon stated, reflecting both his belief in Larson’s talent and the need for improvement at superspeedway events.
Despite Larson’s extraordinary skills evidenced in other forms of racing—he has started 2025 with multiple victories across different competitions—his performance at Daytona stood in sharp contrast. Crew chief Cliff Daniels’ motivational tactics failed to turn things around, as Larson could not regain his footing throughout the race they both have often approached as a learning experience since joining forces in 2021.
Larson has made considerable strides in his career since joining Hendrick Motorsports, securing 23 Cup wins and a championship title. As Gordon noted, Larson’s overall record allows team leadership to overlook these particular setbacks, but he also recognized that these difficulties may be affecting Larson psychologically. Gordon suggested more straightforward advice for Larson, encouraging him to focus on his own style rather than comparing himself to others.
Byron further remarked on how a loss at the season opener shouldn’t be viewed as detrimental to Larson’s overall season goals. With upcoming races at Phoenix and Las Vegas—tracks where Larson has secured previous victories—the atmosphere in the garage could shift dramatically. “Wait until we get to Vegas, and he’ll just be ripping,” Byron confidently stated.
The roots of Larson’s Daytona struggles can be traced back to his debut in the 2013 Xfinity Series, where he suffered a severe crash that marred his early career. Although he did claim an Xfinity victory at Daytona in 2018, his performance in the Daytona 500 remained disappointing, now marking 0 for 12 attempts in what is often called “The Great American Race.”
When reflecting upon his career, Larson expressed an understanding that his resume is still impressive, with victories in every other major NASCAR event. “I’m not going to lose sleep if I don’t ever win this race,” Larson stated, while still acknowledging his desire for that elusive Daytona 500 ring and trophy.
Gordon pointed out that both Larson and Daniels have some introspection to do to find a path to success on these challenging tracks. “It’s a head-scratcher for sure,” he said, but remained confident they would eventually find a solution. Meanwhile, Owen Larson remains a keen observer of his father’s racing style, pointing out, “He has to try harder,” particularly emphasizing the need for improvement in drafting technique. Perhaps taking his son’s insights to heart will help Larson as he prepares for the upcoming challenge at Talladega later this spring.
