Kyle Larson has carved out a legendary reputation on dirt tracks, and his love for racing continues to set him apart in the motorsport world. The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion has not only excelled in stock car racing but also dominated the dirt racing scene. His recent victories at the Tulsa Shootout have made him a fan favorite at the ongoing Chili Bowl Nationals.

Larson also didn’t disappoint his fans and displayed some amazing moves during the preliminary round. On Day 1 of the event, he started from 4th position but made his way up to finish first. This marked his eighth career win at the prestigious event. Notably, his performance also secured him a spot in Saturday’s championship A-Main.

However, although many admire Larson’s accomplishments, some are unhappy with the constant attention he receives. 2022 Chili Bowl champion Tanner Thorson criticized the excessive attention Larson gets from broadcasters. In a recent interview, he gave an unapologetic and blunt verdict.

Is Kyle Larson getting too much attention?

The 39th Chili Bowl Nationals have produced some iconic races so far. On Thursday’s preliminary round, Tanner Thorson displayed his resilience and fighting spirit. Starting from pole position, he faced fierce competition from Christopher Bell and Ryan Bernal in a dramatic 30-lap feature. After a multi-car pileup and a late two-lap restart, Thorson held his ground to win the race. This victory confirmed his place alongside Larson in the ‘A-Main’ event.

However, after the race, Thorson slammed broadcasters for giving excessive attention to Kyle Larson. In an interview with FloRacing he said, “Yeah, I mean, everybody just talks about Larson, Larson, Larson. What about Tanner, Tanner, Tanner? You know, anybody really. So, it’s cool and all, but it’s only cool ‘cause he’s the only one that can do it, you know? Larson said he got beat at Chili Bowl by the line he won the shootout in, and it was me passing him doing that. So, that was kind of cool.”

Thorson’s comments reflect his frustration with the persistent focus on Larson, even when others achieve remarkable feats. His resume also supports his call for equal attention to him. He is a USAC standout with 29 wins, 95 top-five, and 155 top-10 finishes in 206 starts. He also claimed the National Midget Championship in 2016 and won the prestigious Chili Bowl in 2022.

Thursday’s preliminary feature added another impressive milestone to his resume. Thorson’s aggressive yet calculated driving led to a dramatic victory against three-time Chili Bowl champion Christopher Bell and others. The win marked Thorson’s third prelim night victory and positioned him as a strong contender for his second Golden Driller. Thorson is a Chili Bowl champ and racing legend in his own right and feels that his achievements deserve to be highlighted along with his rivals. However, Larson’s resume is stronger as of now.

Kyle Larson’s career achievements might warrant the attention. From NASCAR to Dirt Racing, he has marked his presence everywhere. The 2021 NASCAR champion has won the Chili Bowl championship twice in 2020 and 2021. He also has multiple race victories in other dirt racing events including World of Outlaws and owns High Limit Racing; his own Sprint Car Series. He has proved his versatility in attempting the ‘double’ which is the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.

The ongoing Chili Bowl event serves as an opportunity for Larson to add another feather to his already rocking 2025 season. He kicked off his racing season with an amazing victory at Perth Motorplex in High Limit Racing. Day after the event he joined Tulsa Shootout and won two back-to-back golden drillers in a single day. His recent performance places him as one of the favorites to win Saturday’s championship race.

Thorson slams tire cheating at the Chili Bowl

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Beyond the favoritism debate, Tanner Thorson raised another controversial topic: tire doping at the Chili Bowl. In recent years, the event has adopted harder tire compounds, making it challenging for drivers to find grip on the dirt track. According to Thorson, some teams resort to tire doping—treating tires with chemicals to gain an edge.

“I know people, track people, everybody’s kind of sick of me bi—hing about it, but it’s what it needs to do. You have to cheat to win here, chicken sh-t basically. Everybody in here that doesn’t cheat feels the same way, and the guys that do cheat, they probably feel the same way too,” Thorson told FloRacing.

Notably, Thorson’s comments become relevant if we compare them with events that occurred in the past week at the Tulsa track. The Chili Bowl’s technical director, Cody Cordell, has been working to crack down on this practice. Earlier this week, officials ejected a driver from the SageNet Center for a bold violation of tire regulations. Despite these efforts, the issue remains a contentious topic among drivers and teams.